Frequently Asked Questions
Interactive FAQs for process and procedure support.
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Google Drive
Google Drive is our central working and storage platform for all client work. It houses project briefs, proofs, final deliverables, client update presentations, results reports, lead tracking files, and any assets provided by clients.
All client folders live inside the master folder named “Jairus Clients.” Every team member should star this top-level folder for quick access.
Yes. Google Drive is the single source of truth for all versions — including working drafts, proofs, and final approved files.
Each client folder is divided into two major sections:
- Marketing Strategies — all marketing work and deliverables
- Onboarding & Planning — all onboarding documents, planning files, and client resources
All work products, including project briefs, proofs, final files, update presentations, QBRs, and results reports.
All foundational client information, such as discovery notes, background briefs, SOWs, MSAs, planning documents, and client-provided assets.
It is broken down by year, and within each year, by project type, such as:
- Email Marketing
- Organic Social Media
- Content
- Landing Pages
- Paid Media
- Audience Building
- Events
- Lead Tracking & Results Reports
- Website Projects
You can learn more about folder structure and Google Drive organization in our Google Drive Playbook.
Completely synergize resource taxing relationships via premier niche markets. Professionally cultivate one-to-one customer service with robust ideas. Dynamically innovate resource-leveling customer service for state of the art customer service.
Efficiently unleash cross-media information without cross-media value. Quickly maximize timely deliverables for real-time schemas. Dramatically maintain clicks-and-mortar solutions without functional solutions.
Landing Pages
Example of key landing pages that Jairus creates for clients include:
- Social Media Lead Generation
- Social Media Thought Leadership (For Gated Content)
- Paid Search Landing Pages
- Webinar or Event Registration Landing Pages
- Retargeting Landing Pages (which may be lead generation or thought leadership).
Our best practice is to host campaign landing pages on clients’ main website domains, especially for paid search campaigns. When we don’t have access to a client’s main site, we have a few alternatives for hosting landing pages, including High Level (GHL) or WordPress. Occasionally, clients will utilize a separate landing page platform, such as Pardot. We prefer to avoid building our pages on Pardot, but there are times when it can’t be avoided.
- Hero section with clear purpose and CTA
- Form (top or bottom with anchor buttons)
- Supporting content (product info, pain points, testimonials, data)
- Navigation (inherited or minimized)
- Footer (inherited or minimized)
Regardless of what, the goal of all landing pages is to generate leads. To support that purpose, all landing pages must have a form. Often, the form is tied to the Client’s CRM (such as Hubspot). If that is not available, discuss the option of using Jairus’s preferred third-party form builder (Jotform).
Yes — all landing pages need a thank‑you page or confirmation page. This provides an extra layer of confidence in assessing campaign results, including definitively identifying specific channels generating leads.
Usually no. Copy, design, and development are completed internally before the landing page proof, as a staging link, is provided to the client. This allows the client to experience the landing page’s design and functionality simultaneously, saving time at the revisions stage.
No — duplicated/adapted pages may only need imagery updates. Once we have an approved landing page for a client, subsequent pages should be based off that first landing pages as a template, adapted based on the campaign but not starting from scratch. This means full design usually isn’t needed, only asset generation from the design team. Then the web development team duplicates the existing landing page and updates copy and imagery.
The account team must test desktop, mobile, and form submission before sending to the client. Typically, the Account Manager oversees QA testing for landing page proof links, then passes the page to their AD for final review before client proofing.
On Google Drive, in the Client Folder → Marketing Strategy → Year → Landing Pages → Landing Page Type
Jairus clients see success with lead generation form placement at the top of page OR bottom with anchor buttons linking down throughout page content. When possible, A-B testing form placement and other landing page elements can help evaluate what specifically will produce the best results for your specific client’s target audience.
Landing page forms can vary based on the client’s existing form provider. Typically, we utilize the Client CRM forms (i.e. Hubspot). Our preferred third-party form provider when client form access is not available, is Jotform. We may also use Gravity Forms in some cases.
Depending on the client and target audience, we generally ask for name, email, and organization name as a minimum for required information on forms. On Project Briefs, required fields for forms are indicated with an asterisk (*) next to them. Examples of non-required fields might be Telephone Number or Job Title. To better qualify leads, sometimes landing page forms are more detailed and include fields that will help the sales team follow up with the prospect – examples including asking for information on patient or procedure volumes, practice size, prospect priorities or for revenue insights.
Depending on the form provider (i.e. Hubspot vs. Jotform vs. Gravity Forms) landing page forms may include:
- Conditional logic, such as “show/hide” fields based on prior question responses
- Captcha codes to help eliminate spam submissions
- Response fields in the form of dropdowns, multi/single choice fields, uploads, sliders, calculators, rating tables, long/short text
- Multi-page questions with “next” buttons
Note that some form functionality is considering custom and requires special scoping (i.e., calculators)
New Client Onboarding
Leads come from marketing and referrals. The CEO follows up and prepares a sales presentation with recommended strategies and model options.
The CEO and COO create the SOW for new clients using the SOW Formula for pricing consistency and deliverable scoping.
The Project Manager builds out the Google Drive folders for new clients, and places the signed SOW in the Plans & Proposals folder.
The CEO emails the full Jairus team when a new client SOW is signed.
We utilize a Google Sheet template called the SOW Formula for pricing, scoping, and estimating hours for client work. Those estimated tie into the Client’s Scope of Work, as well as into the hours allotted in Teamwork for project execution.
The newest version of the SOW Formula spreadsheet can be found in our Google Sheets Template Gallery, under Onboarding & SOW templates.
A PDF that introduces the Jairus team, sets expectations, and outlines onboarding steps. The Project Manager and Account Manager work together to create the Welcome Kit (which is a Canva file that gets exported as a PDF). To set up the Kit, you’ll need to access the new SOW, a link to the our Discovery Questions template for this client, a link to our Client Contact Form for this client, and the client’s email addresses for anyone who should receive the Welcome Kit. The Welcome Kit is distributed to the Client contacts via a Welcome Email sent through Hubspot.
The Project Manager uses templates to create:
- Discovery Questions Document
- Client Contact Form Document
- Client Background Brief Document
A HubSpot email sent to all client contacts with onboarding details and the Welcome Kit. The email comes from the Account Director, but is set up and distributed by the Project Manager in conjunction with the Account Manager.
The New Client Strategy Presentation is typically presented at the first regular client meeting following the kickoff call for new clients with a full marketing retainer (versus project clients). This presentation allows us to align on everything we learned during the kickoff call, and let the client know what to expect (and when) going forward. It’s based on a Canva template customized by the AD, and typically includes:
- Campaign goals
- Audience overview
- Audience insights
- Prospect types
- Model overview
- Project updates
- Client action items
- What’s next
- Resources
Lead Tracking
Clients expect Jairus to prove marketing ROI. Accurate tracking ensures we can show which campaigns and channels generate leads and, when possible, revenue.
Some Jairus Client have robust CRMs like HubSpot; others have limited tracking. Some channels, such as Ulinc, don’t integrate with CRMs. This is why Jairus maintains a lead tracking spreadsheet for every B2B client.
Lead tracking spreadsheets can be found on Google Drive, in each client’s Marketing Strategies folder → Current Year → Performance Reports sub-folder.
- Business name
- Contact info and job title
- Lead name
- Date the lead came in
- Lead source/channel
- Feedback column
Lead tracking spreadsheets vary based on client needs. Some include fields like practice size, and some have multiple tabs for different internal users.
Typically the Account Coordinator or Account Manager are responsible for ensuring the lead tracking spreadsheet is updated weekly, as part of ongoing monitoring tasks.
