From intake to first results: our onboarding process explained

Starting with a new Google Ads agency is an investment, and the first few weeks largely determine how successful the partnership will be. At AdBrains, we believe that a structured onboarding process lays the foundation for lasting campaign results. No weeks of uncertainty, no manual settings that cause errors down the line, but a clear step-by-step plan where technology, strategy and communication are fully aligned. In this article, we walk through our onboarding journey phase by phase, explaining what new clients can expect and why our approach differs from that of a traditional agency.

Why a solid onboarding process makes all the difference

The AdBrains onboarding journey

From first contact to active campaigns

100 Intake & discovery

Week 1

85 Technical setup & tracking

Week 1–2

70 Campaign architecture & copy

Week 2

55 Go-live & first data

Week 3

40 First optimisation round

Week 4

First results visible within 30 days

Many advertisers who switch to a new agency experience the first months as a black box: campaigns are taken over, but it is unclear what is happening, when results will be visible and which KPIs are being pursued. A structured onboarding process resolves this by locking in expectations, goals and technical requirements right from the start.

In the Google Ads world, the quality of the initial setup determines everything that follows. Smart Bidding algorithms learn from conversion data. If that data is incomplete or inaccurate due to a flawed tracking setup, the algorithm learns on the wrong basis and budgets are spent inefficiently. Correct conversion tracking, including server-side tracking where applicable, is therefore not a luxury but an absolute prerequisite for success.

At AdBrains, we follow a five-phase onboarding journey that takes an average of four weeks. Each phase has a clear goal, a fixed deliverable and a client touchpoint. You always know where you stand and what is coming next.

Phase 1: Intake and strategic discovery

Everything starts with an in-depth intake session. We schedule a discovery call of approximately ninety minutes to lay the groundwork for the entire partnership. This is not a standard questionnaire, but a strategic conversation in which we thoroughly cover:

• Business and proposition: what do you sell or deliver, who is your target audience and what makes your offering distinctive?
• Historical campaign data: we analyse any existing Google Ads accounts for structure, performance and pitfalls.
• Goals and KPIs: do we optimise towards a Target CPA, a Target ROAS or a combination? What are realistic benchmarks for the sector?
• Budget and seasonality: what is the available budget, are there peak periods and how does that relate to competition?
• Technical status: what tracking is already in place, which CMS or platform is in use and are there any constraints for the technical setup?
• Competitive landscape: who are the main competitors and how do you position yourself against them in the search results?

For a client like Clima-Active.nl, active in airco and heat pump installation, this means establishing during the intake that quote requests are the primary conversion, that seasonal influences play a major role and that the Target CPA must align with the average order value and margin per lead. For an e-commerce client like ToetsJeKennis.nl, we set a Target ROAS as the primary bidding strategy, calibrated to the average order value of their online course offering.

After the intake, you receive a written summary with the agreed objectives, the confirmed KPIs and an overview of the planned technical steps. No loose ends, just a clear roadmap.

Phase 2: Technical setup and conversion tracking

Traditional onboarding vs. AdBrains onboarding

What makes the difference in practice?

Traditional agency

• Manual tracking setup (error-prone)
• Weeks before first reporting
• Generic campaign structure
• Ad hoc keyword research
• No automated quality control
• Unclear starting KPIs

AdBrains onboardingAdBrains approach

• Server-side tracking live before go-live
• First data visible within 7 days after go-live
• Custom campaign architecture per channel
• Automated search term mining from day 1
• Multi-agent AI verification on every decision
• Clear CPA and ROAS targets set before launch

The technical setup is perhaps the most underestimated phase of any onboarding. At many agencies, campaigns go live with a basic Google Tag Manager installation, and tracking is improved along the way. At AdBrains, we do not go live until the technical foundation is completely in place.

