How to Setup Ad Campaigns in Australia: The Complete Guide for Startup Founders
- Christopher. H
- Oct 6
- 5 min read
I’ve guided thousands of founders through their first campaigns, and the pattern is always the same—what feels overwhelming at first becomes a repeatable growth engine once you understand the process. When you learn how to setup ad campaigns properly, you take control of your marketing instead of gambling with your budget.
Campaign setup is where most businesses lose money, not because ads “don’t work,” but because the foundations were wrong. Get this part right, and every dollar you spend has the potential to bring dollars back.
When Alex launched his Melbourne-based e-commerce brand, he jumped into Facebook Ads Manager, boosted a few posts, and spent $2,000 in a month with nothing to show for it. He assumed ads “just don’t work.” The truth? He had no campaign structure, no clear audience, and no conversion tracking.
Three months later, he restarted—with clear objectives, properly set up campaigns on Meta and Google, tracking in place, and test creatives. Within four weeks, he was generating $7 in sales for every $1 spent. Same product, same audience. The only difference? Campaign setup done properly.
That’s why this guide exists—so you don’t pay for expensive lessons when you could pay for results.
What Exactly Is Setting Up Ad Campaigns?
Setting up ad campaigns is the process of building structured, measurable advertising on digital platforms like Google, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), LinkedIn, or TikTok. It covers:
Choosing the right objective (sales, leads, awareness).
Configuring the campaign structure (account, campaign, ad set, ad).
Defining audiences (interests, demographics, retargeting).
Creating ad creatives (images, video, copy).
Setting budgets and bids.
Installing tracking (pixels, tags, conversion events).
Think of it as the blueprint of your paid marketing. Without setup, ads are just random posts with money behind them. With setup, they’re a machine built to bring predictable returns.
Examples:
Koala structured their campaigns around product categories (sofas, mattresses) and audiences, scaling profitably across Meta.
Atlassian used LinkedIn campaigns segmented by role (developers vs managers) to deliver targeted messaging.
Afterpay ran Google Search campaigns for high-intent terms like “buy now pay later,” capturing ready-to-convert customers.
Why This Could Make or Break Your Business
Financial Impact:
Poor setup wastes budget. Targeting too broad or tracking incorrectly means you can’t measure ROI.
Growth Leverage:
Once setup is right, you can scale ads like a lever—spend $1, make $3, repeat.
Competitive Edge:
Many AU startups dabble in ads without structure. Proper setup puts you ahead quickly.
Investor Confidence:
If you ever raise capital, showing a predictable customer acquisition cost (CAC) is gold.
Ad campaigns aren’t optional. In today’s market, they’re often the difference between staying invisible and being discovered.
Before You Start
Here’s your pre-setup checklist:
Clarify your campaign objective (sales, leads, sign-ups, awareness).
Have tracking tools ready (Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag).
Prepare landing pages that actually convert (not just your homepage).
Build your creative assets (images, videos, ad copy).
Research competitors’ ads (use Meta Ads Library, Google Search preview).
Decide on your budget (daily, weekly, monthly).
Assign one person to own campaign management (in-house or external).
Preparation ensures you’re building a system, not a gamble.
How to Setup Ad Campaigns:
Step by Step
Step 1: Pick the Right Platform
Match platform to audience (Google for intent, Meta for broad reach, LinkedIn for B2B).
Check where competitors are spending.
Start with one platform before spreading thin.
Result: You spend where your buyers actually are.
Step 2: Define Your Campaign Objective
Awareness: impressions and reach.
Consideration: traffic, engagement, video views.
Conversion: leads, purchases, sign-ups.
Always align with funnel stage.
Result: The platform optimises for the right action, not vanity metrics.
Step 3: Install Tracking Properly
Add Meta Pixel to your site for conversions.
Install Google Tag Manager for event tracking.
Test conversions with real clicks.
Watch out for: skipping this step. Without tracking, you’re flying blind.
Result: You see what’s working and what’s not.
Step 4: Build Audience Segments
Create cold audiences (demographics, interests, lookalikes).