Yes. It’s usually linked in client update presentations and may be shared more frequently on request.
- Ulinc
- Cold email
If the client uses a CRM (e.g., HubSpot), leads from channels like paid social, PPC, and organic can be pulled monthly into the spreadsheet.
Client Meeting Notes
Client calls include critical information—feedback, strategy shifts, project direction, and opportunities. Notes ensure the team captures insights, documents decisions, and moves action items forward.
Typically twice per month (every other week). The first meeting of the month includes a results report for the prior month.
The AM records the call, takes notes, and posts takeaways/action items in Slack. If the AM is out, the AD posts.
Within 1 hour of the meeting unless in back-to-back calls. ADs add direction by end of day.
Typically, the Account Director handles client communication, with the goal of responding within the same business day. If AD is out, the assigned AM may respond. Best practice is to loop in the COO to confirm communication.
No. Notes should include implied meaning, context, recommendations, risks, and action item ownership.
AI cannot interpret tone, emotions, client frustration, risk signals, or implied meaning.
Active listening is a communication technique requiring full attention to understand both verbal and non-verbal messages.
Key steps of active listening include:
- Full attention (no multitasking)
- Empathy
- Understanding meaning and context
- Asking clarifying questions
- Reading verbal and non-verbal cues
- Client name & date
- Meeting purpose
- Results report highlights
- Project updates & feedback
- Recommendations
- Red flags, including any areas of concern or risk, including tone, dissatisfaction, delays, or confusion.
- Action items (agency & client)
- AM ownership assignments
- Information gaps
- Recording link
Account Managers at Jairus should proactively raise their hand to own actions items and client tasks (similar to the Hungry Hippo boardgame…AMs should reach out and “grab” action items vs. waiting to be assigned or asked by their AD. A core part of success in the AM role is recognizing what needs to be done, and moving it forward independently.
Following Client meetings, typically the Account Manager is responsible for post notes and action items in the client Slack channel (within 1 hour of the client meeting, unless there are back to back meetings). In addition, some ADs also request an ongoing notes document on Google drive for tracking notes over time.
Following most client meetings, the AD and AM will often stay on the call to discuss meeting action items and align/clarify next steps. It’s advised to remove any AI notetakers after the Client leaves the call, to avoid recording internal conversations that might accidentally be shared with a client.
The Account Manager is responsible for recording all calls (internal and with clients) unless otherwise discussed with their AD.
Arrive early to meetings early to test your notetaker. If issues occur, coordinate with AD to ensure another recording method.
Our preferred notetaker is Fathom AI – be sure to set up a free account during your onboarding. Sometimes clients have a policy against AI notetakers, and instead allow us to use Google Meet + Gemini transcription. Confirm with your AD before using a note taker.
Client Performance Reviews
Our monthly client performance reviews are Internal meetings to analyze campaign performance, client health, results, and strategic opportunities — not tactical updates such as project status.
AD (leads), AM, AC, Social/Digital Director, Web Director, SEO Specialist, Email Specialist and optionally CEO/COO.
During our internal performance reviews, the team digs deeper into campaign results, identifies implications, recommends strategic improvements, and focuses on how to grow client relationships. The meeting focuses on performance data found in our client health tracker spreadsheets, found on Google Drive within the Jairus Clients folder.
Review campaign data, identify challenges and successes, be ready to collaborate, and participate meaningfully.
Typically the AD schedule the performance calls, which are held monthly before the 10th of each month to review the prior month’s campaign results.
Google Drive → Jairus Clients → Client Account Health Tracker → AD sub‑folders.
No—internal only, though data may be used in our monthly and quarterly client results reports.
Data‑pull tasks must be completed at least 3 business days before the internal meeting to allow the AD time to review results and prepare for the call.
Client Update Presentations
Client Update Presentations are bi‑monthly (B2B) or monthly (B2C) client meetings reviewing agenda, project updates, proofs, action items, next steps, and results.
Update presentations allow us to align expectations, remind clients of our work, hold clients accountable, and celebrate successes.
AM: template setup, agenda, project status, proof links, action items, results data.
AD: review, accuracy check, talking points.
Support team: specialty updates or data pulls.
3 days prior: AM drafts presentation + results.
2 days prior: AD reviews.
Day of: AD shares with client.
On Google Drive, in each client’s Marketing Strategies → monthly folders.
Account Management: Client Requests
Agreeing to anything and everything a client asks for may feel easy in the moment and seem like a quick way to keep clients happy…but long-term, it is BAD STRATEGY because it damages trust, creates operational strain, and undermines the agency’s strategic role.
Agreeing to everything a client asks for can:
- Lead to overspending
- Create unclear ROI
- Result in poor recommendations
- Undermine our role as the expert
Clients rely on Jairus to provide strategic guidance, not simply execute anything they ask. If the team always agrees, the client eventually questions the agency’s value.
“No” can be a strategic leadership tool, not a rejection and can help:
- Builds trust
- Strengthens relationships
- Protects resources
- Improves outcomes
- Differentiates Jairus as a strategic partner
Saying yes to everything creates chaos – Saying no intelligently creates success.
Sustainable account service requires boundaries. When we constantly say “yes” to every client request, it:
- Overwhelms and overworks the account and support teams
- Damages team ability to deliver their best work
- Causes trickle-down chaos across the account portfolio
- Ultimately leads to client dissatisfaction
Saying yes to work that is outside of existing scope creates:
- Uncompensated additional work → reduced profitability
- Stress on production teams
- Delays in other client work
- Compromised team morale
This directly impacts raises, bonuses, and hiring capacity.
It is appropriate to push back on a client request when:
- The request does not support strategic or measurable goals
- It requires illegal/unethical actions
- Time or resource constraints harm the agency
- It jeopardizes profitability or operations
These are firm boundaries.
Account team members often fear that pushing back on a client request will:
- Damage the relationship
- Appear unhelpful
- Cause friction
But saying yes to the wrong things hurts clients more in the long run. To help navigate these difficult situations, consider:
“Instead of saying NO… don’t say yes.”
The goal is not blunt refusal, but strategic redirection that protects both the client and the agency.
Because understanding:
- Objectives
- Revenue model
- Market realities
- Strategic priorities
…enables AMs to confidently advise the client and say “yes” only to the right things.
Surface-level knowledge leads to reactive order-taking.
Don’t agree until you’ve spoken to our Project Manager to confirm the timeline is doable. You can review our standard turnaround times here. If the timeline isn’t doable, consider:
- Offering alternative timelines
- Setting proper expectations
- Pushing back professionally
- Explaining the workload and quality impacts (example: pushing off another of the client’s projects to accommodate this request).
- Note: Do not mention other clients in context with managing these requests – your client doesn’t care about other clients’ projects that might impact their timeline.
And remember: A rushed “yes” harms both the client outcome and the agency.
When:
- Scope is unclear
- There’s a high financial or operational impact
- Client relationships may be affected
- It risks breaking precedent
- It may shift account strategy
Escalation protects both relationship and agency integrity.
To manage requests from clients that will cause us to exceed allotted hours, consider:
- Explaining the bandwidth issue, reminding the client of their existing priorities
- Offering alternatives (later timeline, reduced scope, or prioritization)
- Suggesting project-based billing if applicable
This preserves client satisfaction while maintaining healthy operations.
