When we ran our first LinkedIn campaign this month, the dashboard looked amazing. Cheap clicks, a click-through rate that made me feel like a genius. Then I opened Google Analytics. Most of those clicks came from LinkedIn’s Audience Network, hit our page, and left in about three seconds. The ad wasn’t really the problem. We just hadn’t pressure-tested who it was for, where they’d actually see it, and what should happen after they clicked.

That’s how most ads fail. Not because of the creative, but because the basics underneath it aren’t there yet: a clear customer, a journey that makes sense, and a way to measure what happens. So before you spend a dollar on LinkedIn, Meta, Google, or anywhere else, run through these 8 questions. Be honest. “Maybe” gets half credit, and if you have to think about it, it’s probably a maybe.

Your customer
01
Can you describe the one person this ad is for and the problem they’re trying to solve?“Small businesses” or “CEO” doesn’t count.
02
Does that person actually spend time on this platform?Not where you spend time, or where your competitor happens to advertise.
Their journey
03
Does your ask match where they are in the decision-making process?Give them something worth the click first.
04
Does the click land on a page built for this ad?One message, one next step. Not your homepage.
Your message
05
Would someone understand your offer and why it matters within three seconds of seeing your ad?That’s about how long you get in a feed.
06
Is there a reason to act now?A clear offer, a deadline, or a specific result. “Learn more” is not a reason.
Your measurement
07
Is conversion tracking installed and tested?The pixel or tag fires on the action you care about, and you’ve watched it happen.
08
Have you set specific metrics, such as a target cost per lead, impressions, or click-through rate?Decide what success looks like, and what you’ll change if you miss it, before the spend starts.
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Your ad readiness score
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