Before you spend another pound on ads, answer these five questions.

1. Which customers are worth finding more of?

If every enquiry or sale counts as equal, the campaign may optimise for volume rather than the customers the business wants. Look at what a good customer looks like and which information can help identify one.

2. What happens after someone clicks?

The ad can only do so much. Check whether the page matches the promise, answers the obvious questions and gives people a clear next step. Follow the journey on a phone as well as a desktop.

3. Can you see what happens to the enquiry?

A form submission is an early signal. It does not tell you whether the person was a fit, whether they were contacted or whether they became a customer. If those later outcomes matter, find a way to connect them back to the campaign.

4. Is the follow-up fast and useful?

A good lead can go cold if the response is slow or generic. Check who owns the next step, what the customer receives and how the business knows the conversation has progressed.

5. What would make you increase or reduce spend?

Choose the evidence that would change the decision. It may include lead quality, sales, customer value, margin or a controlled test. Be clear about the limits of attribution and the period you need to judge.

• Name the customer outcome that matters.
• Check the full click-to-customer journey.
• Improve the signal before increasing budget.

Decide what the next pound needs to prove.

If the answers are unclear, the next useful step may be measurement, a page change or lead follow-up rather than more media. If they are clear, spend can be assessed against a better question.