Paid Ad Launch — E-commerce & Retail Edition
A procedure for setting up, launching, and managing paid advertising campaigns across digital advertising platforms to achieve specific marketing objectives.
Purpose
To launch paid advertising campaigns that effectively reach the target audience, drive desired actions, and deliver measurable return on advertising spend through proper setup and ongoing management.
Scope
Covers all paid digital advertising including search ads, display ads, social media ads, and video ads across all advertising platforms used by the organisation.
Prerequisites
- Approved advertising brief with objectives, budget, and target audience
- Creative assets approved and formatted for each platform
- Landing pages live with tracking configured
- Advertising platform accounts set up with payment methods
Includes Australian Consumer Law (ACL) compliance features, GST calculations, and product safety record management.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Configure Campaign Structure
Set up the campaign structure in the advertising platform including campaign, ad group, and ad level settings.
- 1.1Create the campaign with the correct objective type and budget settings
- 1.2Configure ad groups or ad sets with targeting parameters
- 1.3Set bidding strategy and daily or lifetime budget limits
Set Targeting Parameters
Configure audience targeting including demographics, interests, behaviours, geographic locations, and custom audiences.
- 2.1Define the audience demographics and geographic targeting
- 2.2Apply interest and behaviour targeting as appropriate
- 2.3Upload custom audiences or configure remarketing lists
- Start with broader targeting and narrow based on performance data
Upload Creative Assets
Upload approved ad creative including images, videos, headlines, and copy into the advertising platform.
- 3.1Upload images and video assets in the required formats and sizes
- 3.2Enter ad copy including headlines, descriptions, and display URLs
- 3.3Configure ad extensions or additional creative options
Configure Tracking
Set up conversion tracking, click tracking, and attribution to measure campaign performance accurately.
- 4.1Verify that conversion tracking pixels are installed on landing pages
- 4.2Configure conversion actions in the advertising platform
- 4.3Apply URL tracking parameters to all ad destination URLs
Review and Launch
Perform a final review of all campaign settings and submit the ads for platform review and activation.
- 5.1Review all campaign settings, targeting, creative, and tracking
- 5.2Submit the campaign for platform ad review
- 5.3Activate the campaign once platform approval is received
Monitor Initial Performance
Closely monitor the campaign in the first 48 hours to ensure ads are serving correctly and performance is on track.
- 6.1Verify ads are delivering impressions and clicks
- 6.2Check that conversion tracking is recording correctly
- 6.3Monitor cost metrics to ensure they are within expected ranges
Optimise Ongoing Performance
Continuously optimise the campaign based on performance data, adjusting bids, targeting, and creative to improve results.
- 7.1Analyse performance data at regular intervals
- 7.2Pause underperforming ads and scale successful ones
- 7.3Adjust bids, budgets, and targeting based on performance trends
Report Results
Compile campaign performance data into a report and share results with stakeholders.
- 8.1Compile performance metrics including impressions, clicks, conversions, and cost
- 8.2Calculate return on ad spend and cost per acquisition
- 8.3Document learnings and recommendations for future campaigns
Quality Checkpoints
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Expected Outcomes
Revenue generated per dollar of advertising spend, measuring campaign profitability.
Average cost to acquire one conversion or customer through the advertising campaign.
Percentage of ad impressions that result in a click, indicating ad relevance and creative effectiveness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between search ads and display ads?
Search ads appear in search engine results when users search for relevant keywords, targeting high-intent audiences. Display ads appear on websites, apps, and social media, targeting users based on demographics and interests for brand awareness.
How long should we run a campaign before evaluating results?
Allow at least two weeks for the advertising platform to optimise fulfilment and gather sufficient data for meaningful analysis. Short campaigns may not produce statistically significant results.
How much budget should we allocate to paid advertising?
Budget allocation depends on business objectives, industry, and competition. A common starting point is five to fifteen percent of revenue for marketing, with the paid advertising share determined by channel effectiveness data.
Want this customised for YOUR business?
We'll tailor every step to your exact operations, tools, and team structure.