Clients differ in maturity, trust, confidence, and expectations. Some will understand and appreciate strategic pushback. Others will:
- Feel threatened
- Think you’re being unhelpful
- Believe you’re blocking progress
- Lose confidence in the team
Telling the wrong client “no” too early damages the relationship. Your AD and COO can help you navigate these situations
Telling a client “no” can:
- Trigger defensiveness
- Sound final and absolute
- Escalate emotion
- Damage fragile relationships
Clients respond better to guidance + rationale than to rejection. Not telling a client “yes” is not the same as telling them no. To help with this, consider:
- Acknowledge the client’s request
- Show understanding of the intent
- Reference goals, strategy, or constraints
- Redirect to a better alternative
- Confirm alignment and next steps
Use process reinforcement, such as:
- “To make sure we don’t miss anything, let’s run this through the regular brief process.”
- “We’ll want to follow the same workflow so the team can deliver accurately or add hours to the project.”
Instead of saying no, consider telling the client:
- “This is outside our current scope, but we can add it as a project – let me get you a quote.”
- “Let’s look at how this fits into our agreement, we may need to swap it out for another deliverable.”
Scope reinforcement maintains professionalism.
Other
This is a common one! It’s Jie-rus (hard “i” sound, like in tie or rye). Jairus is a biblical reference and reflects the origins of the B2B side of the agency.
In general, we communicate with clients based on client preference with oversight from the Account Director. That may mean email, text messages, phone calls or – most often – video meetings via Google Meet. The account team typically meets bi-weekly with clients, and may also sends a weekly update email.
We primarily communicate with each other via two channels: Slack (for quick messages, check-ins, follow ups) and Teamwork (project management). By your first day, you’ll be added to all relevant slack channels (including client channels, and other group channels related to company communication or client work). Be sure to tag specific team members with an @name to ensure they see your post. Additionally, you’ll be able to slack individual team members directly.
Yes, for internal and client calls, team members are expected to have their cameras on unless discussed with the COO ahead of time.
Paid time off is requested through our HR portal (Bamboo). You may have already received access to Bamboo via your onboarding paperwork, but if not, please reach out to our HR director for support. Discuss planned time off with your direct supervisor before making your request to ensure no issues with team member overlap that would be detrimental to our ability to complete client work (first requests get first priority). For sick days or unexpected time off, please let your direct supervisor and COO know via a group Slack message as soon as possible, and share any details of projects/client meetings that will need support during that time you’re out. For more details, review our PTO Protocols.
Our core business hours are 8:30-5:30 CT, which includes up to a daily lunch break daily. You can choose to take your lunch at a time that works for you, working around client or internal meetings. Most team members block time off daily on their calendar.
Typically, the Account Director and Account Manager attend Client calls. If a Client is struggling or needs additional strategic guidance, the COO or CEO may also attend. ADs lead client calls, utilizing the update presentation developed by the AM. There may be times when the AM also presents during a Client call, such as when reviewing Ulinc results.
The Project Manager prioritizes and plans out daily task lists for support team members, including copywriters, designers, web developers, social/digital team and SEO.
The team is encouraged to be as responsive as possible on Slack and through other communication channels, especially for urgent requests/questions. If you’re on a Client call, then try to respond as quickly as possible after the call ends.
The team meets daily at 8:30 a.m. CT for our Daily Check-in Call. All team member should attend with cameras on. If you are unable to attend this call, will be late or if your camera will be off, send a private slack message to the COO prior to the meeting.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we rotate through the entire team, with each person sharing something they’re proud of/excited about, any concerns and any blockers to their to-do list for the day. You can find the rotation order in the meeting invite on your Google Calendar.
We endeavor to approve all requests for PTO. During times of high volume requests (such as holidays) your supervisor may evaluate the feasibility of multiple team members being out of the office simultaneously, especially for team members filling the same role. In those situations, priority will be given to the employee who requested the time off first. Please speak with the COO or the HR director regarding any concerns with PTO requests.
For unplanned leave (Sick Days or Emergencies), please send a slack message to your direct supervisor, the Project Manager and COO as soon as possible. If meetings need to be rescheduled or covered for that day(s), please let relevant team members and the COO know. If there are urgent tasks that need to be handled while you’re out, please share that as well in your slack message. When you return to work, remember to enter your request for a sick day using the Bamboo PTO request process.
The agency offers up to three days of paid bereavement leave for close family members (for e.g. parent, sibling, spouse, child, grandparent). We also comply with all state and federal requirements regarding jury duty and voting.
Meet with your AD/AM(s) at least 2 days prior to being out to review all
projects/tasks due. The goal is to make sure the team has everything they need
from you to move projects forward while you are out.
Let your clients know you’ll be out; provide them with an update on where projects
stand, and let them know who to contact while you are out. Reschedule
client/internal meetings as much as possible. If you need support covering a
meeting that cannot be canceled, speak with the COO.
Set your out-of-office notice for email and note that you’re away from your desk
on your work Google calendar. Include who to contact for support while you are
out.
The day before you’re out, send an email that recaps anything needed while you
are out, including projects/tasks that may come up, meetings and any other client
needs and project status updates. Copy support team members who may be affected as well as the COO.
When possible, let the account team know at least one week prior to being out in
case there are urgent tasks that need your support. Send an email to the account
team letting them know when you’ll be out. Copy your immediate supervisor, the COO and Project Manager.
Reschedule any client/internal meetings that you lead (when dropped). If you need
support covering a meeting that cannot be canceled, speak with the impacted AD and the Project Manager.
The day before you’re out, send an email that recaps anything needed while you
are out, including covering meetings, overseeing accounts/projects/tasks. Copy
the Project Manager, your immediate supervisor and COO, any account team members you work with as well as other affected team members.
Set your out-of-office notice for email and note that you’re away from your
desk on your work Google calendar. Include who to contact for support while
you are out.
Scott’s bad dad jokes are never-ending. There’s no avoiding them. Best to succumb immediately and save your energy.
Scott’s biggest pet peeves include interrupting someone when they’re speaking, and not taking ownership of your work.
Callie’s biggest pet peeves include not taking ownership of your work, not using the resources available to you and pushing a project forward to get it off your plate, vs. thinking it through strategically.
Yes, Callie is exactly as mean as she seems. No more, no less.
SecondWind is a small-agency support organization offering resources and development for marketing agencies. Jairus is a member. You can find log-in credentials in 1Password to gain access to our account benefits.
Because they’re Scott’s alma mater, and he’s always happier the day after their football team wins.
Platforms & Tools
We use multiple platforms to manage projects, communicate internally, support clients, access CRMs, build landing pages, track performance, and manage creative development. As an account team member, you’ll utilize Teamwork, our Project Management platform, Canva, for presentation development, Google Drive/Docs for project briefs and proofing, and client CRMs most frequently.
Purpose: Project management—tracking tasks, deadlines, workflow.
Access: Invitation sent to your Jairus work email.
Purpose: Stores all client work—briefs, proofs, finals, SOWs, reports, and presentations.
Access: Jairus Google login.
Purpose: CRM for many clients; used for email campaigns, lead reports, ROI analysis.
Access: software@jairusmarketing.com Gmail login.
Purpose: Internal communication.
Access: Invitation sent to your Jairus email.
Purpose: Secure storage of client and agency passwords.
Access: Invitation to join team vaults.
Purpose: Audience development, Ulinc setup, cold email list building.
Access: Credentials available in 1Password.
Purpose: Automated LinkedIn outreach campaigns to targeted prospects.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Ad account + organic access for Facebook/Instagram.
Access: Jairus Google login.
Purpose: LinkedIn ads + organic posting.
Access: Jairus Google login.
Purpose: Annotating website projects during revisions.
Access: Email invite.
Purpose: Recording and transcribing client meetings; identifies action items.
Access: Setup via Jairus email.
Purpose: Client presentations, light design work.
Access: analytics@jairus Gmail (in 1Password).
