Chapter 18 from 18

What's next: next steps

Checklist for the first 30 days, which calculators to use, which blog articles to read next.

The guide is finished. 17 chapters, about 25,000 words, eight years of my experience in performance, folded into one structured road. But reading is not doing. This the final chapter is a specific program for the first 30 days after reading. If complete the steps in order - you will have a working system in your office via month, and not “I’ll try and see how it goes.”

first week checklist

  1. Day 1. Install Ya.Metrika and VK Pixel on the website. Set up at least 5 goals in Metrica (micro + macro).
  2. Day 2. Calculate LTV for existing customers (at least for cohort over the last 6 months). Use LTV/CAC calculator.
  3. Day 3. Calculate the maximum CAC using the “ceiling” formula (see chapter 12). Determine target CAC = 60–70% of ceiling.
  4. Day 4. Calculate break-even ROAS through calculator. Understand below what ROAS advertising goes into the negative.
  5. Day 5. Audit of existing channels: what works, where CPA is normal, where are the leaks? If there are no channels yet, select 1-2 to start.
  6. Day 6. Prepare a media plan for the month using the template from chapter 13.
  7. Day 7. Create a UTM markup system. Standard document with examples.

checklist for the second and third weeks

  1. Days 8-10. Launch of the first campaign in the main channel (Direct Search). Semantics, negative keywords, creatives, budget.
  2. Days 11-13. In parallel - setting up retargeting based on assembled audience of visitors.
  3. Days 14-15. Launch of a second channel (VK Ads or Telegram). Test budget.
  4. Days 16-18. Assembling the first dashboard in Looker Studio / DataLens. Link with Metrica, GA4 and CRM.
  5. Days 19-21. First interim report: what works, where CPA is normal, what hypotheses are we trying next?

last week checklist

  1. Days 22-25. Optimization based on first data. Disabling non-working creativity, increasing the budget for leaders.
  2. Days 26-28. A/B tests of landing page. At least one test for the first screen or CTA.
  3. Days 29-30. Final report of the month. Comparison with targets metrics. Plan for next month.

which calculators to use and when

I have six calculators on my website, each with its own task:

what blog articles to read next

If you want to go deeper into specific topics, I have 80+ articles on my blog. Top for performance marketer:

what can I do for you personally

If after the guide you want to speed up, I have three formats of work:

  1. Free 30-minute analysis. Show your offices, landing page, funnel - I give out hypotheses. No presentations or sales. Sign up via contact page.
  2. Performance audit. Deep analysis of accounts and analytics with a report document and a prioritized roadmap. 2-3 weeks of work.
  3. Performance consulting or CMO/Head of Marketing role. Long-term work on the project: from 3 months. I take on 2-3 projects at a time, maximum.

final thought

Performance marketing is not a tool. It's a way of thinking: measure what can be measured, don’t lie to yourself about numbers, make decisions based on data, not on sensations. Ninety percent of “failures” in performance are violations of precisely these principles, not “bad campaign setup.”

If you have read this guide to the end, you are already far ahead of the majority of the market. Next is practice. Run, measure, iterate. In a year you will look back and You’ll be surprised how much data, insight, and system you have. In two - you have there will be not only data, but also intuition, which distinguishes a performance expert from "campaign customizer".

Good luck in the office. If anything, write to Telegram or through form on the website. I always answer, I read everything.

where else do I write about performance?

Telegram channel - @dipustovalov_blog. Personal notes, work cases, analyzes of other people's campaigns. No schedule, no content plan - only when there is something to say. Subscribe.