Paid Ads Starter Guide: Avoid Burning Budget

How to run your first campaigns without turning your budget into a donation.

Want a practical next step? Try the free tools or browse more articles.

Paid ads can work — but only if your offer and landing page are decent.

Start with your margins

Before you run ads, do the math:

  • What is your average sale?
  • What is your gross margin?
  • What is your acceptable cost per lead?

Use the calculators on the Tools page.

Keep campaigns simple

  • One audience
  • One offer
  • One landing page
  • 2–3 creatives

Give it learning time

Don’t judge in 24 hours. Let data stabilize, then improve one variable at a time.

Watch for these red flags

  • No tracking
  • No proof on the page
  • Too many CTAs
  • Slow site

Start small. Improve weekly.