---
name: "Paid advertising"
repo: https://github.com/aitytech/agentkits-marketing
source: https://github.com/aitytech/agentkits-marketing/blob/HEAD/skills/paid-advertising/SKILL.md
license: "MIT"
install: "npx skills add aitytech/agentkits-marketing --skill paid-advertising"
page: https://100xlab.com/resources/agent-skills/aitytech-agentkits-marketing--paid-advertising--1yqdf83
---

# Paid Advertising

Paid media strategy and optimization across platforms for profitable customer acquisition.

## Language & Quality Standards

**CRITICAL**: Respond in the same language the user is using. If Vietnamese, respond in Vietnamese. If Spanish, respond in Spanish.

**Standards**: Token efficiency, sacrifice grammar for concision, list unresolved questions at end.

---

## When to Use This Skill

Apply paid advertising expertise when:
- Planning paid campaign strategy
- Optimizing ad performance and ROAS
- Managing budgets across platforms
- Setting up tracking and attribution
- Creating ad copy and creative briefs
- Troubleshooting underperforming campaigns

## Core Concepts

### Campaign Objectives by Goal

| Objective | Use When | Primary KPI | Platform Features |
|-----------|----------|-------------|-------------------|
| Awareness | Building brand | CPM, Reach | Brand awareness, video views |
| Traffic | Driving site visits | CPC, CTR | Traffic campaigns |
| Engagement | Growing social | CPE, engagement rate | Engagement campaigns |
| Leads | Generating contacts | CPL, lead quality | Lead forms, conversions |
| Conversions | Driving sales | ROAS, CPA | Purchase, signup events |
| App Installs | Mobile acquisition | CPI, install rate | App campaigns |

### Funnel-Based Targeting Strategy

**TOFU (Awareness) - Cold Audiences**
- Broad interest targeting
- Lookalike audiences (1-3%)
- Video viewers (3s+)
- Content: Educational, entertaining
- Bid: CPM or ThruPlay

**MOFU (Consideration) - Warm Audiences**
- Website visitors (7-30 days)
- Email list matches
- Engaged social audiences
- Content: Case studies, comparisons
- Bid: Landing page views

**BOFU (Decision) - Hot Audiences**
- High-intent visitors (pricing, demo pages)
- Cart abandoners (1-7 days)
- Trial users, demo requesters
- Content: Offers, urgency, testimonials
- Bid: Conversions, ROAS

### Platform-Specific Guidelines

**Google Ads**
| Campaign Type | Best For | Key Settings |
|---------------|----------|--------------|
| Search | High intent, BOFU | Exact match, SKAG |
| Display | Awareness, retargeting | Placement exclusions |
| Shopping | E-commerce | Feed optimization |
| Performance Max | Full-funnel automation | Asset variety |
| YouTube | Awareness, TOFU | Audience targeting |

**Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)**
| Campaign Type | Best For | Key Settings |
|---------------|----------|--------------|
| Traffic | Website visits | Landing page optimization |
| Conversions | Sales, signups | Pixel setup, CAPI |
| Leads | B2B, services | Lead form optimization |
| Catalog Sales | E-commerce | Dynamic product ads |
| Advantage+ | Automation | Broad targeting |

**LinkedIn Ads**
| Campaign Type | Best For | Key Settings |
|---------------|----------|--------------|
| Sponsored Content | Awareness, leads | Job title targeting |
| Message Ads | Direct response | Personalization |
| Lead Gen Forms | B2B leads | Pre-filled forms |
| Document Ads | Thought leadership | Gated content |

### Key Metrics & Benchmarks

| Metric | Formula | Good Range | Action If Below |
|--------|---------|------------|-----------------|
| CTR | Clicks / Impressions | 1-3% | Improve creative/targeting |
| CPC | Spend / Clicks | <$1-5 (varies) | Improve quality score |
| CPL | Spend / Leads | <$20-100 | Optimize landing page |
| CPA | Spend / Conversions | < 1/3 LTV | Full funnel review |
| ROAS | Revenue / Ad Spend | 3:1+ | Improve AOV or CVR |
| CVR | Conversions / Clicks | 2-5% | Landing page optimization |

### Budget Allocation Framework

**70-20-10 Rule for Mature Programs**:
- 70% to proven, profitable campaigns
- 20% to optimization tests
- 10% to new channel/audience experiments

**Startup/Testing Phase**:
- Equal split across channels until data
- Minimum viable spend per test ($500-1000)
- 2 weeks minimum per test

