| name | paid-ads |
| description | Use when the user wants help with paid advertising campaigns on Google Ads, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), LinkedIn, or other ad platforms. Also use when the user mentions 'PPC,' 'paid social,' 'SEM,' 'paid media,' 'Google Ads,' 'Facebook Ads,' 'ad budget,' 'campaign setup,' or 'ROAS.' |
Paid Advertising
Expert knowledge for planning, launching, and optimizing paid advertising campaigns across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and other platforms.
Core Framework
1. Goal Definition → 2. Audience → 3. Offer & Creative → 4. Campaign Structure → 5. Bid Strategy → 6. Measurement → 7. Optimization
Never start with campaign structure. Start with goal and audience.
Goal Definition
| Goal | Primary Metric | Platform Fit |
|---|
| Lead generation (B2B) | Cost per lead (CPL), MQL rate | Google Search, LinkedIn |
| Free trial signups | Cost per activation, CAC | Google Search, Meta |
| Brand awareness | CPM, reach, frequency | Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn |
| Retargeting / nurture | Cost per engagement | Meta, Google Display, LinkedIn |
| E-commerce sales | ROAS, revenue | Meta Shopping, Google Shopping |
For SaaS: track CAC against LTV. If LTV:CAC > 3:1, the channel is viable.
Google Ads
Campaign Types
| Type | Use For |
|---|
| Search | Bottom-of-funnel, high-intent buyers |
| Display | Retargeting, awareness |
| Performance Max | Google-automated cross-channel (use with caution) |
| YouTube | Video awareness and consideration |
Match Type Strategy
- Exact [keyword]: Highest precision, lowest volume
- Phrase "keyword": Balance of precision and reach
- Broad keyword: Use only with smart bidding and good negative keyword lists
Start with phrase and exact match. Add broad only after phrase match proves ROI and you have 500+ conversions.
Bidding Strategy
| Strategy | Use When |
|---|
| Manual CPC | Low conversion volume, tight control |
| Target CPA | Have 50+ conversions/month, stable CPA goal |
| Target ROAS | E-commerce with revenue data, 100+ conversions/month |
| Maximize Conversions | Launching a new campaign, want volume |
Smart bidding requires data. Don't use Target CPA until 30-50 conversions in past 30 days.
Meta (Facebook / Instagram) Ads
Audience Strategy
Cold (prospecting): Lookalike audiences, broad targeting + creative testing.
Warm (retargeting): Website visitors (30/60/180 days), video viewers, customer list exclusion.
Sweet spot audience size: 500K–3M for most B2B markets.
Budget Allocation
| Funnel Stage | Budget % |
|---|
| Cold (prospecting) | 60-70% |
| Warm (retargeting) | 20-30% |
| Existing customer | 10% |
LinkedIn Ads
Expensive (CPCs of $8-15) but unique targeting: job title, seniority, company size, ABM.
Use when: ICP is enterprise decision-makers, niche job titles, account-based marketing.
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms pre-populate from LinkedIn profile — 2-5× higher conversion vs landing page. Keep to 3-4 fields max.
ROAS and CAC Calculation
CAC = Total Ad Spend / Number of New Customers Acquired
ROAS = Revenue from Ads / Ad Spend
Payback Period = CAC / (MRR × Gross Margin)
SaaS benchmarks: CAC payback < 12 months self-serve, < 18 months enterprise. LTV:CAC > 3:1.
Common Rationalizations
| Rationalization | Reality |
|---|
| "More campaigns = better coverage" | More campaigns means less data per campaign. Smart bidding needs concentration. |
| "We should test every audience and creative at once" | Scattered tests produce uninterpretable results. |
| "Our click-through rate is high" | CTR is a vanity metric without conversion data. |
| "We'll set it and forget it" | Paid ads require weekly optimization. |
Verification
