Google Ads launch pack checklist: what to see before release

Verdict rule: release only when every must-pass item below is evidenced. If any one is missing, the verdict is hold. A pack that says "tracking is set up" without a test result has not shown anything, so ask for the evidence behind each line.

This checklist covers paid search on Google Ads. Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and other platforms need their own packs. For the wider agency view, see how to check a PPC agency launch pack before you sign.

What to take away

The client should own the Google Ads account, and the agency should have the lowest access level it needs.
Conversion tracking must be tested on a live conversion, not just installed.
Budget, targeting and negative keywords are checked in the account, not in a slide.
A Google approval status is not UK advertising clearance.
Consent handling for tags is part of the launch pack, not an afterthought.

The launch pack, item by item

1. Account ownership and access (must pass)

Ask for a screenshot of the user list. The client's own business email should hold admin access, and the agency should be linked through a manager account or a named standard user. Google explains user levels and removal in its account access guidance. Pass: the client can remove agency access without asking the agency.

2. Billing and spending authority (must pass)

The payment method should be in the client's name. The pack should state the monthly media ceiling, the daily budget per campaign and who can change them. Remember that Google may spend up to twice the daily budget on a single day, though not more than the monthly limit over the month. Pass: the written ceiling matches the account.

3. Conversion tracking (must pass)

The pack should name each conversion action, what triggers it and its value. Test it. Complete a real enquiry or purchase, then check the Google tag in Tag Assistant and confirm the action shows as recording in Google Ads. Pass: a dated test conversion appears in the account with the right value and no duplicate count.

4. Consent and data handling (must pass)

Tags that set or read data on a visitor's device need consent under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), and personal data falls under UK GDPR. Check that the cookie banner blocks tags until consent, and that the consent signal reaches Google through Consent Mode. Check Google's current consent mode requirements and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance. Pass: a test visit with consent refused sends no advertising tags. The UK GDPR and PECR remarketing guide covers audience lists, and how to check launch review claims against sources shows how to verify what an agency tells you.

5. Campaign settings (must pass)

Open the campaign and check each setting against the brief.

Locations:the target area, and whether the setting is "presence" only or "presence or interest".
Language and network:the language matches the audience, and Search Partners and Display expansion are on only if the brief says so.
Bidding:the strategy, any target cost per action and the learning period are written down.
Ad schedule:hours match when the business can answer.
Auto-applied recommendations:switched off unless the client agreed to them.

6. Keywords and negative keywords (must pass)

Ask for the full keyword list with match types and the starting negative keyword list. Brand, job-seeker and free-related terms are common negatives. Pass: the reviewer can find at least ten negatives that fit the business, and no broad match keyword runs without a bid strategy that learns from conversions.

7. Ad copy and landing pages (must pass)

Responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines and four descriptions. Check that every headline and claim is true, matches the landing page and has support on file. Check the landing page loads on a phone, matches the ad and meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 in the basics: contrast, labelled form fields and keyboard use.

8. Advertising rules and restricted categories (must pass)

UK ads must follow the CAP Code, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Substantiation of claims, price statements and comparisons all apply, as set out in PPC advertising rules in England and the four steps to check ad copy. Restricted categories such as financial services, gambling, alcohol and health may need Google verification or specialist sign-off. A Google approval status is not UK clearance.

9. Preview and policy status (should pass)

Google notes that its ad previews show possible combinations, not a guaranteed final appearance. Record each ad's status as approved, approved (limited), under review or disapproved. Pass: no disapproved ads at launch, and a reviewer checks the live ads after activation.

10. Monitoring and rollback (should pass)

The pack should name who watches spend, who can pause campaigns and how quickly. Ask for a day-one check, a seven-day check and a rule for pausing if spend runs ahead of budget or conversions stop. Reporting set-up is covered in the measurement and reporting guide.

Release verdict

Score each must-pass item as pass or fail. Release only when items 1 to 8 all pass. If one fails, hold, record the reason and re-check only that item once fixed.

A hold is not a criticism of the campaign. It means the evidence has not yet been shown. After release, add timestamped observations of the live ads, the landing page, the conversion count and the first invoice.

Before you act

Confirm the client owns the account and can remove agency access.
Check the monthly ceiling and daily budgets in the account.
Run a live test conversion and keep the result.
Test the consent banner with consent refused.
Review locations, network settings, bidding and the negative keyword list.
Check every claim in the ads against evidence on file.
Name the people who monitor and pause spend.

For a wider audit once the campaign runs, use how to audit a PPC agency.

Common questions

Why hold a launch if only one item fails?

Each must-pass item protects money, data or legal compliance. A broken tracking tag wastes the budget, and missing consent handling creates a compliance risk, so launching first and fixing later costs more.

Who should sign off the launch?

The client holds release authority. The agency presents the evidence, and a legal, privacy or advertising specialist should decide on anything in a restricted or regulated category.

What should happen after activation?

Check the live ads, destination, conversion count and billing within a day, then again after a week. Any material change to settings or tracking restarts the affected checks.