Our technical setup consists of the following steps:

1. Conversion tracking audit: we analyse the existing tracking for completeness, duplications and attribution issues.
2. Enhanced Conversions implementation: we add enriched conversion signals so that Smart Bidding has access to first-party data, even when cookies are blocked.
3. Server-side tracking (sGTM): through our own server-side Google Tag Manager infrastructure, we ensure conversion signals are reliably passed on, fully outside the reach of adblockers and browser restrictions. Advertisers using server-side tracking see on average 23% more conversions tracked compared to purely client-side tracking.
4. Google Ads account structure: we set up campaigns, ad groups and bidding strategies according to our proven architecture, including the right match types (exact match, phrase match and strategically deployed broad match).
5. Negative keyword lists: before go-live, we populate extensive negative keyword lists tailored to the industry and intake information.
6. Audience segments: we create the first remarketing audiences, including RLSA segments for returning users.

For a lead generation client like E-4motion.com, a car dealer generating leads for test drives and pre-owned vehicles, this means setting up form submissions, phone calls and chat interactions as separate conversion actions. Smart Bidding then has a complete picture of all valuable customer interactions, not just the most visible conversions.

Phase 3: Campaign architecture and ad copy

With the technical foundation in place, we build the campaign structure. We work with a well-considered architecture in which campaigns are divided by product or service category, intent level and bidding strategy. This makes it straightforward to direct budgets, compare performance and intervene when needed.

For each theme, we write Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) with multiple headline and description variants, allowing Google to test the best-performing combinations. Our AI evaluates every ad on Ad Strength and provides immediate improvement advice if an ad has POOR status. We only go live with ads that have at least a GOOD score.

Alongside standard Search campaigns, we determine together with the client whether Performance Max (PMax) campaigns are relevant. For e-commerce clients like ToetsJeKennis.nl, a PMax campaign focused on course purchases is a logical complement to Search. For purely local lead generation clients like Clima-Active.nl, we sometimes deliberately choose an approach without PMax, in order to maintain control over search terms and budget allocation.

AdBrains AI in practice: how our technology accelerates and improves onboarding

The AdBrains onboarding process is not just about having the right people and smart processes. Our proprietary AI technology plays a crucial role in every phase, and you will notice this directly in the speed and quality of the first results.

From the moment an account goes live, we activate our multi-agent verification system. This system has four independent AI agents check every optimisation decision before it is executed. Think of bid adjustments, pausing underperforming keywords or modifying campaign settings. Where a human specialist might make a mistake under time pressure or information overload, the system double-checks every step. This is especially valuable in the first weeks of a campaign, when the account is still very much in motion.

At the same time, our automated search term mining starts on day one. Every day, all search terms that have generated impressions or clicks are analysed. Irrelevant terms are automatically detected and added as negative keywords, without a specialist having to manually comb through them every morning. This is critical in the early stages, when broad match keywords can go in all directions and budget waste is a real risk.

New keywords that stand out as promising are not immediately placed in production campaigns. Our Keyword Incubator system first places them in a separate test environment, the incubator campaign. Here they gather data without the risk of disrupting the performance of existing campaigns. Only once a keyword has accumulated sufficient volume and quality data does the system automatically promote it to the production campaign.

Our automatic tCPA/tROAS optimisation adjusts bidding strategies daily based on current conversion volume and the margin targets established during the intake. And when a campaign temporarily generates too few conversions for Smart Bidding to function well, our strategy-switch system automatically activates a safer bidding strategy until volume recovers. Our server-side signal enrichment continuously enriches the conversion signals sent to Google, giving Smart Bidding a richer and more accurate picture of which clicks are truly valuable from the very first weeks.

Phase 4: Go-live and initial data collection

Onboarding by the numbers

What clients typically experience in the first 30 days

30

days to first optimisation round

7

days to first conversion data after go-live

23%

more tracked conversions thanks to server-side tracking

100%

of campaigns live with validated conversion tracking

The go-live is a controlled moment, not an impulsive decision. We deliberately schedule the launch on a day and time when we can actively monitor the first hours. After go-live, we carry out a first check within 24 hours covering the following points:

• Is the impression and click distribution proceeding as expected?
• Are conversions being correctly registered in Google Ads and Analytics?
• Are there unexpected search terms that need to be added as negative keywords immediately?
• Is ad CTR in line with expectations?
• Are budgets being fully utilised or is adjustment needed?

