Microsoft Ads Checklist
Microsoft Ads Setup and Audit Checklist
A Microsoft Ads checklist for campaign setup, Google import QA, UET tracking, audience targeting, search partners, and budget optimization.
Interactive Checklist
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Account Setup
Confirm the account and financial settings before launch.
Check ownership, access, billing, currency and time zone with the responsible account owner. Define the purpose and budget of each campaign. Record baseline settings so imported or automated changes can be compared with the intended Microsoft Advertising setup.
Google Import QA
Treat imported campaigns as a draft requiring platform-specific review.
Compare targeting, budgets, bids, keywords, negatives and assets after import. Do not assume every Google Ads setting has an identical equivalent or behavior. Test destinations and conversion goals before allowing the imported campaigns to spend.
UET and Conversion Goals
Validate UET and goals through a real customer journey.
Confirm the correct tag and goal definitions, then test successful actions with the platform's diagnostic tools. Review consent and duplicate handling. Compare with analytics only after aligning definitions and reporting periods; a page view or tag load alone is not proof of a valid conversion.
Campaign and Keyword Review
Find avoidable spend and opportunities in actual delivery data.
Review search terms, network settings, devices and budget distribution against the offer. Add negatives with clear reasons and check for conflicts. Keep brand and non-brand comparisons meaningful without restructuring an account solely to match a generic template.
Audience and LinkedIn Targeting
Use audience options that fit the campaign and available data.
Confirm feature availability, permitted use and audience size before applying additional targeting. Review whether a setting narrows delivery or changes bids in the chosen setup. Judge segments by qualified outcomes, and avoid layering controls until useful demand is excluded.
Reporting and Optimization
Compare channels with consistent outcome definitions.
Review cost, value, query quality and impression-share context alongside lead handling. Account for attribution and reporting differences before comparing Microsoft and Google results. Keep a recurring action log that identifies the next test or repair and who owns it.
Official References
Use the current documentation for platform-specific settings and requirements.
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