Google Ads Setup Checklist: Launch Right

If you're launching or managing Google Ads campaigns, it's easy to miss critical steps that make the difference between wasting money and generating real ROI. That’s why we built this complete, step-by-step Google Ads Gameplan Checklist.

Whether you're brand new to Google Ads or looking to improve performance on existing campaigns, this guide will walk you through every phase—from initial keyword research to campaign creation to ongoing optimization. This isn't just theory—it's a real-world checklist our team uses to drive profitable campaigns across industries.

Step 1: Start with Solid Keyword Research

Complete a Keyword Research Questionnaire

Before you open Google Ads, you need to get clear on what you're selling and how your customers are searching for it. Completing a structured questionnaire helps you think through use cases, problems, product types, and intent behind the keywords. We recommend separate templates for service-based vs. product-based businesses to tailor your approach.

Set Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is primarily an SEO tool, but it offers valuable insights for paid campaigns too. You can see what your site is already ranking for organically, which helps you identify paid keyword gaps. Setting it up early also helps unify your SEO and PPC strategies under one analytics umbrella.

Brainstorm a Broad Keyword List

Your keyword brainstorm should start wide. Include every possible phrase someone might type into Google when they need what you offer. Use tools like Google’s auto-suggest, related searches, Ubersuggest, and keyword planner tools. Your goal is to uncover phrases you might not have thought of yet.

Research Your Competitors

You don’t have to start from scratch. Enter competitor domains into keyword tools like Ahrefs or Google Ads’ Keyword Planner to see what they’re bidding on or ranking for. If those phrases are driving traffic to them, they might work well for you too.

Filter for Commercial Intent

Once you have a long list of keywords, sort them based on intent. Are people searching for these terms ready to buy or just doing research? Focus your Google Ads on commercial-intent keywords that are likely to convert, and save informational phrases for SEO blog content.

Step 2: Build Landing Pages That Convert

Match Keywords to Landing Pages

Google Ads works best when there's alignment between your keywords, ads, and landing page content. Start by mapping your highest-value keywords to specific pages on your site. If no suitable page exists, plan to build one.

Mirror Ads and Landing Pages

Your landing pages should reflect the same language used in your ad headlines. This improves your Google Quality Score and provides a more seamless experience for the user. The result? Lower costs per click and higher conversion rates.

Optimize for Mobile

More than half of all search traffic comes from mobile devices. That means your landing pages need to load quickly, look great on small screens, and be easy to interact with. Use Google’s mobile-friendly test to check your pages.

Improve Page Load Speed

Page speed isn’t just about SEO. If your site loads slowly, users might bounce before they even read your offer. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to diagnose speed issues, and work with a developer to improve your scores if needed.

Set Up a Thank You Page

A simple thank you page helps you confirm form submissions and track conversions more accurately. Redirect users to this page after they fill out a form, and you'll be able to measure success in both Google Ads and Google Analytics with ease.

Step 3: Set Up Google Ads the Right Way

Create Your Google Ads Account

Sign up using your primary business Google account. Be sure to choose Expert Mode, not Google Ads Express, so you have full control. Set up your payment information, even if you're just running test campaigns at first.

Make Sure Google Analytics is Installed

Analytics helps you understand what’s happening after someone clicks your ad. Make sure every landing page has Google Analytics installed and tracking properly, whether you’re using WordPress, Shopify, or a landing page builder.

Set Up Conversion Tracking

You can’t optimize what you can’t measure. Set up Google Ads conversion tracking with Google Tag Manager or directly through your thank you page. You’ll need this to track leads, purchases, or other key actions from your ads.

Step 4: Launch Campaigns Strategically

Create Clear, Organized Campaigns

Structure matters. Build your campaigns around clear themes—by service, product line, or offer. Set your campaign goal (usually leads or sales), location targeting, language, and daily budget.

Add Ad Extensions

Extensions give your ads more visibility and click potential. Use sitelinks, callouts, call extensions, and structured snippets to enhance your search ad real estate.

Group Keywords into Ad Groups

Create tightly themed ad groups with similar keyword intent. This makes it easier to write relevant ads and direct traffic to the right landing pages. It also improves your Quality Score and overall ad performance.

Write Compelling Ads

Use your target keywords in your headlines and descriptions. Highlight what sets you apart—whether it’s pricing, speed, quality, or guarantees. Write multiple ad variations to test what works best over time.

Add Negative Keywords

Prevent wasted spend by blocking irrelevant searches. Think through terms like “DIY,” “free,” or unrelated geographic areas. Build a shared negative keyword list and apply it across your campaigns.

Step 5: Ongoing Optimization

Review Search Terms Regularly

Google Ads shows you the actual search queries that triggered your ads. Use this data to find new negative keywords and identify hidden winners to build out.

Set Up Custom Columns in Google Ads

Your default reporting view might not show the metrics that matter. Customize your columns to track clicks, costs, conversions, and conversion rate. This helps you make faster, better decisions.

Analyze Your Performance

Look at key metrics like CTR (aim for 1%+), cost per click, and cost per conversion. Ask whether your landing pages are converting and whether you're capturing enough Impression Share. Use this data to guide your next steps.

Make Smart Campaign Changes

Improve results by testing ad copy, adjusting keyword bids, and optimizing landing pages. If your campaigns are working, increase budgets. If they’re underperforming, diagnose the issue and test different variables.

Step 6: Ecommerce? Here’s What to Add

Set Up Google Merchant Center

This is where your product data lives if you're running Shopping campaigns. Use your main Google business account and connect it to your website.

Create and Link a Product Feed

You can upload a manual feed or use a dynamic solution depending on your product count and inventory complexity. A clean, accurate feed is essential for Shopping ads.

