What I Check Before Any Ad Goes Live

A seven-point creative review that stops you paying for ads that don't convert.

Most ads that fail had a problem you could see before they launched. Here's the list I go through with every vendor before I approve creative.

1. Is the product shown correctly? Sounds obvious. You'd be surprised how often the wrong version, color, or part ends up in the final file. Customers notice, and it costs trust.
2. Does the ad match the landing page? If the ad promises one thing and the page leads with something else, people leave. The headline, image, and offer should carry straight through.
3. Is there one clear message? An ad trying to say four things says nothing. I look for one main point and one action.
4. Can you read it on a phone? Most people will see it on a small screen, scrolling fast. Text has to be big enough and short enough to read in a second or two.
5. Is the call to action specific? "Learn more" is fine. "Shop the kit" or "Get your free test" is better.
6. Will it pass platform review? Certain claims, before and after images, and some wording get flagged. Catching it early saves days.
7. Would the customer care? This is the big one. I'll ask the team something like, "Quick question, would our customer stop scrolling for this?" If no one is sure, it's not ready.

When I send feedback, it usually looks like this: a few things to review, and once they're fixed, the ads are approved to go. Short, specific, and easy for the vendor to act on.

A good review process doesn't slow things down. It's what keeps you from paying to learn the same lesson twice.