Purpose: Email marketing for clients without CRMs.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: CRM + email platform for clients using Salesforce.
Access: Credentials in 1Password, plus 2FA from COO.
While we primarily use Google Suite’s tools for document and spreadsheet management, there may be times when Microsoft Office is needed. The agency can provide you with an Office account when needed; speak with the COO to request access.
Purpose: Verify cold email lists.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Third-party form builder for landing pages; account team pulls results.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Prospecting and cold email scraping.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Heatmaps and user recordings for client websites.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Media buyers use GTM to install/manage tracking codes.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: On-demand skills training for all team members.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Purpose: Cold email drip campaigns; protects client domains.
Access: Credentials in 1Password.
Proofing
Project proofing ensures that all deliverables are client-ready before they are sent externally. This means verifying accuracy, alignment with brand and objectives, and ensuring clarity and quality in writing and design. The playbook makes clear that the Account Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring every project meets client-ready standards before the client sees it.
The Account Director (A.D.) is responsible for confirming a project is fully client-ready prior to external review. Even if the CEO or COO must review the work, the A.D. must ensure the proof is already polished before escalating internally.
A client-ready proof must be:
- Free of punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors
- Aligned with the client’s branding, messaging, and positioning
- Compliant with client, agency, and industry standards
- Clear and easy for the client and their audience to understand
- Supportive of the overall objectives of the project
These criteria ensure that what the client sees reflects agency quality and accuracy.
Depending on the project, the A.D. may ask the Account Manager (A.M.) to complete:
- Proof setup steps
- Initial organization and formatting of the proof document
- Uploading or arranging assets for review
The A.D. will then conduct a final review personally.
The playbook includes a table (Page 3) outlining project types and when client review typically occurs:
- After design/setup: Social ads, display ads, nurture emails, outreach emails, organic social posts, landing pages/microsites.
- Rarely before design: Thought leadership pieces, collateral, new websites.
This ensures client time is used efficiently and only polished assets are sent their way.
Internal proofing involves more than proofreading. It must ensure that copy/design:
- Supports the objective of the piece
- Meets client expectations
- Aligns with client brand and previous work
- Resonates with the target audience
- Differentiates the client from competitors
Strategic misalignment is treated as seriously as grammatical errors.
Account Managers and Account Directors are responsible for proofing for strategy – not just for grammar, punctuation or formatting. Strategic proofing responsibilities include:
- Confirm the piece supports the project’s overarching goals
- Confirm alignment with client expectations
- Ensure consistency with existing brand and campaign work
- Ensure relevance and resonance with the intended audience
- Confirm that creative choices help the client stand out
This avoids sending content that looks correct but is strategically misaligned.
- Does this align with the objectives of the project?
- Does this align with what the client is expecting?
- Would this help or hinder client understanding and decision-making?
If the answer is unclear or negative, revisions are required before sending to the client.
Successful feedback depends on:
- Knowing client expectations
- Understanding their design and messaging preferences
- Choosing the right feedback tool (Markup.io, Google Comments)
- Giving specific examples rather than vague criticism
Proof setup ensures that all deliverables — ads, emails, websites, designs, etc. — are:
- Organized
- Clearly labeled
- Easy to review
- Free from internal instructions
- Presented exactly as the client should see them
The goal is to create a clean, professional, error-free package for client review.
Every proof must follow these rules:
- Set access to “Anyone with the link can view.”
- Remove ALL internal briefing notes.
- Ensure example text matches the client’s REAL content.
- Format clearly and logically (headlines, bullets, labels).
- Organize variations side-by-side or in a structured list.
These rules apply to all proof types.
Because:
- Clients or stakeholders may forward the link internally
- External reviewers (legal, compliance, SMEs) must access the proof easily
- It prevents delays caused by restricted access
- It eliminates back-and-forth permission troubleshooting
Proofs must be instantly accessible.
Internal notes often include:
- Strategy explanations
- Questions
- Work-in-progress comments
- Directional internal language
These should never be seen by clients.
Removing them ensures the deliverable looks polished and intentional.
Example content is not real content and may accidentally break:
- Brand voice
- Compliance rules
- Product accuracy
- Regulatory restrictions
Using placeholder text can mislead clients about what the final deliverable will be.
The playbook advises that proofs should:
- Include screenshots or embedded images for each variation
- Place visuals under headers labeled “A”, “B”, “C”, etc.
- Clearly label each variation and pair it with corresponding copy
- Provide links to editable source files when appropriate
Visual clarity helps clients understand exactly what they are reviewing.
Variations should be:
- Clearly separated
- Labeled (A, B, C…)
- Presented consistently
- Paired with their corresponding images or copy
This avoids client confusion and lets them compare options easily.
For website proofs, you must remove:
- Placeholder lorem ipsum
- FPO (for-position-only) images
- Temporary notes or developer comments
- Empty sections not intended for the final build
Clients should review the actual experience, not temporary scaffolding.
All proofs should include:
- Clickable links
- Screenshots next to or beneath the link
- Descriptive labels for each link
- Any variations clearly identified
Links must be functional and understandable on first glance.
The playbook emphasizes verifying:
- All links work
- All images load properly
- All content is correct and final
- No placeholder text remains
- All formatting is clean
- Access permissions are correct
- Variations are clearly separated
Every detail contributes to perceived professionalism.
Because clients focus on the creative/strategic value of the deliverable. A cluttered or confusing proof causes:
- Misinterpretation
- Approval delays
- Lower confidence in agency execution
Clean layout → clean readability → faster approvals.
A polished proof:
- Reduces the need for client clarification
- Makes variations easier to compare
- Shows attention to detail
- Makes the review process feel lighter and more organized
The playbook highlights that clients should enjoy the experience of reviewing your work, not feel burdened by it.
Common tools include:
- Markup.io for visual commenting
- Google Docs for commenting on text
- Figma/Canva links for design work
- Website preview links for website proofs
The key is selecting the right tool based on the project type and client comfort.
All work must contain zero grammar, spelling, punctuation, or typographical errors. Proofing for grammar is considered the baseline expectation, not the full extent of proofing.
- Words must be spelled correctly.
- Capitalization must be correct.
- Punctuation must follow standard rules.
Mistakes, even small ones, reduce client confidence.
Every piece of writing must be:
- Clear
- Direct
- Easily understood by the client
- Easily understood by the client’s audience
Clarity is prioritized above creativity.
If the meaning is ambiguous or confusing, it must be revised.
Consistency is essential for both client copy and design. Deliverables must use:
- Consistent capitalization
- Consistent punctuation
- Consistent spacing
- Consistent list formatting
- Consistent header styles
Proofing for design means ensuring that visual assets are not only aesthetically correct but strategically appropriate, including:
- Readability
- Accessibility
- Visual hierarchy
- Alignment with client brand
- Color choices that support clarity
- Continuity with other campaign materials
Design is evaluated for strategy, not just appearance.
The Account Director (A.D.) must ensure a project is client-ready before any internal escalation (CEO/COO review) or before the client sees it.
This includes verifying:
- Copy accuracy
- Design alignment
- Strategy match
- Proof completeness
- Professional formatting
The A.D. is the final quality gatekeeper.
Reviewers should:
- Ask for clarification early
- Confirm objectives and client expectations
- Bring issues to the A.D.
- Never ignore concerns about alignment or quality
If something seems wrong, raise it—proofing requires proactive attention.
Based on the playbook’s structure:
- Account Manager conducts first-level checks and prepares the proof
- Account Director performs strategy, clarity, professionalism, and brand alignment review
- Only after the A.D. approves, escalate to CEO/COO if required (not typical)
- Proof is then sent to client
This ensures team-level quality control happens before leadership or client involvement.