Launch and Optimize Google Shopping Campaigns

Create campaigns with product groups based on brand, category, or custom labels. Monitor performance at the product level and optimize based on ROAS and cost per conversion.

Add Product Ratings

If you’ve collected at least 50 product reviews, you may be eligible to show star ratings in your ads. These stars can boost CTR and build trust with potential customers.

Google Ads Setup Checklist — FAQ

What is a Google Ads setup checklist and why does it matter?

A Google Ads setup checklist is a step-by-step guide to configure your account, measurement, campaigns, and assets correctly before launch. It prevents wasted spend, ensures accurate tracking, and speeds up learning so optimizations are based on reliable data from day one.

What are the essential account prerequisites before creating campaigns?

Confirm admin access for core users, enable 2FA, set up billing and tax details, and link key platforms: GA4, Search Console, Merchant Center (if applicable), and YouTube. If you manage multiple accounts, connect via an MCC and standardize user roles.

How should I configure conversion tracking in a new account?

Define primary conversions (purchases or qualified leads) and secondary micro-conversions. Set count = one for lead events and count = every for purchases, verify attribution model and lookback windows, implement tags via GTM or gtag, test with Tag Assistant, and enable enhanced conversions where eligible.

How do I avoid double-counting conversions?

Ensure only one source imports a given conversion (e.g., GA4 or native Google Ads tag, not both). Deduplicate events in GA4, keep a single “primary” conversion per goal, confirm unique event names/IDs, and validate totals against backend data.

What campaign structure works best at launch?

Separate Brand vs. Non-Brand and Search vs. Performance Max/Shopping. Use tightly themed ad groups, consistent naming conventions, and keep early structures simple to accelerate learning. Add exact for top intent, phrase for coverage, and use broad strategically with robust negatives.

How should I handle keywords and match types from the start?

Map keywords to intent. Launch with a mix of exact and phrase for control and learnings, then test broad in proven ad groups backed by strong negatives and audience signals. Regularly mine the Search Terms report and promote winning queries to exact.

What negative keyword lists should I prepare pre-launch?

Create shared lists for low-intent terms (jobs, free, how-to), competitor exclusions (if policy/strategy dictates), and brand protection for PMax if you’re running a separate Brand Search campaign. Review and update these lists in week one based on search term data.

What are best practices for Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) at launch?

Include 12–15 headlines and 4 descriptions, mirror top intent phrases, and avoid over-pinning unless required for compliance. Add extensions (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call, location, price, promotion) to improve ad rank and CTR.

How should I set budgets and bidding strategies for a fresh account?

Start with Max Conversions or Max Clicks if you lack data; move to tCPA or tROAS after accruing 30–50 conversions. Set realistic targets to avoid throttling, avoid shared budgets initially, and allocate more budget to high-priority campaigns.

What audience building steps are essential before launch?

Create GA4 remarketing audiences (all users, engaged users, cart/lead abandoners), upload hashed customer lists, and provide audience signals to PMax and broad-match Search. Set sensible membership durations and, where relevant, value rules for high-LTV segments.

How do I ensure landing pages are ready for traffic?

Match the page headline and offer to ad intent, place primary CTAs above the fold, ensure mobile speed and Core Web Vitals are strong, and test forms or checkout end-to-end. Confirm UTM parameters persist and that conversion tracking fires on submission/transaction.

What compliance and brand safety checks should I complete?

Review ad policy-sensitive areas (claims, restricted products, healthcare/finance rules), add content exclusions for Display/YouTube, confirm geo-targeting and schedules, and ensure privacy policy and consent mode settings align with your CMP and regional laws.

What QA steps should I run immediately before going live?

Preview ads and final URLs, test UTMs and 404s, confirm conversion events appear in DebugView/Tag Assistant, check for disapprovals, and annotate your launch with expected KPIs. Set automated alerts for zero-conversion days, CPC spikes, or budget caps.

How should I monitor performance in the first 72 hours?

Verify spend pacing, eligibility, and disapprovals; review search terms; validate conversion logs in both Google Ads and GA4; and watch Impression Share, CPCs, and early conversion signals. Make only necessary fixes to avoid interrupting the learning period.

When should I expand or optimize after launch?

In week 1–2, prune poor queries, promote exact match winners, refine negatives, and rebalance budgets toward efficient campaigns. Begin structured ad tests and landing page improvements once you have statistically meaningful data.

How do I integrate Performance Max into my setup safely?

Ensure high-quality assets (images/video), healthy Merchant Center feeds for Shopping, and clear conversion goals. Use brand exclusions if protecting brand terms elsewhere, set URL expansion rules, and monitor search term insights to manage intent.

What dashboards and alerts should I set up from day one?

Build a Looker Studio dashboard with impressions, clicks, CTR, Avg. CPC, conversions, conversion rate, CPA/ROAS, Top IS, Lost IS (Budget/Rank), and annotations. Set email/Slack alerts for sudden drops in conversions, budget constraints, CPC spikes, or disapprovals.

How do I keep the Google Ads setup checklist current as the account scales?

Create a living playbook: document naming conventions, conversion definitions, negative lists, bid strategy thresholds, and QA processes. Review quarterly to incorporate policy changes, new features, and lessons learned from tests and performance data.

Posted in Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Eagan Heath

About the author

Eagan Heath is a co-founder and Partner at Asymmetric Marketing – a unique agency specializing in building high-performing sales and marketing systems, campaigns, processes, and strategies for small businesses. Asymmetric has extensive experience working with local, ecommerce, and B2B companies.

If you'd like to discuss the challenges you're having and how we could potentially help, you can email Eagan at eagan.heath@asymmetric.pro or book a time with him here.

Your Ultimate Google Ads Setup Checklist