## Best Practices

### Campaign Setup Excellence
1. **Pixel/Tracking First**: Never launch without proper tracking
2. **Exclusion Lists**: Exclude converters, competitors, irrelevant audiences
3. **Naming Conventions**: Consistent, searchable campaign names
4. **UTM Discipline**: Track all campaigns in analytics

### Creative Excellence
1. **Hook in 3 Seconds**: Capture attention immediately
2. **Mobile-First**: Design for mobile, adapt to desktop
3. **Test Variations**: 3-5 creatives per ad set minimum
4. **Refresh Regularly**: Combat creative fatigue

### Optimization Excellence
1. **Let Data Accumulate**: 50+ conversions before major changes
2. **One Variable at a Time**: Isolate what's working
3. **Weekly Review Cadence**: Regular but not daily changes
4. **Segment Performance**: Break down by audience, placement

## Agent Integration

| Agent | How They Use This Skill |
|-------|------------------------|
| `attraction-specialist` | Paid campaign strategy and setup |
| `copywriter` | Ad copy creation |
| `researcher` | Competitor ad analysis |
| `planner` | Budget allocation planning |

## Anti-Patterns to Avoid

| Anti-Pattern | Why It's Wrong | Do This Instead |
|--------------|----------------|-----------------|
| Launching without tracking | Can't measure success | Pixel first, always |
| Too broad targeting | Wasted spend | Start narrow, expand |
| One creative only | No learning, fatigue | Test 3-5 variations |
| Daily bid changes | Disrupts algorithm | Weekly optimization |
| Ignoring landing page | Blames ads for LP issues | Optimize full funnel |

## Platform-Specific Resources

- `references/meta-ads.md` - Facebook/Instagram advertising
- `references/google-ads.md` - Search and display
- `references/linkedin-ads.md` - B2B advertising
- `references/tiktok-ads.md` - TikTok advertising

## Related Commands

- `/content/ads` - Create ad copy for platforms
- `/analytics/roi` - Calculate campaign ROI
- `/campaign/plan` - Full campaign planning

---

## Supporting file: references/google-ads.md

# Google Ads

Search, display, and YouTube advertising guide.

## Campaign Types

### Search Campaigns
- Text ads on search results
- Keyword-triggered
- High intent traffic
- CPC bidding

### Display Campaigns
- Visual ads across web
- Audience/placement targeting
- Brand awareness focus
- CPM or CPC bidding

### Shopping Campaigns
- Product listing ads
- Feed-based
- E-commerce focused
- High purchase intent

### Video Campaigns
- YouTube ads
- Multiple formats
- Awareness to conversion
- CPV or CPM bidding

### Performance Max
- AI-optimized
- All Google properties
- Goal-based
- Conversion focused

## Keyword Match Types

| Type | Symbol | Example | Matches |
|------|--------|---------|---------|
| Broad | none | running shoes | Related terms |
| Phrase | "..." | "running shoes" | Contains phrase |
| Exact | [...] | [running shoes] | Exact or close |

## Quality Score

### Components (1-10)
- Expected CTR
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience

### Impact
- Ad position
- Cost per click
- Ad extensions eligibility

### Improvement
- Tighter ad groups
- Keyword-ad alignment
- Landing page optimization
- CTR improvement

## Ad Extensions

| Extension | Use Case |
|-----------|----------|
| Sitelinks | Multiple landing pages |
| Callouts | Key benefits |
| Structured Snippets | Product/service types |
| Call | Phone leads |
| Location | Local businesses |
| Price | Product pricing |

## Bidding Strategies

| Strategy | Goal |
|----------|------|
| Manual CPC | Full control |
| Maximize Clicks | Traffic |
| Maximize Conversions | Volume |
| Target CPA | Cost control |
| Target ROAS | Efficiency |

---

## Supporting file: references/linkedin-ads.md

# LinkedIn Ads

B2B advertising on LinkedIn.

## Campaign Objectives

| Objective | Use Case |
|-----------|----------|
| Brand Awareness | Top of funnel reach |
| Website Visits | Traffic to site |
| Engagement | Social interaction |
| Video Views | Video content promotion |
| Lead Generation | Native lead forms |
| Website Conversions | Bottom funnel |

