Launched the campaign? Great. Now the real work starts. This post-launch checklist walks your team through verifying data, reviewing performance, capturing insights, and turning them into the next round of wins. Use it after every campaign so you can prove ROI, learn fast, and scale what works.
How to use this checklist
- Timing: Do an initial review within 24–72 hours of the campaign ending, a deeper review after 7 days, and a final wrap at 30 days (to catch late conversions/assists).
- Owners: Assign each section to a clear owner (media, content, analytics, CRM/sales).
- Outputs: One-page summary, annotated dashboard link, action list with due dates, and a decision on scale / pause / iterate.
1) Collect & verify data
Make sure your numbers are complete and trustworthy before you report anything.
- Confirm UTMs are present and consistent across all ads, emails, and social posts.
- Check GA4 events and conversions fired (forms, calls, purchases, lead magnet downloads).
- Reconcile ad platform totals (Google, Meta, LinkedIn) with GA4 sessions and conversions (allow for attribution model differences).
- Validate CRM/LeadConnector records: duplicates merged, sources captured (utm_source/medium/campaign, gclid/fbclid where applicable).
- Spot anomalies: sudden spikes/drops, zero-data days, or channels that look too good to be true.
Quick QA
- Landing page tracking present (GTM, GA4, consent mode where applicable)
- Form success events recorded and mapped to conversions
- Phone/click-to-WhatsApp events recorded
- Attribution window aligns with campaign type
2) Review goals & KPIs against the brief
Reopen the campaign brief and compare actuals to targets.
- Primary KPIs: leads/sales, cost per lead (CPL) or cost per acquisition (CPA), revenue, ROAS.
- Secondary KPIs: CTR, CVR, average order value, lead quality score, time to close.
- Diagnostic metrics: impressions, frequency, bounce rate, scroll depth, engagement rate.
Callout: If the primary KPI missed but diagnostics were strong (high CTR, high engagement), the issue is likely offer/fit or post-click UX rather than targeting.
3) Channel & audience performance
Break results down to find pockets of efficiency and waste.
- Compare channels (Search, Social, Display, Email, Affiliate).
- Drill into audiences/keywords (e.g., in-market segments, lookalikes, brand vs non-brand).
- Segment by device, geo, and time of day.
- Identify what to scale (low CPA, high quality) and what to pause (low intent, high CPA).
4) Creative & message analysis
- Top ads by thumb-stop / hook, CTR, and CVR.
- Headlines & CTAs that drove the most qualified traffic.
- Landing pages with the best conversion lift (offer, proof, layout, speed, CWV).
- Notes for the playbook: winning angles, objections handled, formats that under-delivered.
5) Sales & lead quality feedback
Performance is not just volume — it’s quality and revenue.
- Ask sales or your client: lead quality (1–5), common questions, reasons for no-shows.
- Check pipeline metrics: show rate, qualified rate, close rate, revenue by source.
- Match high-quality outcomes back to audience, creative, and landing page to scale.
6) Budget, pacing & unit economics
- Final spend vs planned budget and pacing curve.
- Cost per click (CPC), cost per lead (CPL), cost per sale (CPS), customer acquisition cost (CAC).
- Return on ad spend (ROAS) and contribution margin if e-commerce.
- Scenario: if we doubled the best audience/keyword, projected volume and CPA?
7) Issues, risks & fixes
- Tracking gaps to patch before the next flight.
- Creative fatigue signals (frequency creep, falling CTR) → rotate assets sooner.
- Landing page friction (form fields, load time, layout) → ship quick CRO wins.
- Compliance (POPIA/GDPR, consent, cookie categorisation) verified and documented.
8) Decisions & next steps
Every review should end with a call on what happens next.
- Scale: which audiences/keywords/creatives to increase by 20–50%.
- Pause: under-performing segments (and why).
- Iterate: new variants to test (hooks, offers, landing page sections).
- Follow-ups: remarketing, email nurture, upsell/retention plays.
Suggested timeline & owner matrix
| When | Activity | Owner | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0–1 | Data capture & tracking QA | Analytics | Tracking log, anomaly notes |
| Day 2–3 | KPI vs goal review; channel & audience breakdown | Media + Analytics | Scorecard dashboard |
| Day 3–5 | Creative/LP analysis; sales feedback | Content/CRO + Sales | Wins/Lessons page |
| Day 5–7 | Decision: scale / pause / iterate; next-test plan | Owner/Client | One-pager + action list |
| Day 30 | Final wrap (late conversions, LTV checks) | Analytics + Finance | Updated ROAS/CAC view |
Downloadable checklist (optional)
Add this to your process docs and tick it off every time.
- UTMs and events verified in GA4/GTM
- CRM sources captured (utm_source/medium/campaign, gclid/fbclid)
- KPI vs goal scorecard complete
- Top/worst audiences & creatives identified
- Sales feedback summarised
- Next-test plan agreed with dates/owners
- Dashboard link and one-pager shared
Download the Campaign Post-Launch Checklist (PDF)
Related resources
- Marketing Funnel Blueprint — clarify the path from attention to conversion.
- Content Strategy Template — plan assets that support each funnel stage.
- SEO & Analytics — measurement guides, GA4 dashboards, and technical fixes.
FAQs
What is a post-campaign evaluation?
It’s a structured review after a campaign ends that checks data quality, measures results against goals, and documents lessons to improve the next campaign.
When should I do the review?
Run an initial check within 24–72 hours, a fuller review around day 7, and a final wrap after 30 days to include delayed conversions and assisted revenue.
What should be in the final deliverables?
An annotated dashboard link, a one-page summary with goals vs results, a list of wins and lessons, and a clear decision on scale/pause/iterate with owners and dates.