Paid ads getting started

Use this before auditing an account, planning a campaign, or writing ads.

Map accounts and goals

Ask for the ad platforms and accounts in use, the business goal for each, monthly budgets and who sets them, target cost or return if one exists, the products and offers being advertised, and the landing pages. Ask for exports covering at least the last 90 days, and record the date range, currency, and attribution setting for each.

Check tracking

Confirm which conversions each platform counts, how each is defined, and whether it matches what the business counts as a lead or sale. Note any dates when tracking was broken or changed. Compare platform conversions with the analytics tool or CRM for the same period and record the gap.

Agree who approves new campaigns, budget changes, pauses, and ad copy, and which claims legal or the product team must check.

Return the setup brief

Give the user:

1. Accounts, goals, and period in scope.
2. Source map with currency, attribution, and missing exports.
3. Tracking state and known gaps, with dates.
4. Approval owners for budgets, launches, pauses, and copy.
5. The first three checks worth running, with reasons.

Never fill a tracking gap with estimated results. Do not launch, pause, or edit campaigns or budgets, and never promise a return.