The first seven days after go-live are dedicated to data collection and coarse adjustments. We do not yet actively optimise towards ROAS or CPA, because Smart Bidding is still in its learning phase. We do keep a sharp eye out for any anomalies that require intervention.

Phase 5: First optimisation round and reporting

After approximately two to three weeks post-launch, we carry out the first formal optimisation round. Based on the collected data, we assess performance at the campaign, ad group and keyword level. We look at Quality Score, Ad Strength, the ratio of impressions to clicks, Cost per Click (CPC) and the first conversion data. For lead generation clients like LeroyBrouwer.nl, we also look at the quality of leads relative to the cost per lead (CPL).

In the report, we not only explain what the numbers are, but also what they mean and what we will adjust based on them. We compare results against the KPIs established during the intake and, if necessary, revise the Target CPA or Target ROAS. The first optimisation round also marks the transition from the onboarding phase to the regular management and optimisation cycle.

Overview: the complete onboarding journey

Phase	Timing	Deliverable	Responsible
1. Intake & strategy	Week 1	Written summary with KPIs and roadmap	AdBrains + client
2. Technical setup & tracking	Week 1–2	Validated conversion tracking incl. server-side tracking	AdBrains
3. Campaign architecture & copy	Week 2	Approved campaign structure and RSAs	AdBrains + client (review)
4. Go-live & monitoring	Week 3	Campaigns live, first conversion data, 24h check	AdBrains
5. First optimisation round	Week 4	Report, KPI adjustment, transition to regular management	AdBrains + client

What sets our approach apart?

The core question many prospective clients ask is: what makes AdBrains different from other Google Ads agencies? The answer lies not in one big innovation, but in the coherence between technology, process and transparency. Our approach is designed to collect reliable data as quickly as possible and translate that data directly into better campaign decisions.

Where a traditional agency might need four to six weeks to fully set up an account and execute the first optimisations, our automated approach ensures that the multi-agent verification system is active from day one, search term mining starts immediately and technical tracking is reliable from the outset. If you want to know more about our approach and what to expect from a collaboration, or if you are curious about our pricing and investment, we are happy to help.

Frequently asked questions about the AdBrains onboarding process

How long does it take before my campaigns go live?

On average, campaigns go live in week three of the onboarding journey. The first two weeks are needed for the intake, locking in the strategy and completing the full technical setup including conversion tracking and server-side tracking. We deliberately wait until the technical foundation is completely in order before going live, so Smart Bidding can learn on reliable data from the start. In exceptional cases, for example when an existing account is already fully configured and tracking is already correct, campaigns can go live sooner.

What do I need to do myself to make the onboarding a success?

Your input is mainly needed in the first phase. We ask you to be available for the intake call of approximately ninety minutes and to grant access to the existing Google Ads account and Google Analytics environment. We also ask you to review the draft ad copy and campaign structure before go-live, so everything aligns with your brand style and communication. For the technical setup, we sometimes need access to your CMS or tag manager environment, and we guide you through this step by step. After go-live, your involvement is less intensive as our AI technology takes over the daily work.

When will I see the first results and how are they measured?

The first conversion data is typically visible within seven days of go-live. Because Smart Bidding is still in its learning phase during the first two weeks, results in that period are not yet representative of the final performance. After the first optimisation round in week four, you will have a much more reliable picture. We measure results based on the KPIs established during the intake, such as Target CPA for lead generation clients or Target ROAS for e-commerce. All data is always visible via a live dashboard that you can consult at any time.

What happens if campaigns do not meet expected results after onboarding?

That is exactly why we build in a formal evaluation in week four. If the initial results fall short of expectations, we analyse the cause together. Does the Target CPA or Target ROAS need to be adjusted? Are there search terms or campaigns consuming a disproportionate share of the budget? Or is there a technical issue with conversion tracking? We discuss findings transparently and adjust the strategy accordingly. Our strategy-switch system also automatically pauses campaigns when conversion volume is too low for Smart Bidding to function well, and reactivates them as soon as volume recovers.