How to Onboard Google Ads Clients

Last Updated / Reviewed: Jan 10th, 2023

Execution Time: ~5-14 Days

‌

Goal: To onboard a client and get ready to run a Google Ads campaign.

Ideal Outcome: You and your team have access to resources, account access and approval needed to run Google ad campaigns for your client.

Prerequisites or requirements: You should have access to an active Google Ads account.

Why this is important: To make sure clients’ goals and objectives are addressed so you can begin running ad campaigns as soon as possible.

Where this is done: Email, Google Ads Manager, Google Drive

When this is done: After you have acquired the signed contract from the client to kickstart the project.

Who does this: The marketing or account manager for the project.

‌

Environment Setup

1. Make a copy of this Google drive folder containing the client onboarding email, questionnaire, and kick off call template.
2. In the onboarding email, edit all that are highlighted in green:
   • Client’s name
   • The email address of your Google account
   • The URL of the Google drive you made a copy of
   • Date and time of the kickoff call
   • The URL for your kickoff call.
     • Schedule the meeting via Google Meet or any video conferring platform of your choice.
   • Name of your colleagues
   • Your name in signoff

‌

Client Onboarding

1. Send the onboarding email as soon as you receive the signed contract.
2. Set up a kickoff call with the client.
   1. Make sure your client has filled in the onboarding questionnaire before the call.
   2. Use this Kickoff Call Agenda Template to plan your kickoff call with the client.
3. Develop a strategy
   1. Execute keyword research — SOP 147: Keyword research for Google ads.
   2. Reverse engineer competitor’s Google ads strategy — SOP088: How to Reverse engineer your competitor's Google Ads strategy.
   3. Define Google ad structure — SOP 143: Design a Structure a Google Search Campaigns
4. Present your findings, propose a strategy and get approval from the client — SOP 146: Create Google ad campaign strategy proposal for client.
5. Write a creative brief for designer if you’re running display ad campaigns — SOP 137: Create a Google Display Ads Creative Brief.
6. You and your team should then have access to all assets and can then proceed to launch the campaigns.