Feedback must be:
- Clear
- Specific
- Actionable
- Respectful
- Focused on improvement
Vague criticism (“This just doesn’t work”) is discouraged. Specific guidance (“The tone is not aligned with the client’s expectations based on X”) is required.
- Strategy questions → escalate to A.D.
- Design questions → escalate to Creative Lead or A.D.
- Alignment issues → discuss collaboratively before refining the proof
- The final decision rests with the A.D.
No disagreement should delay proofing; clarifications must be resolved quickly.
Revision loops should be minimized through:
- Strong initial proofing
- Clear objectives
- Solid strategy alignment
- Good communication with clients
- Accurate brief interpretation
Most revision cycles stem from avoidable proofing issues.
Project Briefs
A Project Brief is a standardized document used to clearly outline the scope, objectives, deliverables, background information, and requirements of any client project. It ensures the team understands:
- What needs to be done
- Why it’s being done
- What success looks like
- What resources or information are required
It exists to eliminate ambiguity and align everyone before work begins.
Project Briefs exist to ensure:
- Consistent understanding across all teams
- Smooth transitions between account, creative, and strategy teams
- Reduction of rework or unclear expectations
- Faster execution once planning is complete
Clear documentation upfront prevents downstream inefficiencies and miscommunication.
A Project Brief should be created before any project work begins—specifically:
- After client approval to proceed
- After internal alignment on goals
- Before creative, content, or technical tasks begin
- Whenever an initiative is substantial enough that it requires multi-team collaboration
Essentially: If the project involves more than one person or affects client-facing output, a brief is required.
The Account Manager typically is responsible for:
- Completing the Project Brief
- Ensuring accuracy based on client input
- Adding relevant historical or contextual information
- Submitting it through the correct workflow pathway
Internal teams rely on this document to understand expectations. There may be times when an Account Director or an Account Coordinator complete briefs. Unlike in some agencies, the project brief is an internal document at Jairus – developed and used by our team vs. in collaboration with the client.
We have specific briefs for each type of deliverable/project Jairus offers clients. You can access all project brief templates in our Google Docs Template Gallery.
Because different projects require different:
- Background information
- Technical details
- Success indicators
- Timing and milestones
- Inputs from specialists
A one-size-fits-all brief would either miss key data or overwhelm simple tasks.
Almost every project or task at Jairus is tied to a project brief as the first step in project development, including:
- Campaign development
- Email creation
- Social media campaigns
- Paid ad campaigns
- Web or landing page builds
- Multi-step or multi-team projects
- Creative or design-heavy tasks
Anything that touches multiple teams or has high complexity requires formal documentation.
Small, quick-turn tasks or one-off production items may not require a brief. Examples:
- Simple text edits
- Minor image swaps
- One-off approvals
- Small technical fixes
But: if the task impacts messaging, branding, or strategy, a brief is recommended.
They prevent common issues such as:
- Misunderstood directions
- Missing background details
- Unclear due dates
- Incorrect deliverable formats
- Teams making assumptions
A detailed brief ensures all internal teams are aligned from the start.
The Project Brief:
- Is the starting point of production
- Acts as the single source of truth
- Drives task creation in the project management system
- Guides creative direction
- Defines success metrics
- Ensures continuity across the account team
Without a brief, the process lacks alignment and documentation.
Because it includes:
- Background context
- Messaging direction
- Deliverable requirements
- Audience targeting
- Brand standards
- File formats or specifications
Incomplete briefs result in:
- Production delays
- Increased back-and-forth communication
- Potential errors in execution
- Blocked creative work
- Missed deadlines
Incomplete briefs are one of the biggest workflow disruptors. As a result, the brief will be returned to the account team to complete before the project can move forward.
The playbook identifies recurring issues such as:
- Missing background or context
- Vague objectives
- Undefined audiences
- Unclear or incomplete deliverable descriptions
- Missing specifications
- Not attaching reference materials
- No due dates or unrealistic timelines
Most mistakes stem from trying to complete the brief too quickly.
Task Management
You must toggle ON the following task categories:
- Task Name
- Task List
- Project Name
- Client
- Due Date
- Estimated Time
- Priority Order
- Board Status
These categories ensure your task list displays the correct information in an actionable way. Each column plays a role in showing what the task is, where it belongs, who it is for, when it is due, how long it should take, and whether it is ready to be worked on.
Two things must be confirmed before beginning any task:
✔ The Due Date is accurate
and
✔ The Board Status indicates it is ready for your role
For example:
- If you are a designer, board status should say “With Designer.”
- If the status is “Pending” or “With Account,” it is not ready.
Yes – find the filter icon at the top of your task list and click the box for “Only show tasks that are not blocked.”
This removes tasks waiting for others and shows only those you can take immediate action on.
Important: Do not save this filter permanently — just click outside the box to close it.
Because it helps you:
- Focus only on actionable work
- Avoid wasting time on tasks you cannot meaningfully progress
- Reduce distraction
- Improve daily efficiency
- Click the Due Date column header
- It will turn blue with a blue arrow when sorting is active
This ensures you work on the most time-sensitive tasks first.
The Priority Order column on your Teamwork task list:
- Determines the sequence in which you should complete today’s tasks
- Helps support team members prioritize work
- Assists if a team member is overwhelmed or unclear on what to do first
This column steers your daily action plan – don’t deviate from the priority order the PM sets for you without speaking with the PM first. It’s important to fall the order as it’s assigned.
Priority is set by our Project Manager, who prioritizes daily tasks for:
- Content Team
- Design Team
- Web/SEO Team
- Social/Digital Team
Always follow the Priority Order column on your task list. This column tells you the exact sequence to complete your tasks for the day. If Priority Order contradicts Due Dates, Priority Order takes precedence. Have questions? Reach out to our Project Manager.
Priority Order is updated daily by the Project Manager, ensuring you always have an accurate plan for your workday.
If something feels off:
- Ask the Project Manager
- He/She can quickly reassess and reorganize tasks
IMPORTANT: Never reorder Priority Order yourself unless explicitly instructed.
If you finish the day’s tasks early and have time, notify the Project Manager and move to the next day’s priorities.
If NO tasks appear after removing the filter, reach out to the Project Manager and notify the COO of your availability. You may also reach out to other team members across departments to offer help/support.
Start by reaching out to the Project Manager (support team) or your AD (account team). Be proactive – don’t wait until the last minute to raise a flag.
Immediately notify:
- The Project Manager (Support Team)
- Your AD (Account Team)
Reallocating hours, adjust scope or rescheduling tasks may be needed.
Each day, review:
- Today’s tasks (guided by Priority Order)
- Tomorrow’s tasks (to prepare for workload)
- Tasks due within the next week (to anticipate bottlenecks)
Weekly awareness prevents last-minute scrambling.
Reach out to the Project Manager (support team) or your AD (account team) if you have a conflict with task due dates or other project details.
Task Status (also known as the task stage) indicates which role is currently responsible for the next action or task on a project.
Common statuses include:
- With Account
- With Copywriter
- With Designer
- With Web
- Pending
- Complete
Task Status ensures tasks are routed correctly.
A task is With Account when:
- The Account Manager or Account Director needs to provide direction, such as completing a project brief
- A project is ready to be proofed
- A project is ready for completion
- A project is in need of some other account team action
Tasks should always tell the full story of what’s happening.
Never – without a correct Task Status, your project is likely to fall through the cracks. Task status is used by our Project Manager to correctly prioritize and assign work to the support team. If you notice a task is missing a Task Status (With Account, With Design, Pending, etc.) reach out to the PM immediately.
