Paid Advertising

Paid Advertising

Recent platform API changes (as of July 2026)

Target Google Ads API v24.2 for stable integrations (v24 line supported into 2027). v25 (July 2026) is the new major release with breaking changes: the legacy CustomerLifecycleGoal/CampaignLifecycleGoal resources are removed (migrate to the unified Goal + CampaignGoalConfig schema), plus new loyalty-retention optimization goals, social-engagement metrics for Shorts ads, duration-level breakdowns for non-skippable YouTube inventory, and YouTube third-party conversion attribution. Adopt v25 deliberately, not by default. Full detail — including AI Max — lives in google-ads.md, the single source for the Google Ads API surface. Sources: release notes · v25 announcement.

Meta (Marketing API v25, in effect): standalone Advantage+ Shopping / App campaigns can no longer be created via the API on any version (since 19 May 2026); v26 (Sept 2026) pauses remaining ones — use the unified Advantage+ setup (details in meta-ads.md). The new Page Viewer metric replaces legacy reach (Post/Page Reach, Video Impressions, and Story Impressions retire from the Graph API) — update any reporting that reads those fields. LinkedIn: version 202607 is live (monthly cadence); it adds an automatic "Not Interested" CTA on Message Ads and a SHA256_IP_ADDRESS identifier in the Conversions API.

Highlights that affect campaign construction:

• v24.2 (24 Jun 2026): first-class Local Services Ads support (AssetGroup.google_local_services_info), landing-page-text auto-generation (AssetAutomationType.GENERATE_LANDING_PAGE_TEXT), and a beta Multi-Party Auth review resource for regulated verticals (finance, health, political).
• v24.1 (13 May 2026) — AI Max: four new experiment types (ADOPT_AI_MAX, ADOPT_BROAD_MATCH_KEYWORDS, OPTIMIZE_ASSETS, PMAX_REPLACEMENT_SHOPPING). Run an ADOPT_AI_MAX experiment before any AI Max rollout — it gives statistically-clean lift numbers vs the baseline. Also adds mobile_device_platform (iOS vs Android) reporting segmentation.
• v24.0 (22 Apr 2026) — breaking: videos + logo_images now REQUIRED on DemandGenVideoResponsiveAdInfo/VideoResponsiveAdInfo (and business_name on the latter); Campaign.video_brand_safety_suitability REMOVED (moved to the Customer level); CallAd/CallAdInfo fully removed (use Call Assets).
• v23.1 (25 Feb 2026): text_guidelines.term_exclusions + text_guidelines.messaging_restrictions on AI-generated Performance Max and Search assets — pipe a brand's banned-word list (profile.json → restrictions.md → banned_words) and approved messaging straight into PMax asset-gen guardrails.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when the user's request involves any of the following:

• Creating, auditing, or optimizing campaigns on Google Ads, Meta/Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, or TikTok Ads
• Designing campaign structures, ad groups, or ad set hierarchies on any paid platform
• Selecting or troubleshooting bid strategies (manual CPC, target CPA, target ROAS, maximize conversions, etc.)
• Building audience strategies including prospecting, retargeting, lookalike/similar audiences, or custom audiences
• Allocating or pacing budgets across platforms or campaigns
• Setting up or optimizing Google Shopping, Performance Max, YouTube Ads, or Display campaigns
• Working with Meta Advantage+ campaigns or manual campaign structures
• Running LinkedIn Ads with account-based marketing (ABM) targeting
• Launching TikTok Ads including Spark Ads or TikTok Shop integrations
• Programmatic advertising including DSP selection, connected TV (CTV), or digital out-of-home (DOOH)
• Retail media networks including Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, Kroger Precision Marketing, or Instacart Ads
• Running Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) campaigns, including Google Ads import and Microsoft Audience Network placements
• Planning native advertising campaigns on content discovery networks (Taboola, Outbrain, Nativo)
• Buying audio or podcast advertising across streaming platforms (Spotify, Pandora/SiriusXM, iHeartRadio) or programmatic audio
• Any question about paid media strategy, creative strategy for ads, or paid channel mix decisions

Brand Context (Auto-Applied)

Before producing any marketing output from this module:

1. Check session context — The active brand summary was output at session start. Use the brand name, industry, voice settings, channels, goals, compliance, and competitors shown there.
2. If you need the full profile, read: ~/.claude-marketing/brands/{slug}/profile.json
3. Apply brand voice — Formality, energy, humor, authority levels must shape all content tone and word choices
4. Check compliance — Auto-apply rules for brand's target_markets and industry using skills/context-engine/compliance-rules.md
5. Reference industry benchmarks — Consult skills/context-engine/industry-profiles.md for the brand's industry
6. Use platform specs — Reference skills/context-engine/platform-specs.md for character limits and format requirements
7. Check campaign history — Run python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/campaign-tracker.py" --brand {slug} --action list-campaigns before planning new work
8. If no brand exists, say: "No brand profile found. Use /digital-marketing-pro:brand-setup to create one, or I can proceed with general best practices."
9. Check brand guidelines — If ~/.claude-marketing/brands/{slug}/guidelines/_manifest.json exists, load and enforce: restrictions.md for banned words, restricted claims, and mandatory disclaimers; channel-styles.md for channel-specific tone overrides (may differ from base voice); messaging.md for approved key messages, taglines, and positioning language; voice-and-tone.md for detailed voice rules beyond the 4 numeric scores. If producing content for a specific channel, channel style rules take precedence over base voice settings.