## Ad Formats

### Sponsored Content
- Single image ads
- Video ads
- Carousel ads
- Event ads

### Message Ads (InMail)
- Direct message delivery
- CTA button
- Personal approach
- Best for high-value offers

### Text Ads
- Right column placement
- Small image + text
- Lower cost, lower CTR

### Dynamic Ads
- Personalized to viewer
- Follower ads
- Spotlight ads

## Targeting Options

### Professional Targeting
- Job title
- Job function
- Seniority level
- Industry
- Company size
- Company name

### Interest/Trait Targeting
- Member groups
- Member interests
- Member traits

### Account-Based Marketing
- Company list upload
- Website retargeting
- Contact targeting

## Best Practices

### Creative
- Professional imagery
- Clear value proposition
- Statistics and data
- Thought leadership angle

### Copy
- Speak to pain points
- Business outcomes
- Social proof
- Professional tone

### Lead Gen Forms
- Minimize fields (3-5)
- Pre-filled from profile
- Thank you message
- CRM integration

## Benchmarks

| Metric | Average |
|--------|---------|
| CTR | 0.4-0.6% |
| CPC | $5-10 |
| CPM | $25-35 |
| Lead Form CVR | 10-15% |

---

## Supporting file: references/meta-ads.md

# Meta Ads

Facebook and Instagram advertising guide.

## Campaign Structure

### Hierarchy
Campaign → Ad Set → Ad

### Campaign Level
- Objective selection
- Budget optimization (CBO)
- A/B testing

### Ad Set Level
- Audience targeting
- Placements
- Budget and schedule
- Optimization goal

### Ad Level
- Creative (image/video)
- Copy and CTA
- Destination URL
- Tracking

## Audience Types

### Core Audiences
- Demographics
- Interests
- Behaviors
- Connections

### Custom Audiences
- Website visitors
- Customer list uploads
- App users
- Engagement audiences

### Lookalike Audiences
- Based on custom audiences
- 1-10% similarity range
- 1% = most similar

## Ad Formats

| Format | Best For | Specs |
|--------|----------|-------|
| Image | Simple messages | 1:1, 1.91:1 |
| Video | Storytelling | 15-60 sec |
| Carousel | Multiple products | 2-10 cards |
| Collection | E-commerce | Instant experience |
| Stories | Full-screen | 9:16 vertical |

## Optimization Tips

### Creative
- Use high contrast
- Front-load value
- Show product in use
- Include social proof
- Test multiple variants

### Copy
- Hook in first line
- Focus on benefits
- Include CTA
- Keep mobile-first

### Targeting
- Start broad, narrow down
- Use exclusions
- Layer interests carefully
- Refresh audiences regularly

## Pixel Setup

### Standard Events
- PageView
- ViewContent
- AddToCart
- InitiateCheckout
- Purchase

### Best Practices
- Use Conversions API
- Match customer data
- Test event firing
- Use aggregated event measurement

---

## Supporting file: references/paid-media-playbook.md

# Paid Advertising Playbook

Based on research from [Google Ads](https://ads.google.com/), [Meta Business](https://www.facebook.com/business), [WordStream](https://www.wordstream.com/).

---

## Platform Comparison

### Audience & Intent
| Platform | Audience | Intent Level |
|----------|----------|--------------|
| Google Search | Active searchers | Very High |
| Google Display | Passive browsers | Low |
| Meta (FB/IG) | Social users | Medium |
| LinkedIn | Professionals | Medium-High |
| TikTok | Entertainment seekers | Low-Medium |
| YouTube | Video viewers | Medium |
| Programmatic | Across web | Low |

### Best Use Cases
| Platform | Best For |
|----------|----------|
| Google Search | High-intent capture, B2B, local |
| Google Display | Retargeting, brand awareness |
| Meta | B2C, e-commerce, lookalikes |
| LinkedIn | B2B, enterprise, recruiting |
| TikTok | Gen Z, D2C, viral |
| YouTube | Brand, tutorials, reviews |
| Twitter/X | Tech, events, announcements |

---

## Google Ads

### Campaign Types
| Type | Best For | Bidding |
|------|----------|---------|
| Search | High-intent keywords | CPC, Target CPA |
| Display | Retargeting, awareness | CPM, CPA |
| Performance Max | Full funnel automation | Target ROAS |
| Video (YouTube) | Brand, tutorials | CPV, CPM |
| Shopping | E-commerce | CPC |
| App | Mobile installs | CPI |

### Search Structure
```
Account
└── Campaign (Budget, Settings)
    └── Ad Group (Keywords, Ads)
        ├── Keywords
        └── Ads (Headlines, Descriptions)
```

### Match Types
| Match Type | Symbol | Behavior |
|------------|--------|----------|
| Broad | none | Wide reach, AI matching |
| Phrase | "keyword" | Contains phrase |
| Exact | [keyword] | Exact or close variants |

### Quality Score Factors
| Factor | Weight | Improvement |
|--------|--------|-------------|
| CTR | High | Better ad copy |
| Ad relevance | Medium | Match keywords to copy |
| Landing page | Medium | Relevance, speed, UX |