Create warm audiences (website visitors, engaged users).
Exclude existing customers where needed.
Pro tip: Start small. A 1–2% lookalike audience often beats broad targeting.
Result: Your ads hit people who actually care.
Step 5: Create Campaign Structure
1 campaign = 1 objective.
Ad sets divided by audience or placement.
2–4 ads per ad set for testing.
Keep naming conventions clear (e.g., “Prospecting | VIC | 25-40”).
Result: You stay organised and know what’s working.
Step 6: Design Ad Creatives
Use clear visuals (video > image when possible).
Write copy with benefits, not features.
Always add a strong CTA.
Test 3–5 versions.
Result: You find what resonates without guessing.
Step 7: Set Budget and Launch
Start with $20–50/day per audience for testing.
Run for 7–10 days before making decisions.
Scale winning ads gradually (20–30% increase at a time).
Result: Your campaigns collect enough data to optimise properly.
Step 8: Monitor and Optimise
Check daily for major issues (spend, disapprovals).
Evaluate weekly for results (CTR, CPA, ROAS).
Kill losers quickly, double down on winners.
Result: Your campaigns improve week by week, not drift off course.
Mistakes to Avoid
A Brisbane SaaS founder boosted posts for “engagement” instead of running conversion campaigns. Thousands of likes—zero sign-ups. Engagement doesn’t pay bills.
An e-commerce store skipped installing their pixel. They couldn’t tell which sales came from ads. Result? $10k spent, no idea of ROI.
A Perth coach launched campaigns with 12 ad sets at $5 each. Spread too thin, nothing got traction. Start narrow, then expand.
Real-World Examples
Melbourne-based mattress brand Koala built tightly structured Meta campaigns. They tested creatives in small audiences, found winners, then scaled nationally. Their brand is now a household name.
A Sydney accounting firm spent $3,000 on Google Ads targeting “accounting.” Way too broad. Clicks came from students and job seekers. No conversions. A switch to “accountant for small business Sydney” fixed results instantly.
These examples prove: structure beats spend.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
DIY / In-house: $0–$100 cash (ad accounts are free), but 15–30 hours learning, setting up, and optimising. Real cost = time.
Template/Resource: $50–$300 for campaign setup checklists or blueprints; cuts effort to 3–8 hours.
Professional / Done-for-you: $1,000–$10,000+ for media buyers or agencies. Expensive but saves time and reduces mistakes.
Ongoing / Renewal: $100–$500/year for tracking tools, reporting software, or creative refreshes.
Hidden Costs: wasted ad spend from poor setup, non-compliance, or bad targeting.
What to Do Next
By acting now, you turn scattered ad spend into structured growth.
➡️ Download our free Ads and Analytics Acronyms Cheatsheet from ProDesk’s business resource library—built for action-takers who want clarity and quick wins right now [ProDeck.com].
➡️ Book a session and get it built for you. Setting up ad campaigns isn’t about pressing “boost post.” It’s about creating a structure that makes your marketing dollars accountable. We show Business owners how to scale with confidence [Noize.com.au].
➡️ Use The StartupDeck—a simple, powerful way to cut through the noise and focus on what really grows your business [theStartUpDeck.com].
The Bottom Line
Get it wrong, and you waste money fast. Get it right, and you build a predictable system that acquires customers at scale.
Founders who master campaign setup gain leverage others don’t. It’s one of the highest-ROI skills you can learn in your first five years.
FAQs
Can I just boost posts instead of setting up campaigns?
Boosting is easy but rarely profitable. Proper campaign setup gives you control over targeting, objectives, and measurement.
What’s the minimum budget I need?
At least $20–50/day per campaign for testing. Any lower and platforms can’t optimise properly.
Which platform should I start with?
Go where your audience is. E-commerce usually = Meta + Google. B2B = LinkedIn + Google. Test, don’t assume.
Do I need a landing page, or can I just send traffic to my homepage?
Always use a landing page tailored to your offer. Homepages rarely convert well.
How long until I see results?
Expect 2–3 weeks of testing before you know what’s working. Scaling comes after.
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