Pre-Launch Google Ads Setup Checklist
This is the checklist I run before launching any new Google Ads account. It covers the non-negotiable setup items that, if missed, will cost you money and optimization headroom for the life of the account.
Conversion Tracking
- Google Tag Manager installed and firing across all pages
- GA4 property configured with enhanced measurement
- Conversion events defined (form submit, purchase, phone call, WhatsApp click, etc.)
- Google Ads conversion actions imported from GA4 or set up natively
- Conversion values assigned for eCommerce / revenue-tracked actions
- Test conversion: submit a form, verify the event fires and appears in Google Ads within 4 hours
Account Structure
- Campaigns organized by intent: Branded, Generic, Competitor, Dynamic, Shopping, Display, YouTube
- Search Network only — Display Network toggled off in Search campaigns
- Search Partners — off unless specifically tested
- Location targeting set to “Presence: People in your targeted locations” (not “Interest: in OR about”)
- Language settings match your content language
- Bid strategy — Manual CPC until 30+ conversions, then Target CPA or Target ROAS
- Account-level negative keyword lists applied
Ad Groups & Keywords
- One theme per ad group (single-topic keyword groups)
- Match types — mostly phrase and exact, broad only with aggressive negative monitoring
- Initial negative keyword seed list applied
- No duplicate keywords across ad groups
Ads & Extensions
- At least 2 Responsive Search Ads per ad group
- 15 headlines + 4 descriptions per RSA where possible
- Sitelinks (4+), callouts (4+), structured snippets (1+), location extensions if applicable
- Ad strength — Good or Excellent
- Every ad landing page matches keyword intent (not generic homepage)
Budgets & Bids
- Daily budget set to monthly target ÷ 30.4
- Shared budget applied where multiple campaigns target same conversion goal
- Bid caps set to prevent runaway CPCs on smart bidding
- Bid adjustments — device, location, schedule — set to zero initially, adjusted based on data
Measurement & Reporting
- GA4 linked to Google Ads
- Search Console linked to Google Ads (for Paid & Organic report)
- Looker Studio dashboard or equivalent reporting set up
- Auto-tagging on (GCLID)
- UTM parameters configured for cross-platform attribution
Want the downloadable version or help implementing this on your account? Book a discovery call.