There’s nothing more frustrating than pouring budget into Google Ads only to see it disappear with little to show for it. We’ve seen it time and time again – campaigns launched without the right foundations crumble fast.

Before you hit “launch”, ask yourself these 9 essential questions. Think of this as your final pre-flight checklist. Get these fundamentals right, and you’re setting your campaign up for performance, not pain.

1. Is your offer genuinely irresistible?

No amount of ad spend will fix a weak offer. If your proposition doesn’t stop people in their tracks, your ads won’t convert. Ask yourself – would you click? Would you hand over your email or your money based on what’s on offer?

Offers that work in paid search tend to be simple, specific and clearly valuable. Think “Free 14-Day Trial”, “Instant Quote in 30 Seconds”, or “Book a Free Consultation Today”. It’s got to be a no-brainer.

2. Does your landing page actually convert?

Even with strong ad copy and decent traffic, a poor landing page can destroy your ROI. You want to know your page converts at or above your target KPI before pushing paid traffic.

If you don’t have hard data yet, start with CRO best practices: fast load speed, one clear CTA, mobile-first design, and messaging that mirrors your ad. Better yet, test with organic or low-cost traffic first to gauge performance.

3. Can leads move through your funnel without friction?

Your funnel should work like a well-oiled machine. No dead ends, no confusing paths, no “what do I do now?” moments.

If you’re running lead generation, test the form. If it’s e-commerce, make sure the checkout flow is seamless. Follow-up emails, confirmation pages, calendar links – all of it should run without a hitch. Otherwise, you’re pouring water into a leaky bucket.

4. Have you defined clear, realistic goals?

“Get more leads” isn’t a goal. “Generate 100 leads per month at £30 CPA” is.

Before you launch, be honest about what success looks like for your business. Set targets that align with your margins, funnel performance, and overall marketing strategy. If you’re not clear on the numbers, your optimisation will be aimless.

5. Will your budget give you enough data to work with?

A lot of brands go live with budgets that simply aren’t sufficient for learning. If your daily budget can’t generate at least 10-15 clicks a day, your campaign is going to struggle.

This doesn’t mean you need massive spend – but it does mean you need enough to test, learn and iterate. If your CPC is £2, a £10/day budget isn’t going to cut it.

6. Is your tracking properly configured?

If you’re flying blind, you can’t optimise. Full stop.

Make sure conversion tracking is firing correctly. That includes form submissions, purchases, phone calls, or any other key actions. Set up GA4, Google Ads Conversion Tags, and ideally integrate with your CRM if you’re in lead gen.

Without solid data, your campaigns are just guesswork.

7. Does your account structure make sense?

Account structure can make or break performance. You need clear segmentation by intent, product/service, or funnel stage – whatever aligns best with your business model.

Avoid the “one campaign, 100 keywords” trap. Keep it tight, logical, and easy to manage. When your structure is clean, optimisation becomes far easier.

8. Are you targeting ready-to-buy keywords?

Not all keywords are created equal. You want to focus your budget on high-intent searches that signal purchase readiness.

“Buy running shoes online” is a world away from “best running shoes 2025”. The latter is research – the former is commercial intent. Your early campaigns should lean into this bottom-of-funnel traffic before scaling up.

9. Are you using the right bidding strategy for your situation?

There’s no one-size-fits-all bidding strategy. Smart Bidding is powerful, but it needs data. If you’re just starting out, manual or enhanced CPC may give you more control.

Match the strategy to your stage. New campaigns often benefit from tighter control, whereas seasoned ones can thrive with Target CPA or Maximise Conversions. Just make sure the bidding strategy aligns with your actual goals and current data volume.

Bonus: Do your ads actually stand out?

Most ads look the same. If yours don’t grab attention, they’ll blend into the noise.

Compelling headlines, strong USPs, clear CTAs and use of all available ad extensions can dramatically improve CTR. Take the time to craft ads that demand clicks.