The 5 Non-Negotiables Your Website Needs Before You Run Paid Ads

Running successful ads isn’t about finding the “perfect” headline or throwing more budget at Google or Meta.

It’s about having the right foundation in place so every click has a clear path to become a lead or sale—and so your campaigns can actually be optimized with confidence.

At LN Marketing Services, these are the top 5 essentials I check before I recommend spending a dime.

1) Accurate conversion tracking

If tracking is off, everything downstream is guesswork.

Before you scale spend, make sure your “wins” are tracked correctly, such as:

• Form submissions

• Phone calls

• Booked appointments

• Purchases / checkouts

• Key lead actions (downloads, quote requests, demo requests)

Why it matters: Ad platforms learn from conversion signals. Clean tracking = smarter optimization, better efficiency, better outcomes.

2) A dedicated landing page per offer

One of the biggest reasons ads don’t convert? Sending traffic to a homepage.

Your homepage is built for browsing. Paid traffic is different—people clicked because they want a specific answer, solution, or next step.

A high-performing landing page is built around:

• One offer

• One message

• One call to action

Why it matters: When the ad promise matches the landing page instantly, confusion drops, bounce rates improve, and conversions go up.

3) A clear conversion path

Successful ads don’t just “send people somewhere.” They move people through a decision.

I recommend the 1–1–1 rule:

• One value proposition (what you do + who it’s for + why you’re different)

• One clear message (no competing offers)

• One CTA (not five different buttons)

Why it matters: The more choices you give someone, the more likely they choose… nothing.

4) Mobile-first speed + UX

Most clicks happen on a phone. Even great ads fail if the page is slow, hard to read, or annoying to use.

Quick checks:

• Fast load time (especially on mobile)

• Buttons that are easy to tap

• Short, simple forms

• Clean layout and readable text

Why it matters: If your page feels “hard,” people leave—and your cost per lead rises fast.

5) Trust signals that remove hesitation

Ads create interest. Trust closes.

Your trust stack can include:

• Testimonials and reviews

• Case studies / results

• Certifications, awards, partner logos

• Guarantees or clear policies

• Visible contact info (especially for service businesses)

Why it matters: Visitors are thinking, “Is this legit? Will this work for me?” Trust signals answer that instantly.

The quick truth: ads amplify what already exists

Paid ads don’t “fix” a weak foundation. They expose it faster—because you’re paying to send people into it at scale.

When these five essentials are in place, ads become a growth lever instead of an expensive experiment.

Want help checking your foundation?

If you’re running ads (or planning to), my Google Ads Audit will show you exactly what’s working, what’s wasting budget, and what to fix first.

Book a free strategy call with me.