### Google Ads Benchmarks (Search)
| Industry | Avg CTR | Avg CPC | Avg CVR |
|----------|---------|---------|---------|
| B2B | 2.4% | $3.33 | 3.0% |
| Technology | 2.1% | $3.80 | 2.9% |
| E-commerce | 2.7% | $1.16 | 2.8% |
| Finance | 2.9% | $3.44 | 5.1% |
| SaaS | 2.0% | $4.50 | 2.5% |

---

## Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)

### Campaign Objectives
| Objective | Optimization | Use Case |
|-----------|--------------|----------|
| Awareness | Reach, impressions | Brand building |
| Traffic | Link clicks | Site visits |
| Engagement | Reactions, comments | Social proof |
| Leads | Form submissions | Lead gen |
| Sales | Purchases | E-commerce |
| App promotion | Installs | Mobile apps |

### Audience Types
| Type | Description | Best For |
|------|-------------|----------|
| Core | Demographics, interests | Prospecting |
| Custom | Your data (email, site) | Retargeting |
| Lookalike | Similar to custom | Scaling |
| Saved | Pre-built combinations | Efficiency |

### Lookalike Strategy
| Source Audience | Lookalike % | Purpose |
|-----------------|-------------|---------|
| Customers | 1% | Highest quality |
| Purchasers | 1-2% | Best converters |
| Leads | 2-3% | More volume |
| Engagers | 3-5% | Broader reach |

### Ad Formats
| Format | Best For | Specs |
|--------|----------|-------|
| Single image | Simple message | 1080x1080, 1080x1350 |
| Carousel | Multiple products | 3-10 cards |
| Video | Storytelling | 15-60s |
| Collection | E-commerce | Hero + products |
| Stories | Mobile, casual | 1080x1920 |
| Reels | Entertainment | 9:16 vertical |

### Meta Ads Benchmarks
| Objective | Avg CTR | Avg CPC | Avg CPM |
|-----------|---------|---------|---------|
| Awareness | 0.5-1% | $0.50-1.00 | $5-10 |
| Traffic | 1-2% | $0.30-0.80 | $8-15 |
| Conversions | 1-3% | $0.50-2.00 | $10-20 |
| Lead gen | 2-5% | $2-10 | $15-30 |

---

## LinkedIn Ads

### Campaign Objectives
| Objective | Optimization |
|-----------|--------------|
| Brand awareness | Impressions |
| Website visits | Link clicks |
| Engagement | Reactions, comments |
| Lead generation | Lead form submissions |
| Conversions | Website actions |

### Targeting Options
| Category | Options |
|----------|---------|
| Company | Industry, size, name |
| Job | Title, function, seniority |
| Education | Degree, field, school |
| Demographics | Age, gender, location |
| Interests | Groups, skills |
| Matched | Email lists, retargeting |

### Ad Formats
| Format | Best For |
|--------|----------|
| Single image | Standard promotion |
| Carousel | Multiple messages |
| Video | Brand storytelling |
| Document | Lead magnets |
| Message | Direct outreach |
| Text | Simple, cost-effective |

### LinkedIn Benchmarks
| Metric | B2B Average |
|--------|-------------|
| CTR | 0.4-0.6% |
| CPC | $5-10 |
| CPM | $30-50 |
| CVR (leads) | 5-15% |
| CPL | $50-200 |

---

## Bidding Strategies

### By Objective
| Goal | Strategy | Platform |
|------|----------|----------|
| Awareness | CPM, Reach | All |
| Traffic | CPC | All |
| Conversions | Target CPA | Google, Meta |
| Revenue | Target ROAS | Google, Meta |
| Efficiency | Maximize conversions | Google |

### Bidding Progression
```
Start: Manual CPC → Understand baseline
Then: Maximize clicks → Volume
Then: Target CPA → Efficiency
Scale: Target ROAS → Profitability
```

### Budget Pacing
| Setting | Use Case |
|---------|----------|
| Standard | Even spend throughout day |
| Accelerated | Time-sensitive campaigns |
| Lifetime | Flexible daily spend |
| Daily | Strict daily control |

---

## Creative Best Practices

### Ad Copy Framework
```
Headline: [Pain point or benefit]
Primary text: [Problem] → [Solution] → [Proof] → [CTA]
CTA: [Action verb] + [What they get]
```

### Video Ad Structure
| Time | Content |
|------|---------|
| 0-3s | Hook (stop scroll) |
| 3-15s | Problem/pain point |
| 15-30s | Solution intro |
| 30-45s | Proof/demo |
| 45-60s | CTA |