Do not ask the user for information that already exists in their brand profile.

Required Context

Before executing, gather the following from the user (ask if not provided):

• Business type: B2B, B2C, D2C, marketplace, local business
• Current platforms: Which ad platforms are active (if any)
• Monthly budget: Total paid media spend or per-platform budgets
• Goals: Primary KPI (ROAS, CPA, CPL, brand awareness, traffic) and target values
• Audience: Who they are trying to reach (demographics, firmographics, interests, behaviors)
• Funnel stage focus: Top-of-funnel awareness, mid-funnel consideration, or bottom-funnel conversion
• Existing assets: Landing pages, creative assets, product feeds, tracking setup
• Tracking infrastructure: Pixel/tag status, conversion tracking, attribution model in use
• Industry: Needed to flag regulated category restrictions (healthcare, finance, alcohol, cannabis, gambling)

Capabilities

Campaign Structure Design

• Platform-specific campaign architecture (campaigns, ad groups/ad sets, ads)
• Naming conventions for scalable account management
• Campaign type selection per objective (Search, Display, Shopping, Video, App, PMax, Demand Gen)
• Ad group theming and keyword/audience segmentation strategies

Audience Strategy

• Prospecting: Interest-based, behavior-based, demographic, and contextual targeting
• Retargeting: Website visitors, video viewers, lead form engagers, customer lists, cart abandoners
• Lookalike/Similar audiences: Source audience selection, expansion percentages, layering strategies
• ABM targeting: Company lists, job title targeting, seniority filtering (LinkedIn-specific)
• Exclusion strategies: Negative audiences, customer suppression, converter exclusion windows

Bid Strategy Selection

• Manual vs automated bidding decision framework
• Target CPA, target ROAS, maximize conversions, maximize conversion value
• Portfolio bid strategies for Google Ads
• Learning phase management and bid strategy transitions
• Seasonality adjustments and bid modifiers

Creative Strategy

• Ad format selection per platform and objective
• Responsive search ads (RSA) best practices and pin strategies
• Meta creative diversification (static, video, carousel, collection, instant experience)
• LinkedIn creative formats (single image, carousel, video, document, conversation ads)
• TikTok native-style creative principles
• Creative testing frameworks (variable isolation, iterative testing)

Budget Allocation and Pacing

• Cross-platform budget distribution models
• Campaign-level budget optimization vs ad-set level budgets
• Daily vs lifetime budgets and when to use each
• Pacing strategies for monthly/quarterly targets
• Budget scaling rules (20% rule for Google, CBO adjustments for Meta)

Platform-Specific Expertise

• Google Ads: Search, Display, Performance Max, YouTube (in-stream, Shorts, Discovery), Shopping, Demand Gen
• Meta Ads: unified Advantage+ campaigns (ASC/AAC legacy formats retiring — see meta-ads.md), manual campaigns, catalog ads, lead gen forms
• LinkedIn Ads: Sponsored Content, Message Ads, Lead Gen Forms, Document Ads, ABM list targeting
• TikTok Ads: In-Feed, TopView, Spark Ads, TikTok Shop product ads, Branded Effects
• Programmatic: DSP selection (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP), CTV, DOOH, audio
• Retail Media: Amazon Sponsored Products/Brands/Display, Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, Kroger Precision Marketing, Instacart Ads

Process

Standard Campaign Build (Most Common Use Case)

1. Define objectives -- Clarify the primary KPI and success metric. Map to the correct campaign type per platform.
2. Audience architecture -- Design the full-funnel audience strategy: cold prospecting segments, warm retargeting pools, and hot remarketing lists. Define exclusions.
3. Campaign structure -- Build the campaign hierarchy with naming conventions. Determine budget allocation across campaigns.
4. Bid strategy selection -- Choose the appropriate bid strategy based on data maturity, conversion volume, and goals. Reference bid-strategy.md for decision trees.
5. Creative strategy -- Define ad formats, messaging angles, and creative variations. Map creative to funnel stage and audience segment.
6. Tracking validation -- Confirm pixel/tag setup, conversion actions, and attribution model before launch.
7. Launch plan -- Set launch budgets (often lower than steady-state), define learning phase expectations, and establish the first optimization checkpoint (typically 7-14 days).
8. Optimization cadence -- Define weekly/biweekly optimization actions: bid adjustments, audience refinements, creative refreshes, budget reallocation.

