Pre-launch checklist for a seamless paid search campaign launch

If you’re reading this post, it’s likely that you’re close to launching your paid search activity and if you’re close to launching your paid search activity, it's important to double-check everything to make sure your campaign is ready for success. This checklist will help you review the important steps for a smooth start to your digital marketing campaign. 

   

Ad copy:  

• Take a close look at your ads. Make sure the keywords are linked or closely relate to your landing page content. 
• Consider using dynamic keyword insertion. It tailors your ad to what the user is searching for, making it more relevant. 
• Check for any spelling or grammar mistakes to keep things looking professional. 

   

Ad extensions and assets: 

• Ensure your sitelink extensions, callout extensions, and other relevant ad assets are set up correctly.  
• Check that they direct users to the correct pages on your website, offering extra info and encouraging more interaction. 
• Go through the advertising platform's rules to ensure your copy meets their guidelines. Avoid using words or content that might lead to your ad being disapproved. 

   

Budget management:  

• Take a second look at your budget settings to ensure they match your overall plan and objectives. Check that your daily budget limits are sensible and will not use up your resources too quickly. 
• Think about distributing your budget strategically among different campaigns based on their importance and expected performance. 
• Decide what you want to focus on: getting more traffic to site, more views, more conversions, or achieving a specific return on ad spend. Having a clear goal will help finalise your budget decisions. 

   

Ad scheduling:  

• Double check your ad scheduling settings to avoid any mistakes or potential conflicts. Look at your scheduled start and end times to prevent unexpected issues. 
• Review your schedule and align it with when your target audience is most active. Showing your ads during peak hours boosts visibility and interaction while avoiding unnecessary spending during slower times when you would expect weaker performance. 
• Ensure your ad schedule matches the correct time zone for your target audience. 

   

Geotargeting:  

• Ensure your geotargeting strategy is focused on high priority markets or areas of proven but untapped potential. 
• Ensure your ads reach the people in the locations that matter most to your business. 
• Double check that your targeting aligns with your marketing goals if you're running campaigns with location-specific offers or services. 
• Confirm that the countries and languages you target match the languages used in your ad content and landing pages. This ensures consistency and better engagement.   

Device targeting:  

• Customise mobile, tablet, and desktop bid adjustments to get the best performance on each platform. Be aware that these bid adjustments may be made redundant if you use certain automated bidding strategies. 
• Keep in mind how users experience your ads on different devices. Adjust your ad content to suit each platform to maximise engagement and conversions. 
• If you want to drive phone calls, consider adding call extensions, especially on mobile devices. This makes it convenient for users to contact your business directly from the search results. 

   

Conversion tracking setup:  

• Test your tracking setup to ensure you are accurately tracking the actions you define as conversions. Whether it's a form submission, a purchase, or another crucial interaction on your website, ensure your tracking matches your campaign goals. 
• If you're using Google Analytics, ensure it is connected to your advertising account. This integration adds extra insights into user behaviour, helping you fine-tune your campaigns.  

   

Quality score:  

• Make sure your landing page contains high quality information and closely relates to your ad content. A high quality score not only boosts your ad rank but also lowers costs. 
• Group similar keywords together in ad groups. This enhances ad relevance and the user journey. 

   

Negative keywords:  

• Review your negative keyword list to ensure it's up to date and applied to the campaign. Including negative keywords prevents your ads from appearing in irrelevant searches, preserving your budget for more valuable clicks. 
• Regularly revisit and update this list to align with changes in your product offerings, industry trends, or shifts in user behaviour. This ensures your ad budget is consistently directed toward the most relevant searches. 

   

Ad preview:  

• Before you hit the launch button, take advantage of ad preview functions and tools to see how your ads appear in search results. This step helps you identify any display issues and allows you to make necessary adjustments. Testing the appearance of your ads ensures they look good and effectively convey your message to your target audience. 

 

By carefully examining these essential elements before launching your paid search campaign, you're laying the groundwork for success. A thoughtfully planned launch, consistent monitoring, and optimisation will help you towards your advertising goals and generate significant results for your business. It's important to remember that the launch is just the starting point – continuous adjustments based on performance data will be vital for sustained success in the dynamic world of paid search advertising. 

   

About Novicell 

 

At Novicell, we excel in paid media solutions, focusing on the intricacies of each platform to elevate your performance and deliver measurable results for your business. Our commitment is to make your campaigns stand out and deliver results that ensure a return on investment. Contact us or schedule a call to connect with our dedicated consultants, ready to guide you on your journey to success.