| name | ads-plan |
| description | Strategic paid advertising planning with industry-specific templates. Covers platform selection, campaign architecture, budget planning, creative strategy, and phased implementation roadmap. Use when user says ad plan, ad strategy, campaign planning, media plan, PPC strategy, or advertising plan. |
| user-invokable | false |
| tested_date | "2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z" |
| tested_with | claude-code v2.x |
Strategic Paid Advertising Plan
Strategic planning is where the 10-Principle Thinking Framework (see
ads/references/thinking-framework.md) earns its weight. THINK and
CONNECT (Lateral) dominate — first-principles unit economics combined
with cross-platform leverage are what make a plan strategic rather than
prescriptive. FEEL gates the messaging and audience choices; ACCEPT
gates the constraints (budget, timeline, team capacity).
Process
1. Discovery
- Business type, products/services, target audience
- Current advertising status (active platforms, spend, performance)
- Goals: brand awareness, lead generation, e-commerce sales, app installs
- Budget range (monthly/quarterly)
- Timeline and urgency
- In-house team capacity vs agency needs
2. Competitive Analysis
- Identify top 3-5 competitors
- Analyze their ad presence across platforms (Google Ads Transparency, Meta Ad Library)
- Estimate competitor spend levels and platform mix
- Identify messaging themes and creative approaches
- Note keyword/audience gaps (opportunities competitors are missing)
3. Platform Selection
- Load industry template from
assets/ directory
- Match business type to recommended platform mix
- Read
ads/references/budget-allocation.md for platform selection matrix
- Read
ads/references/conversion-tracking.md for tracking setup requirements
- Assess platform fit based on:
- Target audience demographics per platform
- Product/service type suitability
- Budget requirements per platform (minimums)
- Sales cycle length and attribution needs
- Creative capabilities and content availability
4. Campaign Architecture
Naming Convention
[Platform]_[Objective]_[Audience]_[Geo]_[Date]
Example: META_CONV_Prospecting_US_2026Q1
Campaign Structure Template
Account
├── Brand Campaign (always-on, protect brand terms)
├── Non-Brand Prospecting
│ ├── Campaign 1: [Top Funnel - Awareness]
│ │ ├── Ad Group/Set 1: [Audience A]
│ │ └── Ad Group/Set 2: [Audience B]
│ ├── Campaign 2: [Mid Funnel - Consideration]
│ │ ├── Ad Group/Set 1: [Interest-based]
│ │ └── Ad Group/Set 2: [Lookalike/Similar]
│ └── Campaign 3: [Bottom Funnel - Conversion]
│ ├── Ad Group/Set 1: [High-intent]
│ └── Ad Group/Set 2: [Custom audience]
├── Retargeting
│ ├── Website Visitors (7-30 days)
│ ├── Engaged Users (video views, social engagement)
│ └── Cart Abandoners / Form Starters
└── Testing
└── New audiences, formats, or messaging
5. Budget Planning
Monthly Budget Distribution
Read ads/references/budget-allocation.md for the 70/20/10 framework.
| Tier | Allocation | Purpose |
|---|
| Proven (70%) | Primary platforms with proven ROI | Revenue engine |
| Scaling (20%) | Platforms showing promise | Growth engine |
| Testing (10%) | New platforms or strategies | Innovation |
Budget Pacing
- Month 1-2: heavy testing, expect higher CPA (learning)
- Month 3-4: optimize based on data, tighten targeting
- Month 5-6: scale winners, kill losers, expand
- Ongoing: 70/20/10 maintenance with quarterly reviews
6. Creative Strategy
Content Pillars
- Pain Point: address specific problems your audience faces
- Social Proof: testimonials, case studies, reviews
- Product Demo: show the product/service in action
- Offer: promotions, free trials, lead magnets
- Education: teach something valuable related to your product
Creative Production Plan
| Priority | Asset Type | Platforms | Quantity |
|---|
| P1 | Product/service videos (15-30s) | Meta, TikTok, YouTube | 5-10 |
| P2 | Static images with copy | Google, Meta, LinkedIn | 10-15 |
| P3 | Carousel/collection | Meta, LinkedIn | 3-5 |
| P4 | UGC/testimonial video | TikTok, Meta | 3-5 |
| P5 | Long-form video (1-3 min) | YouTube | 2-3 |
7. Tracking Setup Plan
Before launching any ads, ensure tracking is configured:
| Platform | Client-Side | Server-Side | Priority |
|---|
| Google | gtag.js | Enhanced Conversions, GTM SS | P1 |
| Meta | Pixel | CAPI | P1 |
| LinkedIn | Insight Tag | CAPI (2025) | P2 |
| TikTok | Pixel | Events API + ttclid | P2 |
| Microsoft | UET Tag | Enhanced Conversions | P2 |
8. Implementation Roadmap
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-2)
- Install all tracking pixels and server-side tracking
- Set up conversion events and goals
- Create campaign structure and naming conventions
- Build initial audiences (custom, lookalike/predictive)
- Produce first batch of creative assets
Phase 2: Launch (Weeks 3-4)
- Launch campaigns on primary platform(s) first
- Set conservative budgets and bidding (Maximize Clicks / Lowest Cost)
- Monitor daily for the first 7 days
- Verify conversion tracking is firing correctly
Phase 3: Optimize (Weeks 5-8)
- Analyze initial data (minimum 2 weeks of data)
- Adjust bidding strategies based on conversion volume
- Kill underperforming ad groups/creatives (3x Kill Rule)
- Launch secondary platforms
- Begin A/B testing (creative, landing pages, audiences)
Phase 4: Scale (Weeks 9-12)
- Scale winning campaigns (20% rule)
- Expand to testing platforms (10% budget)
- Implement advanced strategies (ABM, Shopping feeds, Smart+)
- Monthly performance reviews
Industry Templates
Load from assets/ directory based on detected or specified business type:
saas.md: SaaS companiesecommerce.md: E-commerce storeslocal-service.md: Local service businessesb2b-enterprise.md: B2B enterpriseinfo-products.md: Info products and coursesmobile-app.md: Mobile app companiesreal-estate.md: Real estatehealthcare.md: Healthcarefinance.md: Financial servicesagency.md: Marketing agenciesgeneric.md: General business template
Output
Deliverables
ADS-STRATEGY.md: Complete strategic advertising planCAMPAIGN-ARCHITECTURE.md: Campaign structure with naming conventionsBUDGET-PLAN.md: Budget allocation with monthly pacingCREATIVE-BRIEF.md: Creative production plan with specificationsTRACKING-SETUP.md: Tracking implementation checklistIMPLEMENTATION-ROADMAP.md: Phased rollout timeline
KPI Targets
| Metric | Month 1 | Month 3 | Month 6 | Month 12 |
|---|
| ROAS | Baseline | Target -20% | Target | Target +20% |
| CPA | Baseline | Target +30% | Target | Target -10% |
| CVR | Baseline | +10% | +20% | +30% |
| CTR | Baseline | +15% | +25% | +30% |
| Budget | Testing | Optimizing | Scaling | Maintaining |
