Google pre-launch checklist

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Brief and inputs

• The Google campaign brief is complete and every linked document resolves.
• The parent marketing campaign brief lists Google in its channels table with a budget line.
• Campaign type matches the brief.
• Every customer profile targeted is linked from the library.
• Copy is approved and sits within the character limits in the copy template for this campaign type.

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Conversion tracking

• The conversion action is importing and firing, not just created.
• The action matches a row in the event tracking plan by name.
• Primary and secondary conversion goals are set deliberately for this campaign, not inherited from account defaults.
• Only the actions the campaign should optimize toward are marked primary.
• Conversion value is being sent, if the bid strategy needs it.
• Every final URL carries UTMs built to the standard.
• Auto-tagging is set as the brief specifies.
• Clicking each ad’s URL lands on a live page with no redirect chain.

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Naming

• Campaign name matches the campaign naming conventions.
• Every ad group or asset group name matches the ad set / ad group / variant conventions.
• Every ad name matches the ad naming conventions.
• Any value not already in a naming dictionary has been added to the convention page.
• If the campaign carries a test, the experiment ID is appended at the level the hypothesis targets.

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Settings

• Daily budget matches the brief.
• Bid strategy and its target value match the brief.
• If a target strategy is set, the campaign has the conversion volume to support it.
• Networks and surfaces match the brief. Search Partners and Display Network are set deliberately, not left on by default.
• Locations, languages, and ad schedule match the brief.
• Location targeting is set to presence rather than interest, unless the brief says otherwise.
• Flight dates are set and the end date is correct.

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Keywords and targeting

• Match types match the brief.
• The standing negative keyword list is applied.
• Brand terms are negated where the brief says they should be.
• Audience signals on Performance Max and Demand Gen are attached, and understood as signals rather than restrictions.

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Assets and copy

• Every required asset ratio and logo size for this campaign type is uploaded. See the creative specs.
• Headlines and descriptions come from the approved copy brief, not written at the keyboard.
• Character limits are respected in every field.
• Ad strength has been reviewed, and any weak rating is a deliberate choice rather than an oversight.
• For Shopping and retail Performance Max, the Merchant Center feed is approved and free of disapprovals.

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Landing page

• The page is live and appears in the landing page library.
• The page matches the query intent and the ad copy.
• The page’s conversion action fires, confirmed with a test submission.
• The page loads correctly on mobile.

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Sign-off

• Approvals recorded, per the approval process, including any legal or brand review the work needed.
• The owner has confirmed the build against the brief.
• Launch date and mid-flight review date are recorded in the brief.

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Related resources

• Launching a Google campaign The process this checklist closes out.
• Google campaign brief What the build is checked against.
• Campaign QA checklist The pass to run once the campaign is live.
• Image and video specs