3 Quick Paid Social Checks to Kick Off Any Month Right

Paid social isn’t always about making constant tweaks, but that doesn’t mean you should set it and forget it. At the start of every month, I like to run a quick gut-check on performance to make sure nothing’s going stale or slipping under the radar. It takes less than 15 minutes and can save you from running tired, underperforming ads for weeks. Here’s what to look for:

1. Watch Your Frequency
What was your frequency last month? The month before? Are you seeing any long-term increases or trends that are unaccounted for? If your frequency is creeping up on your campaigns, it might signal that it’s time to refresh creative or expand your audience. People tune out fast when they see the same ad over and over again. This is your early warning signal that a refresh is needed.

2. Scan CTR for Red Flags
Click-through rate isn’t everything, but it’s a great directional indicator. If you see big drops compared to last month, take a closer look. Did you lose momentum on a high-performing ad? What was your top performing CTR ad the month before? What about last month? Do some light comparisons to make sure something that was a top performer last month continues to perform. 

3. Budget Reality Check
Meta is usually better than Google at respecting your budget, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Here’s how I approach it:

If you’re working with a fixed monthly budget, divide that total by the number of days in the month to get your daily spend target.

Total Budget ÷ Days in Month = Daily Spend Goal

I default to 30.5 (some months with 30 days, others with 31, etc) if I’m starting from scratch. As the month goes on, just recalculate using the days remaining and your remaining budget.

This keeps things flexible, on track, and easy to adjust mid-month. For most paid social campaigns, checking this weekly or bi-weekly is sufficient, but it’s all based on spend and desired campaign results.

Final Thoughts
These three checks take less than 15 minutes but can save you from weeks of underperforming campaigns.

But let’s be real for a sec: a pro is checking way more than just these basics. If you want a real expert to take a peek under the hood this month, I’m just a message away. Let’s make sure your budget’s working as hard as it should be.