10 Things I Look For On a Client’s Website Before We Run Ads
Running ads on a broken website is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. You’ll spend more, get less, and blame the ads when the problem is the foundation.
Before I spend a single dollar on ads for a client, I audit their website. Your site is the conversion engine. If it isn’t ready, ads won’t work. They’ll just accelerate how fast you burn money.
Here are the 10 things I always check on a client’s website before launching campaigns.
MOBILE OPTIMIZATION
Roughly 60% of global web traffic is now mobile (July 2025 snapshot - Source: StatCounter Global Stats), which means most paid clicks hit your site on a phone. If the mobile experience breaks, your ROAS does too.
What I look for:
Truly responsive layouts (no pinch-to-zoom)
Tappable CTAs and forms that work flawlessly on small screens
Menus/booking widgets that don’t hide key actions.
CLEAR CALL-TO-ACTION (CTA)
Websites fail when visitors don’t know the next step. Every page needs one primary CTA: visible, consistent, and above the fold.
What I look for:
Action language (“Book Now,” “Schedule a Consultation,” “Order Online”)
No competing buttons fighting for attention
A mirrored CTA in the header for fast taps on mobile
FAST LOAD SPEED
Ad traffic is impatient traffic. 53% of mobile visits are abandoned if a page takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Google’s benchmarks also show the probably of bounce jumps 32% as load time goes from 1s to 3s, and +123% by 10s (Source: Google Business).
What I look for:
Image/video compression, modern formats (WebP/AVIF)
Minimal render-blocking scripts; clean, lightweight themes
Performance checks with PageSpeed Insights/GTmetrix before spend
CONVERSION TRACKING SET UP CORRECTLY
If we can’t measure, we can’t optimize. Period.
What I look for:
GA4 events for form submits, bookings, purchases
Pixels/tags (Meta, Google Ads, TikTok) firing on the right steps
Server-side or enhanced conversions where appropriate
A COMPELLING OFFER
Traffic won’t convert without a reason to act now.
What I look for:
Clear differentiation (why you over the lookalikes)
Time-bound hooks (first-visit perk, limited bonus, value-add, NOT endless discounts)
Messaging that sells outcomes, not features
VISUAL HIERARCHY THAT GUIDES THE EYE
Design isn’t decoration; it’s direction.
What I look for:
Headline → proof → CTA flow above the fold
Contrast that makes buttons unmistakable
Space that reduces cognitive load and keeps focus on conversion
TRUST BUILDERS WHERE THEY MATTER
Cold traffic needs proof.
What I look for:
Reviews, case studies, press/awards near CTAs
Real team/venue/product imagery (ditch generic stock)
Clear policies and secure checkout indicators
FRICTION-FREE CHECKOUT/BOOKING
Each extra click costs conversions. The speed + conversion link is real: a 1-second improvement lifted Walmart conversions by ~2%, and Mobify saw +1.11% conversion for every 100ms faster homepage. (Source: Cloudflare)
What I look for:
Short forms (only essential fields)
Wallet payments (Apple Pay/Google Pay), trustworthy gateways
Progress indicators + instant confirmations
COPY THAT CONVERTS (NOT JUST LOOK GOOD)
Good design gets attention. Good copy gets action.
What I look for:
Benefit-first headlines tied to customer pain points.
Scannable sections that answer objections fast.
Button copy that matches intent (“Reserve a Table,” not “Submit”)
RETARGETING READINESS
Most visitors won’t buy on visit one. Benchmarks show only ~2% of shoppers convert on their first visit (Source: AdRoll), which is why retargeting lists are non-negotiable from day one.
What I look for:
Proper audience pools (product viewers, cart abandoners, lead engagers)
Dynamic remarketing where applicable
Sequenced creative that moves people from interest to action
FINAL THOUGHTS
Your ads are only as strong as the site they land on. Tighten speed, clarity, offers, proof, and tracking before you scale spend because fixing the bucket beats endlessly pouring more water.
If you’re ready to run ads that actually scale, backed by websites and systems that convert, our 1:1 consulting is built to get you there.
Trending Stories