If complexity exceeds the Estimated Time:
- Notify your A.D. (account team) or Project Manager (support team)
- Provide detail on the complexity
- Request direction or scope re-evaluation
- Do not exceed hours without approval
Complexity must be escalated—not absorbed.
Immediately:
- Notify your A.D. (account team) or Project Manager (support team)
- Determine what is required to complete it
- Work with the PM to update due dates appropriately
- Communicate with all affected team members
Do not attempt to “fix quietly” — transparency is mandatory.
A task is only complete when:
- Your entire portion is fully finished
- Nothing else is required from you
- Deliverables meet project requirements
- All notes and links are added
- The next team member has received a clean handoff OR the task is truly final
- Your time has been logged, your task status has been updated to Complete, and your task is no longer active (green checkmark icon vs. grey checkmark icon next to it)
Never mark a task complete prematurely.
No, do not reuse the old task – work with the Project Manager to open a new task within that project.
The Jairus team is expected to:
- Log in to Teamwork daily and review assigned tasks
- Complete all tasks in Teamwork by their due date
- Communicate proactively when their are conflicts or delays
- Ask clarifying questions early
- Log time, close tasks and move the project to the next person in line correctly
Paid Search
Google Ads is Jairus’s primary paid search platform, although occasionally Bing may be utilized as well. Both platforms are used to:
- Create, manage, and optimize paid search ads
- Target specific keywords and audiences
- Monitor performance daily
- Identify what is generating leads, traffic, or conversions
Google Ads supports:
Search Campaigns
- Text-based ads triggered by user searches
- Best for lead generation and intent-driven marketing
Display Ad Campaigns
- Banner image ads
- Appear across partner sites
- Used primarily for awareness
Video (YouTube) Campaigns
- Short-form video ads
- Used for brand exposure and retargeting
Search ads are the core focus because they reach users actively seeking solutions.
Jairus connects to client accounts using the agency manager account through the analytics@jairusmarketing.com email address.
Key metrics for Google Paid Search campaigns include:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
- Avg CPC (Cost Per Click)
- Conversions
- Cost per conversion
- Conversion rate
- Impression/Click Share
These metrics determine whether ads are performing efficiently.
CTR shows:
- How often users click an ad after seeing it
- Whether ad copy is relevant to the search term
- How competitive your messaging is
Low CTR often indicates:
- Poor headline relevance
- Weak ad copy
- Incorrect keyword targeting
- Overly broad match types
High CTR means your message resonates with user intent.
- CPC = how much you pay per click
- High CPC may indicate competitive keywords
- Low CPC may indicate low competition or high ad quality
CPC affects:
- Total spend
- Budget efficiency
- Campaign scalability
- Overall cost per conversion
Managing CPC is key to profitability.
Cost per Conversion (Page 9):
- Measures how much is spent for each completed action (form submission, call, signup)
- A crucial KPI for ROI
- High cost → inefficiencies in keywords, ad copy, or landing page
- Low cost → strong alignment between traffic quality and offer
This is one of the most important metrics for clients.
Exact Match
- Triggers only when users search the exact phrase
- Highest precision
- Often highest conversion rate
Phrase Match
- Triggers when searches contain the phrase in order
- Balanced reach and relevance
Broad Match
- Triggers variations, related terms, synonyms
- Largest reach
- Highest risk of irrelevant traffic
Match type determines the trade-off between volume and quality. Jairus ONLY recommends Phrase or Exact match for B2B campaigns.
Quality Score is influenced by:
- Expected click-through rate
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience
A higher Quality Score results in:
- Lower CPC
- Higher ad rank
- More impressions
- Greater click volume
Improving Quality Score is a core optimization goal.
Your campaign’s Optimization Score:
- Reflects Google’s recommendations on improving performance
- Shown as a percentage
- Includes suggestions like pausing poor keywords or adjusting bids
- Not always accurate, but helpful for identifying potential improvements
Teams should evaluate recommendations critically — not blindly implement them.
Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) allow multiple:
- Headlines
- Descriptions
This enables Google to:
- Test combinations
- Personalize based on user queries
- Optimize for highest CTR
Strong variation improves Quality Score and performance.
A Google Ad campaign’s keyword strategy exists to:
- Ensure ads appear only for relevant, high-intent searches
- Align user intent with ad messaging
- Control budget efficiency
- Improve conversion rates by filtering out unqualified traffic
- Structure campaigns around user needs and product value
Strong keyword strategy → strong campaign performance.
Teams evaluate:
- Industry terminology
- Pain points buyers search for
- Competitor terms
- High-intent phrases (e.g., “software for…”)
- Long-tail clinical/technical queries (when relevant)
- Branded searches
- Exclusion patterns (what NOT to show for)
Early campaigns begin narrower, then expand after performance validates keyword themes.
High-volume keywords are often:
- Broad
- Expensive
- Too general
- Unlikely to convert
Low-volume, high-intent keywords often:
- Have lower CPC
- Convert at a higher rate
- Reflect strong buying behavior
Intent > volume for B2B, healthcare, and technical markets.
Match type determines reach vs. relevance:
Exact
- Tightest control
- Highest relevance
- Usually strongest conversion rates
Phrase
- Moderate reach
- Strong intent
- Useful for testing variations of a theme
Broad
- Largest reach
- Requires aggressive negative keywords
- Useful only after account stabilizes
Note: Jairus only recommends Phrase and Exact match keywords.
Red flags:
- Low CTR
- Rising CPC without more conversions
- Search terms unrelated to the client’s offering
- Traffic from consumer queries rather than B2B
- High clicks + low engagement time (Google Analytics)
The Search Terms report is the primary tool to diagnose this.
Negative keywords help:
- Prevent ads from showing for irrelevant searches
- Reduce wasted spend
- Improve CTR
- Improve Quality Score
- Increase conversion rate
Jairus routinely builds negative keyword lists early and refines them weekly.
Each client varies, but common exclusions include:
- Jobs/employment (“career,” “hiring,” “salary”)
- Education (“degree,” “course,” “certificate”)
- Patients seeking care rather than providers
- Consumer-level inquiries
- Free/trial-related terms
- DIY or low-intent searches
- Irrelevant clinical terms (if not aligned with scope)
The goal is to filter out non-buyer traffic early.
- Weekly for active campaigns
- Daily for new campaigns (first 3–5 days)
- Monthly for mature campaigns to catch drift
Search term mining is one of the most ongoing, high-impact optimization tasks.
Keywords = what YOU intentionally target
Search Terms = what USERS actually typed
Search terms reveal:
- Irrelevant queries
- New keyword opportunities
- Intent mismatches
- The true behavior of Google’s matching engine
This report is the truth behind campaign performance.
Common triggers:
- High spend + low conversions
- CTR significantly below ad group average
- Repeatedly triggers irrelevant search terms
- Keyword is too broad to control (Page 7)
- CPC rising without performance benefit
- Attracts patient searches instead of provider searches
Low performers dilute overall Quality Score.
Scale when:
- High conversion rate
- Consistent impression share
- CPC stable or declining
- Strong Quality Score
- Traffic aligns with ideal buyer
High-performing keywords are the backbone of long-term optimization.
Why do our best practices for paid search campaigns include starting with tightly themed ad groups?
- Google rewards focused ad groups with higher ad relevance
- Quality Score improves
- CPC decreases
- Ad copy can be more specific and compelling
Broad ad groups → diluted performance
Tight ad groups → predictable results
Google measures:
- Keyword ↔ Ad copy alignment
- Ad copy ↔ Landing page alignment
- Keyword ↔ Landing page alignment
Misalignment leads to:
- Lower Quality Score
- Higher CPC
- Lower impression share
- Potential campaign under-delivery
Landing page alignment is one of the most important drivers of efficiency.
