Use this as an account gate, not a campaign plan
Before submitting an ad, pause to check whether the advertising account is ready to be used responsibly. This gate applies to the account and its supporting setup—not to the campaign’s creative, targeting, bid, or launch plan. A separate campaign checklist should cover those decisions.
The platform may be Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, or another service. The screens and terminology differ, but the core checks are similar: the right people control the account, its details are accurate, its payment and records are understood, and the business behind the offer can meet the platform’s requirements.
For each item below, mark ready, open, or not applicable. “Open” means something still needs checking, correcting, or documenting; it does not mean the item can be assumed to be fine. Name one person responsible for every check. That person may ask others for help, but ownership should be clear.
If an essential item is open, wait before submitting the first ad. An unresolved account issue can affect more than one campaign, and submitting an ad does not resolve a problem with account ownership, billing, or the destination site.
Ownership and roles are confirmed
- [ ] The account belongs to the business or team that will use it, and the person responsible can explain how it was obtained.
- [ ] The team has control through the platform’s intended access and business-management tools, rather than depending on a seller or former operator to make routine changes.
- [ ] The people who need access have appropriate roles. Access is limited to genuine work needs, and no one is relying on another person’s private login.
- [ ] A responsible person can manage access changes, including removing access that is no longer needed.
- [ ] Any relevant connected assets—such as a business portfolio, ad account, page, data source, or channel—are associated with the right organization and are accessible to the people who need them.
Account access should be reviewed as a practical security and continuity matter. Do not assume that receiving login details means the account is fully under the team’s control. Confirm that the team can use the platform’s legitimate access process, understand who holds each role, and update access through the platform’s available tools.
Owner: Name the person who verifies account control and role assignments.
If a seller, contractor, or previous operator still has unexplained control, or the team cannot confirm who owns a connected asset, mark the item open. Resolve the access and ownership questions before advertising. Do not try to conceal who operates the account or work around platform checks.
Account details are complete and truthful
- [ ] The account’s business and contact information is accurate and consistent with the organization using it.
- [ ] The account type and business setup fit the intended use, based on the platform’s available options.
- [ ] The team knows which organization is responsible for the advertising activity and can identify a contact who can respond to account matters.
- [ ] Any identity, business, or payment information requested by the platform is supplied honestly and by someone authorized to provide it.
- [ ] The team has checked for obvious gaps, outdated details, or entries copied from a previous operator that do not describe the current business.
Treat account information as an operational record, not as a form to fill with whatever passes a quick glance. If the organization has changed, update relevant details through the platform’s normal process. If the team is unsure which entity should be shown, pause and establish the correct answer before submitting an ad.
A mismatch between the account and the business behind it can create confusion during routine administration or review. Accuracy is more important than making the setup look finished. Do not invent an address, identity, business relationship, or explanation to complete a field.
Owner: Name the person who checks the account profile and confirms that its details are current and truthful.
Payment is in place and understood
- [ ] A valid payment method has been added through the platform’s intended billing process.
- [ ] The payment method is owned or authorized by the team responsible for the advertising account.
- [ ] The person responsible for billing knows who can view and manage payment settings.
- [ ] The team understands where to review billing activity and how to raise a question through the platform’s normal support channels.
- [ ] Any internal approval needed to use the payment method has been obtained and recorded.
Payment readiness is not just a matter of entering card or billing details. The team should know whose payment method is being used, who has authority to use it, and who will notice and investigate an unexpected billing issue. Avoid informal arrangements that leave the account dependent on an individual who is not part of the responsible team.
Do not submit an ad while authorization is uncertain, the payment method is not ready, or billing responsibility is unclear. Resolve the issue through the account’s proper administrative process. Never use another party’s payment details without permission or try to disguise who is paying.
Owner: Name the person who confirms authorization and monitors billing administration.
The offer and destination are in order
- [ ] The people responsible for the offer have read the advertising policies that apply to the product, service, or subject being promoted.
- [ ] The team has checked the platform’s current policy guidance rather than relying only on an old note, a seller’s assurance, or another advertiser’s experience.
- [ ] The landing page works and accurately describes the offer represented by the ad.
- [ ] The destination is maintained by the responsible business, or the team has clear authority to use and update it.
- [ ] Relevant legal and business information is available on the site where appropriate for the offer and the markets served.
- [ ] Contact, privacy, and other necessary disclosures are present, readable, and consistent with the way the site handles information.
The account gate does not determine whether a particular campaign will be approved. It checks whether the team has done the basic work needed to use the account responsibly. Policies can depend on the offer and platform, so do not treat a general checklist as a substitute for reading the relevant guidance.
If the offer’s eligibility is uncertain, the destination is incomplete, or a legal page is missing or inaccurate, wait. Ask the appropriate internal or qualified external contact to resolve the question. Do not describe the offer one way in the account and another way on the destination, or change a page to mislead reviewers.
Owner: Name the person who verifies policy review and destination readiness.
Measurement and records are usable
- [ ] The team knows what measurement tools are connected to the account and who controls them.
- [ ] Any relevant platform data source, analytics setup, or conversion measurement has been configured through the intended process.
- [ ] The team has checked that measurement is connected to the correct business and destination, and that the people responsible can access it.
- [ ] The team understands what the measurement setup is intended to record and has considered applicable privacy and consent obligations.
- [ ] Account notes describe important setup decisions, known limitations, unresolved questions, and the person responsible for follow-up.
Measurement readiness is about knowing what has been set up and who maintains it; it is not a promise that tracking will be complete or that a campaign will perform. Avoid collecting or sharing information without proper authority. If the team cannot explain what a connected tool does, who can access its data, or whether the setup matches the destination, leave the item open and investigate before launch.
Keep notes in a place the responsible team can access. Record changes through normal administration rather than relying on someone’s memory or a private chat. Notes should be factual and useful: what was checked, what remains unresolved, and who owns the next step. They should not contain passwords or other sensitive credentials.
Owner: Name the person responsible for measurement access and account documentation.
Name a backup and make the wait decision
- [ ] A spare account or other continuity option has been identified, where appropriate for the platform and the organization.
- [ ] The team knows who is responsible for that backup and how it would be managed under the platform’s normal terms.
- [ ] The backup is not treated as a way to evade a review, restriction, or account decision.
- [ ] Every checklist item has a named owner, including items marked not applicable.
- [ ] The responsible people have reviewed open items and agreed whether the account is ready for submission.
A spare account is a continuity consideration, not a substitute for a sound primary setup. It should have a legitimate purpose, clear ownership, and appropriate access. Do not create or use another account to bypass platform controls or continue activity that the platform has restricted.
Use a simple decision rule: proceed only when every essential account item is ready, or when an item is genuinely not applicable and the reason is recorded. If ownership, truthful details, payment authorization, policy understanding, destination readiness, or measurement responsibilities remain unclear, wait. Assign an owner, write down what needs to be resolved, and review the gate again when it is done.
The final approval should be explicit. The person responsible for the account confirms that the checks are complete; the people responsible for open operational areas confirm their parts. This gate does not replace a campaign launch checklist. It establishes that the account itself is understood, controlled, and ready to serve as a working tool.