After creating a Google Ads account, it is useful to review the account-level settings and requirements before moving into campaign management. Billing details, access permissions, verification requirements, measurement settings, connected services, notifications, and policy status should all be checked. This checklist helps you review the account before moving into campaign work.
1. Verify Your Account Information
Start by confirming that the basic account details are correct. Errors here can affect billing, reporting, and how the account operates later. Some details, such as the time zone and currency, may be difficult or impossible to change once they are set, so check them carefully.
Review the following items:
- Account name: Make sure it is clear and recognizable to everyone who uses the account.
- Business information: Confirm that your business name and details are accurate and consistent with your official records.
- Account type: Check that the account type matches how you operate, such as an individual or an organization.
- Country: Confirm that the country matches your business location and billing details.
- Time zone and currency: Make sure both suit your business and reporting requirements.
Reviewing these basics early can help prevent avoidable account and billing issues later.
2. Check Billing and Payment Settings
Billing readiness is an important part of reviewing Google Ads after setup. Open the billing area and confirm that the account has the required payment information. This section is about checking whether the account is ready for billing, not about campaign budgets.
- Billing Information: Confirm that the billing country, billing address, name, and other relevant details are accurate.
- Payment Profile: Make sure the correct payment profile is associated with the account.
- Payment Method: Confirm that a valid payment method has been added and is available for the account.
- Primary Payment Method: If multiple payment methods are available, check that the appropriate one is selected as the primary method where applicable.
- Promotional Credits: Where applicable, check whether any promotional credit or offer has been applied to the account.
- Payment Status: Look for warnings, failed payments, or other unresolved billing issues.
- Available payment options can vary depending on factors such as country, currency, and account or payment settings. Do not assume that every payment method is available to every advertiser.
3. Review Account Access and Security
The next step is to confirm that the right people have the right level of access. Anyone with account access may be able to make account-level changes, so this review should be done carefully.
- Review Users: Check the list of users and confirm that every person still needs access.
- Check Access Levels: Confirm that each user has an appropriate level of access. Administrative permissions should be limited to people who genuinely need them.
- Check Manager Account Links: Review whether the account is linked to a Manager Account and confirm that any such connection is expected.
- Remove Unnecessary Access: Remove users who no longer need access or who were added by mistake.
From a basic security perspective, each user should sign in with their own Google account rather than using a shared login. The purpose of this review is to make sure the right people have the right permissions.
4. Check Advertiser Verification
Advertiser verification is an account-level requirement that Google may request depending on the account and its circumstances. Not every account is asked to complete verification at the same time, so the important step after setup is to check whether any action is pending.
Google directs advertisers to check verification tasks and status under Admin → Policy → Account. The former Advertiser verification page is now called Account and is located under this section.
When reviewing the area, look for:
- Open verification requests: Check whether Google has requested verification.
- Required information or documents: Review what Google is asking for.
- Deadlines: Check whether a verification task has a completion deadline.
- Information consistency: Make sure the information submitted matches the relevant account and payment profile details.
If Google requests verification, follow the instructions and provide the requested information before the stated deadline. Verification requirements can vary depending on factors such as account type and location.
Do not assume that submitting information guarantees approval. Google reviews submitted information according to its verification requirements.
5. Review Conversion Tracking and Google Tag
Measurement settings should also be reviewed after account creation. This does not mean setting up a complete conversion tracking system at this stage. The purpose is to check what is already available and whether anything requires attention.
- Conversion Actions: Check whether conversion actions already exist and whether the account displays any measurement-related alerts.
- Google Tag: Confirm whether a Google tag is present and review its basic configuration.
- Tag Configuration: Check whether the tag is associated with the correct account and relevant destination.
- Measurement Availability: Conversion measurement features can vary by account and setup, so review what is available in the account.
- Enhanced Conversions: Check whether enhanced conversions are enabled or disabled and review any related settings or requirements.
Google has updated enhanced conversions by bringing enhanced conversions for web and leads into a unified setting. Google Ads can receive user-provided data through website tags, Data Manager, and API connections. Existing users may also be migrated to the unified setting.
6. Review Connected Google Services
Depending on the business and its measurement or advertising needs, the Google Ads account may be connected to other Google products. Not every advertiser needs every connection, so review only the services that are relevant to the account.
- Google Analytics: Check whether a Google Analytics connection exists if it is used for website measurement.
- Google Tag Manager: Confirm whether Google Tag Manager is relevant if website tags are managed through it.
- YouTube: Review whether a YouTube channel connection is relevant to the account.
- Google Merchant Center: Check this connection if the business sells products and uses product feeds.
- Google Business Profile: Review this connection if the business has a location that needs to be associated with Google Ads.
For each relevant service, confirm that the connection is available and correctly configured. Detailed integration procedures should be handled separately.
7. Check Account Notifications
Notification settings determine who receives important account communications. This is different from account access. Access controls who can use the account, while notifications control who receives account messages.
Review whether the appropriate people receive notifications about:
- Billing and payment issues
- Policy matters
- Verification requests
- Account alerts
- Administrative updates
- Performance-related notifications
A message sent to the wrong inbox, or to nobody who can act on it, may be missed. Make sure the people responsible for billing, compliance, and administration receive the messages relevant to their roles.
8. Review Policy and Account Status
Before moving into campaign work, check whether the account has any unresolved account-level issues. Review the policy-related areas of Google Ads, including the Policy Center, for anything that requires attention.
Look for:
- Account restrictions or limitations
- Policy warnings
- Suspensions
- Outstanding actions requested by Google
- Account-level alerts
This review does not require studying individual advertising policies in detail. Its purpose is simply to confirm that nothing is currently blocking or limiting the account.
If an account-level issue appears, review Google’s instructions and resolve the issue before proceeding.
9. Review Google Ads Preferences and Settings
Finally, review the remaining account-level preferences that have not been covered above. This section is a short final settings check.
- Language Preferences: Confirm that the interface language is appropriate for the people using the account.
- Email Preferences: Check which types of emails you and other users receive.
- Interface Preferences: Review available display or interface options that affect how the account is used.
- Other Account-Level Settings: Look for any remaining settings that apply to the account or its users.
These preferences can be easy to overlook, but reviewing them can make ongoing account management more convenient.
10. Final Google Ads After Setup Checklist
Use this list for a quick final review of the account:
- Account information verified
- Business information confirmed
- Billing information checked
- Payment method confirmed
- Account access reviewed
- Advertiser verification checked
- Conversion tracking reviewed
- Google tag checked
- Enhanced conversions reviewed
- Relevant Google services connected
- Notifications reviewed
- Policy status checked
- Account preferences reviewed
Completing these checks helps ensure that the account information, billing, access, verification, measurement, connections, notifications, and policy status have been reviewed before moving into campaign-related work.
Some Google Ads settings and requirements can vary by account, country, payment setup, or eligibility. Always confirm the specific options and requirements shown in your own account.
11. Conclusion
Reviewing a Google Ads account after setup helps ensure that the essential account-level details are in order before campaign work begins. Checking account information, billing, access, advertiser verification, measurement settings, connected services, notifications, and policy status can help identify issues early. Once these areas have been reviewed and any outstanding requirements have been addressed, the account is better prepared for the next stage of Google Ads management. Keep in mind that some settings and requirements can vary by account, country, and eligibility, so always check the options and alerts shown within your own Google Ads account.