Because:
- Search behavior constantly shifts
- AI evolves over time
- Competitors change bidding strategies
- Market trends introduce new terminology
- Irrelevant queries creep in via broad match
Paid search is not “set it and forget it.”
It requires continual refinement to stay profitable.
Low search volume means:
- Google won’t trigger ads often
- Not enough data to judge performance
- Keyword may still be valuable for niche B2B buyers
Low performance means:
- Keyword HAS impressions/clicks
- But produces poor CTR or no conversions
- Requires pruning or isolating into new ad groups
Low volume ≠ bad keyword.
Low performance = action required.
Filtering irrelevant searches:
- Boosts CTR by removing bad impressions
- Improves Quality Score
- Lowers CPC because Google rewards relevance
- Increases conversion rate due to better intent alignment
Negative keywords are often the highest ROI lever in early optimization.
Branded terms often:
- Have the highest CTR
- Lowest CPC
- Strongest conversion rates
- Capture people already aware of the brand
But branded campaigns must be monitored to ensure competitors aren’t siphoning traffic.
You risk:
- Blocking valid queries
- Lowering impression share
- Reducing conversions
- Preventing Google from learning audience variations
Balance is key:
Too few negatives → wasted budget
Too many → restricted reach
Ad copy must:
- Match user intent (keyword alignment)
- Differentiate the client via value propositions
- Drive clicks with compelling headlines
- Guide users toward a clear CTA
- Improve Quality Score through relevance
Strong ad copy increases CTR, reduces CPC, and elevates ad rank.
Google has transitioned fully to Responsive Search Ads, which allow:
- Up to 15 headlines
- Up to 4 descriptions
Google dynamically tests combinations to:
- Personalize messages to each user’s query
- Improve CTR
- Increase relevance
- Enhance campaign efficiency
RSAs are now the default and only search ad type Google allows.
Jairus recommends:
- 12-15 total headlines per ad
- 2-3 description per ad
More variations → more machine learning opportunities → better performance.
Because variation allows Google to:
- Test relevancy to different search intents
- Find the best combinations for each audience
- Match more queries in auctions
- Optimize for cost efficiency
If headline variety is low, performance stagnates and Learning Mode drags longer.
High-performing headlines usually include:
- Primary keyword (increases relevance)
- Value proposition (e.g., “Faster Results,” “FDA-Cleared”)
- Problem-based framing (e.g., “Struggling With Staffing?”)
- Solution clarity (e.g., “Automated Patient Outreach”)
- Trust elements (“Trusted by 500+ Clinics”)
Headlines should reflect both intent and client differentiation. Common paid search headline categories include:
- Keyword-based
- Benefit-based
- Feature-focused
- Credibility or proof
- CTA-focused
- Pain-point-focused
Landing page relevance impacts:
- Expected CTR
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience
- Quality Score
- CPC and ad rank
If headlines promise something not found on the landing page, Quality Score drops.
- Higher Quality Score → lower CPC
- Higher Quality Score → higher ad rank
- Better ad rank → more impression share
- Stronger alignment → more conversions
Quality Score is one of the most important levers in paid search performance.
Google evaluates three components:
- Expected CTR
- Ad Relevance
- Landing Page Experience
Improvements in any category lift overall performance.
Improve by:
- Strengthening headlines
- Aligning copy with keyword intent
- Adding urgency when appropriate
- Using branded claims or differentiators
- Eliminating irrelevant impressions via negative keywords
CTR is a direct signal of ad usefulness.
Ensure:
- Keywords appear in headlines/descriptions
- Ad groups remain tightly themed
- Landing page content matches the ad
- Avoiding overly broad terms
Google penalizes ads that don’t match the user’s search intent.
Enhance paid search landing pages through:
- Fast load times
- Mobile optimization
- Relevant on-page content
- Clear and consistent messaging
- Removing clutter to highlight CTAs
- Adding social proof or authority indicators
Good landing pages significantly lower CPC.
Ad Strength is Google’s evaluation of RSA completeness.
Ratings include:
- Poor
- Average
- Good
- Excellent
Higher Ad Strength leads to:
- Increased impressions
- More auction eligibility
- Faster machine learning optimization
While not the same as Quality Score, it correlates with better outcomes.
Yes — as long as messaging remains accurate.
Sometimes Google recommends generic headlines; avoid diluting brand voice just to improve the score.
Balance relevance + accuracy + variation.
- Extensions give ads additional real estate on the search results page
- They can help improve CTR
- They provide users with more reasons to click on an ad
- They can increase an ad’s visibility
- They improve Quality Score indirectly
Extensions are mandatory for competitive ad units.
Common extensions include:
- Sitelinks (multiple landing pages)
- Callouts (short benefit statements)
- Structured snippets (features list)
- Call extensions
- Lead form extensions
- Image extensions (if available)
All should align with the client’s value propositions.
Sitelinks:
- Expand ad size
- Increase CTR
- Help funnel different types of users
- Provide deep links to specific content
- Improve Quality Score through higher engagement
Google prefers ads that give multiple navigation paths.
Callouts are a type of Google paid search ad extension, offering the ability to include short phrases in your ad campaign, such as:
- “24/7 Support”
- “HIPAA Compliant”
- “No Long-Term Contracts”
They communicate benefits and differentiate the offering.
Structured snippets are a type of Google paid search ad extension, offering the ability to list categories tied to the product/service being promoted. Such as:
- “Services: Billing, Coding, Audits”
- “Specialties: Cardiology, Oncology, Ortho”
They help users understand capabilities quickly.
Multiple ads allow:
- Split-testing
- Variation testing
- Learning which themes resonate
- Improving overall performance
Never run just one ad per ad group — variation accelerates optimization.
Testing depends on traffic volume:
- High volume: 2–4 weeks
- Moderate volume: 4–6 weeks
- Low volume (common in B2B/medical): 6–8 weeks
Premature changes reset learning phases.
Look for:
- Declining CTR
- “Low ad relevance” warnings
- Drops in conversion rate
- New competitors entering the market
- Landing page or offer changes
- Search term shifts
Copy must evolve as the market evolves.
Ambiguous CTAs reduce conversions.
Strong examples:
- “Schedule a Demo”
- “Book a Consultation”
- “Download the Guide”
- “See How It Works”
Clear CTAs increase intent match and conversion efficiency.
A bidding strategy determines how Google spends the budget to achieve desired goals. It influences:
- CPC
- Impressions
- Ad rank
- Total conversions
- Cost per conversion
Choosing the correct bidding approach is one of the most important optimization decisions.
Manual CPC
- Full control over CPC
- Best for new campaigns (Page 9: baseline metrics first)
- Helpful for collecting data before switching to automated bidding
Maximize Clicks
- Good for early traffic generation
- Useful for testing keyword themes
Maximize Conversions
- Requires conversion history
- Google uses algorithmic bidding to drive more leads
Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
- Requires stable conversion volume
- Google aims to hit a specific cost per conversion
Early phases = manual control
Later phases = automation when data allows
Paid search ad campaign budget affects:
- How often ads enter auctions
- Whether Google can bid competitively
- How much impression share is lost due to “Budget”
- Average daily click volume
Low budgets often cause:
- Higher CPC (Google throttles bidding)
- Reduced visibility
- Lower conversion opportunity
Budgets must match keyword competition.
Impression share = percentage of times your ads showed vs. times they could have shown.