Campaign Audit Process

1. Account structure review -- Assess campaign organization, naming conventions, and segmentation logic.
2. Audience overlap analysis -- Check for audience fragmentation or cannibalization across campaigns.
3. Bid strategy assessment -- Evaluate whether current bid strategies match conversion volume and goals.
4. Creative performance -- Identify top/bottom performers, creative fatigue signals, and testing gaps.
5. Budget efficiency -- Analyze spend distribution vs performance distribution. Flag underspending winners and overspending losers.
6. Tracking audit -- Verify conversion tracking accuracy, attribution consistency, and data freshness.

Reference Files

• google-ads.md -- Google Ads campaign types, settings, optimization tactics, and platform-specific features
• meta-ads.md -- Meta Ads campaign structures, Advantage+ configurations, creative specs, and iOS ATT strategies
• linkedin-ads.md -- LinkedIn Ads targeting options, ABM strategies, lead gen optimization, and B2B-specific tactics
• tiktok-ads.md -- TikTok Ads creative best practices, Spark Ads setup, TikTok Shop integration, and audience strategies
• programmatic.md -- DSP selection criteria, CTV planning, DOOH strategies, and programmatic deal types
• bid-strategy.md -- Bid strategy decision trees, learning phase management, and portfolio strategy configurations
• retail-media-networks.md -- Platform-specific setup for Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Instacart advertising
• microsoft-ads.md -- Microsoft Advertising campaign guide: Search Network reach (Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo), Microsoft Audience Network, and lower-CPC opportunities vs Google
• retargeting-audiences.md -- Retargeting and remarketing audience taxonomy: segment definitions, intent levels, and recommended membership windows
• media-planning.md -- Media planning fundamentals: reach, frequency, GRP/TRP metrics, cross-channel budget allocation, and scheduling strategies
• native-advertising.md -- Native ad network landscape (Taboola, Outbrain, Nativo, and more), content discovery campaigns, and in-feed creative best practices
• audio-programmatic.md -- Digital audio advertising across streaming platforms (Spotify, Pandora/SiriusXM, iHeartRadio) and podcasts, ad models, and buying paths

Output Formats

• Campaign plan: Structured document with campaign hierarchy, audience definitions, bid strategies, budget allocation, creative briefs, and KPI targets
• Platform audit: Scorecard with findings, severity ratings, and prioritized action items
• Budget allocation model: Spreadsheet-ready breakdown of spend by platform, campaign, and funnel stage with projected outcomes
• Creative brief: Per-ad-format briefs with messaging angles, CTA options, and spec requirements
• Optimization playbook: Weekly/monthly checklist of optimization actions with decision criteria

Edge Cases

iOS ATT Impact on Meta Targeting

Post-iOS 14.5, Meta audience sizes shrunk and attribution windows shortened. When working with Meta campaigns, default to broader targeting with Advantage+ audience expansion, use Conversions API (CAPI) alongside the pixel, recommend 7-day click attribution, and set expectations that reported ROAS will undercount actual performance by 15-30%.

Performance Max Cannibalizing Brand Search

PMax campaigns frequently capture branded search traffic, inflating their reported performance. Always recommend running a brand exclusion list in PMax, maintaining a separate brand search campaign, and comparing incrementality by analyzing total account performance rather than PMax in isolation.

LinkedIn High CPC Management

LinkedIn CPCs are typically 3-10x higher than other platforms. Compensate by focusing on lead quality over volume, using lead gen forms (higher conversion rate than landing pages), tightening audience targeting to reduce waste, and evaluating on cost-per-qualified-lead rather than CPC.

TikTok Creative Fatigue

TikTok ad creative typically fatigues in 3-7 days. Build creative refresh cadences into every TikTok campaign plan. Recommend 3-5 active creatives per ad group with new batches produced weekly. Use Spark Ads (boosted organic) to extend creative life since they feel less like ads.

Retail Media Incrementality

Retail media ads often capture purchases that would have happened organically. When auditing retail media, question whether sales are truly incremental. Recommend running incrementality tests (holdout groups), analyzing new-to-brand metrics (Amazon provides this), and comparing organic rank changes during ad pauses.

Small Budget Cross-Platform Allocation

When total monthly budget is under $5,000, do not spread across multiple platforms. Recommend concentrating on one primary platform that best matches the audience and objective. Only expand to a second platform after the first is optimized and hitting diminishing returns.

Regulated Industry Restrictions

Healthcare, finance, alcohol, cannabis, gambling, and political advertising face platform-specific restrictions. Always check platform policies before recommending campaign types. Some platforms ban certain industries entirely (TikTok restricts financial services ads in some markets). Reference platform-specific docs for current restriction lists.

Related Skills

• CRO -- Landing page and conversion optimization for ad traffic destinations
• Analytics & Insights -- Attribution modeling, conversion tracking setup, and performance analysis
• Audience Intelligence -- Deep audience research to inform targeting strategies
• Content Engine -- Ad creative copywriting and messaging frameworks
• Funnel Architect -- Full-funnel strategy that paid advertising plugs into
• Emerging Channels -- Social commerce and newer ad platforms (TikTok Shop, CTV)