### Creative Testing Framework
| Variable | Test Variations |
|----------|-----------------|
| Visual | Image vs video, UGC vs branded |
| Headline | Benefit vs pain, question vs statement |
| CTA | Different actions |
| Format | Single vs carousel |
| Length | Short vs long copy |

### Ad Fatigue Signs
- CTR declining
- Frequency >3 (prospecting)
- Frequency >7 (retargeting)
- CPM increasing
- Conversion rate dropping

---

## Retargeting Strategy

### Audience Segments
| Segment | Window | Priority |
|---------|--------|----------|
| Cart abandoners | 1-7 days | Highest |
| Product viewers | 7-14 days | High |
| Site visitors | 14-30 days | Medium |
| Engaged (video, social) | 30-60 days | Medium |
| Past customers | 90-180 days | Low |

### Retargeting Exclusions
| Exclude | From |
|---------|------|
| Purchasers | Conversion campaigns |
| Recent converters | Short-term |
| Bouncers (<10s) | All |
| Spam/bot traffic | All |

### Sequential Retargeting
```
Day 1-3: Reminder ad (simple)
Day 4-7: Benefit ad (value)
Day 8-14: Social proof ad (testimonial)
Day 15-21: Offer ad (incentive)
Day 22+: Last chance ad (urgency)
```

---

## Measurement & Optimization

### Key Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Target |
|--------|---------|--------|
| CTR | Clicks / Impressions | >1% (search), >0.5% (display) |
| CPC | Spend / Clicks | Varies |
| CVR | Conversions / Clicks | >2% |
| CPA | Spend / Conversions | < LTV/3 |
| ROAS | Revenue / Spend | >3x |
| Quality Score | Google metric | >7/10 |

### Optimization Checklist
| Frequency | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Daily | Check spend, pause losers |
| Weekly | Bid adjustments, add negatives |
| Bi-weekly | Creative refresh |
| Monthly | Structure review, strategy |
| Quarterly | Full audit |

### Attribution Windows
| Platform | Default | Options |
|----------|---------|---------|
| Google | 30-day click | 1-90 days |
| Meta | 7-day click, 1-day view | 1-28 days |
| LinkedIn | 30-day click, 7-day view | Various |

---

## Budget Allocation

### New Campaign Testing
| Phase | Budget | Duration |
|-------|--------|----------|
| Test | 10-20% of total | 2-4 weeks |
| Validate | 30-40% of total | 4-8 weeks |
| Scale | 50-70% of total | Ongoing |

### Channel Mix by Goal
| Goal | Search | Social | Display |
|------|--------|--------|---------|
| Awareness | 10% | 60% | 30% |
| Consideration | 30% | 50% | 20% |
| Conversion | 60% | 30% | 10% |

### Scaling Rules
| Signal | Action |
|--------|--------|
| CPA < Target, Volume < Goal | Increase budget 20% |
| CPA at Target, Volume at Goal | Maintain |
| CPA > Target | Optimize before scaling |
| Diminishing returns | Diversify channels |

---

## Supporting file: references/tiktok-ads.md

# TikTok Ads

Advertising on TikTok.

## Ad Formats

### In-Feed Ads
- Native format
- Up to 60 seconds
- Full-screen vertical
- Swipe up CTA

### TopView
- First ad seen
- Premium placement
- Up to 60 seconds
- High impact, high cost

### Branded Hashtag Challenge
- User participation
- Viral potential
- High engagement
- Significant investment

### Branded Effects
- Custom filters/stickers
- Interactive experiences
- Brand awareness focus

### Spark Ads
- Boost organic posts
- Native appearance
- Higher engagement
- Lower production cost

## Targeting Options

### Demographics
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Language

### Interests & Behaviors
- Interest categories
- Video interactions
- Creator interactions
- Hashtag interactions

### Custom Audiences
- Customer file upload
- App activity
- Website traffic
- Engagement audiences

## Creative Best Practices

### Format
- 9:16 vertical
- 15-30 seconds optimal
- Native TikTok style
- Sound on design

### Content
- Hook in first 3 seconds
- Show product in action
- Use trending sounds
- Include captions
- Clear CTA

### Style
- Authentic, not polished
- User-generated aesthetic
- Humor and entertainment
- Trend participation

## TikTok Pixel

### Events to Track
- PageView
- ViewContent
- AddToCart
- CompletePayment
- SubmitForm

### Best Practices
- Use Events Manager
- Set up CAPI
- Test event firing
- Use UTM parameters

## Performance Benchmarks

| Metric | Benchmark |
|--------|-----------|
| CTR | 1-3% |
| CPM | $5-15 |
| CVR | 1-3% |
| VCR | 15-25% |