Low impression share means:
- Competitors are outbidding you
- Budget is too low
- Ad rank is too weak
High impression share means:
- Strong eligibility
- Good bidding
- Good Quality Score
Impression share directly impacts the scale of results.
1. Lost IS (Budget)
- Budget too low
- Google throttles spend
- Lower daily traffic
2. Lost IS (Rank)
- CPC too low
- Quality Score too low
- Competitors outranking you
Identifying which one is the problem guides the fix.
These indicate:
- Search Top IS → % of impressions above organic results
- Search Absolute Top IS → % of impressions in the #1 position
If these percentages drop:
- CPC may need to increase
- Quality Score might be falling
- Competitors may be raising bids
Great diagnostic for competitive shifts.
Common indicators include:
- Lost IS (Budget) > 20%
- Daily budgets hit early (limited by budget)
- Stagnant conversion volume despite strong CVR
- CPCs rising due to competition
- Google recommending higher budgets
If campaigns are profitable, increasing budget scales results.
Look for:
- High spend + low conversions
- CPC rising without improvement
- Impression share near 100% but no ROI
- Expensive keywords consuming budget without output
High budgets must always correspond with efficiency.
Improper settings cause:
- Wasted spend in irrelevant states/countries
- Traffic from patients instead of providers
- Low conversion rates
- Increased CPC due to poor relevance
Geo-trimming is one of the fastest ways to improve efficiency.
Dayparting = scheduling ads only during hours that convert best.
It is used when:
- Nights produce clicks but no conversions
- Weekends underperform
- Call-center hours matter
- High-cost hours waste budget
Dayparting protects “dead zones” of spend.
To help diagnose low CTR, evaluate:
- Search terms → Are triggers irrelevant?
- Ad copy → Are headlines aligned with keywords?
- Ad Strength → Does RSA need more variation?
- Match type → Are broad matches pulling junk queries?
- Competitor landscape → Are competitors more compelling?
Low CTR = intent mismatch or messaging issue.
Look for:
- Poor Quality Score
- Weak ad relevance
- Competitive keywords
- Too-small budgets driving up CPC
- Overly broad match types
- Irrelevant traffic raising costs
Solutions include:
- Tightening themes
- Adding negatives
- Improving ad copy
- Enhancing landing pages
Investigate:
- Landing page experience
- Form UX
- CTA clarity
- Alignment between keyword → ad → landing page
- GA4 funnel (form start vs form submit errors)
- Irrelevant search terms
Healthy traffic + poor conversions = post-click problem.
Check:
- Low bids
- Low budgets
- Narrow keywords
- Low search volume
- New campaigns still in learning
- Poor ad strength
- Quality Score issues
Impression share metrics pinpoint the root cause.
During learning:
- CPC fluctuates
- CTR unstable
- Conversions inconsistent
- Google tests various bids & placements
Any major change (bidding, keywords, ads) resets learning.
Avoid frequent edits.
Avoid:
- Rewriting ads
- Editing many keywords at once
- Changing bidding strategy
- Switching landing pages
- Aggressive budget shifts
These actions prolong learning and destabilize performance.
It means:
- Daily budget is too low to capture available impressions
- Google throttles delivery
Fix options:
- Raise budget
- Reduce keyword list
- Lower CPC or switch to automated bidding
- Improve Quality Scores
Converting campaigns deserve more budget.
If impression share is:
- High (90%+) → Consider reducing waste or stabilizing bids
- Moderate (60–80%) → Balanced
- Low due to budget → Increase budget
- Low due to rank → Improve Quality Score, raise CPC
Impression Share is one of the most powerful scaling indicators.
Common causes:
- Low Quality Score
- Uncompetitive bids
- Weak landing page relevance
- Poor RSA variation
- Too many irrelevant impressions
- Competitors with stronger ads
Ad rank determines visibility and traffic volume.
Fixes include:
- Improve headlines and descriptions
- Add keyword-rich variations
- Strengthen landing page alignment
- Add negative keywordsIncrease bids on strong terms
- Add extensions to grow ad real estate
Even small CTA or headline changes can lift ad rank.
Pause when:
- Cost per conversion is unsustainably high
- Search terms show unfixable misalignment
- CPCs inflate due to competition
- Landing page is broken
- Seasonality changes audience behavior
- Client objectives shift
Pausing protects budget while troubleshooting.
GA4 reveals:
- Whether landing pages are failing
- Whether users engage after clicking ads
- Device issues
- Geolocation mismatch
- Form errors
- Conversion funnel gaps
Google Ads shows pre-click behavior. GA4 shows post-click behavior. Both are needed for accurate diagnosis.
How do you know when a campaign structure needs to be rebuilt? It may be time for a full campaign restructure when:
- Ad groups contain too many unrelated keywords
- CTR and Quality Score consistently decline
- Negative keyword list grows excessively
- Match types are mixed too broadly
- Broad terms behave unpredictably
- Landing page themes shift
- A new product or major targeting change occurs
If the structure is confusing — Google will also be confused.
Signs include:
- Too many negative keywords limiting reach
- Excessive keyword splits causing low volume
- Bids manually micromanaged too frequently
- Constant ad edits causing perpetual learning resets
- Overly narrow geo or device filters
Over-optimization can suppress performance just as much as under-optimization.
Consolidating vs. splitting paid search campaigns depends on the product/service, potential search volumes and target audience.
Consolidate when:
- Low search volume creates too many small ad groups
- RSA learning never stabilizes
- Broad, overlapping themes confuse Google
- Automation strategies underperform due to thin data
- Consolidation strengthens signals and improves machine learning.
Split when:
- Keywords indicate multiple distinct intents
- Landing pages differ by audience segment
- Messaging differs by keyword category
- Performance data shows uneven quality
- Match types require differentiation (e.g., Exact-only campaigns)
Splitting isolates performance drivers for cleaner optimization.
In B2B/healthcare:
- Volume is lower
- CPCs are typically higher
- Intent matters more than traffic volume
- Conversion cycles are longer
- Scaling requires precision, not expansion
- Waste is extremely costly
Scaling must be incremental and data-driven.
The answer may be yes if the campaign has:
- Strong conversion rate
- Low/no Lost IS (Rank) + high Lost IS (Budget)
- Stable CPC
- Quality Scores improving
- Predictable weekly patterns
- Clear keyword winners
Scaling before stability → wasted spend.
Scale:
- Gradually (10–20% increases every 7–10 days)
- Only after strong data consistency
- Only after eliminating waste
- Focus first on high-performing campaigns/ad groups
- Do NOT scale all campaigns evenly
Scaling should strengthen winners, not inflate the entire account
ROI incorporates:
- Cost per conversion
- Lead quality (CRM)
- Conversion to SQL/MQL
- Deal close rate
- Revenue per customer
- Lifetime value (LTV)
- Channel attribution from GA4
Paid search success must be tied to pipeline and revenue, not clicks alone.
It can depend on the client’s goals and priorities, but typically include:
- Month over month comparison of impressions, clicks and leads
- CTR
- CPC
- CPL
- Conversion rate
- Top performing keywords
Competitors influence:
- CPC fluctuations
- Impression share
- Ad rank
- Search term inflation
- Quality Score comparisons
Aggressive competitor bidding often signals:
- Market changes
- New product launches
- Increased funding cycles
- Shifts in audience demand
The social/digital team will generate recommended keywords using Google’s keyword planner tool, based on direction from the Account team (typically including 5-10 example keywords to help start the process). The recommended keywords will be provided back to the account team to review, and should be included in the project brief that goes to copywriting, so keywords can be utilized in ad headlines.
Keywords should always be included as headlines in Google ad copy, and be prominent on campaign landing pages to align with Google’s best practices and provide optimized campaign results.