A practical checklist before launching a PPC campaign
Prepare the offer, landing page, budget and conversion measurement before a paid campaign begins. The click is only the start of the journey.
Choose the outcome and audience
Decide whether the campaign should generate enquiries, purchases or another clearly defined action. Identify the relevant service, audience and location. Make the budget explicit in Canadian dollars when discussing a Canadian campaign. Separate advertising spend from management, creative and website work so the total scope is understandable.
Connect the query to the destination
Group related customer needs and send each group to an appropriate page. The page should explain the same offer as the ad and make the next step clear. Review search terms after launch to learn where demand is relevant and where the campaign is attracting the wrong intent. Keyword stuffing does not improve the customer experience.
Check tracking before scaling
Validate that a reported conversion represents the intended action. A page view, form start and accepted enquiry should not be treated as interchangeable. Test destination URLs and error states, and check whether the team receiving enquiries can identify the originating campaign.
Review beyond cost per click
A low-cost click can be poor value if the visitor will never become a customer. Compare enquiry quality and downstream outcomes alongside spend. Set a review cadence and an owner for changes. Use what you learn to refine the offer, page and targeting together, rather than changing every setting at once.