--- title: How do I complete Google Ads budget pacing for Dental Marketing? description: This SOP provides step-by-step instructions for our weekly budget pacing process, including how to monitor and optimize Google Ads accounts to keep them on track to spend their full monthly budgets. --- [Skip to content](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/how-do-i-create-a-budget-pacing-for-google-ads-for-dentalmarketing.com#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Customer portal](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/tickets-view?hsLang=en) ![DentalMarketing-Logo2-White copy-1.png\]](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DentalMarketing-Logo2-White%20copy-1.png?height=40&name=DentalMarketing-Logo2-White%20copy-1.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Customer portal](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/tickets-view) - [Don't see the SOP you're looking for? 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[Google Ads](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/paid-media-sops?hsLang=en#google-ads) # How do I complete Google Ads budget pacing for Dental Marketing? ## This SOP provides step-by-step instructions for our weekly budget pacing process, including how to monitor and optimize Google Ads accounts to keep them on track to spend their full monthly budgets.   ### **Overview** #### We typically review budget pacing on **Wednesdays**, then monitor the most concerning accounts on **Thursdays and Fridays** to help ensure they remain on track to spend their full monthly budgets. ### **Part 1 – Initial Review (Wednesday)** #### **1. Prepare the Pacing Sheet** - Open the [**Budget Pacing Google Sheet**](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XKQFmS8OdpZXMC59AqorTc4aLgytZmAS6u5zJBFUvgg/edit?usp=sharing). - Duplicate the previous week's tab and rename it with today's date. - Clear all data below the following headers: - Practice - Budget - Spend - Notes - Optimizations - **Do not delete anything in the % columns**, as they contain formulas. - Unhide any previously hidden rows. #### **2. Update the Date** - Change the date in the top-left corner of the sheet to automatically: - Update the pacing targets for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. - Refresh the conditional formatting throughout the sheet. #### **3. Import Current Budget Data** - Open the [**Budget Pacing Agent**](https://seo-content-portal-seven.vercel.app/). - Export the current CSV. - Copy the following columns into the appropriate columns on the new pacing tab: - Practice - Budget - Spent MTD - Paste **Values Only** to preserve the existing formatting and formulas. #### **4. Sort the Accounts** - Sort **Column D (% Pacing)** from **A → Z** so accounts are ordered from the most underpacing to the most overpacing. #### **Understanding the Color Coding** - - The sheet automatically highlights pacing based on the current day's target: - 🟢 **Green:** Within 10% of target (on track) - 🟡 **Yellow:** Between 10% and 20% above or below target - 🔴 **Red:** 20% or more above or below target #### **5. Filter Out Accounts That Do Not Require Review** - For any account with **0% spend**: - Review the **#dm-marketing-status-update** channel to determine whether the SA or client recently requested a pause. - Verify the account has passed **Advertiser Verification**. - Confirm there are no billing or credit card issues preventing campaigns from serving. - Confirm whether the campaigns were recently built but have not yet been approved to launch. - If no clear cause is identified and the account appears eligible to run, escalate the issue to the **Team Lead**. - Document the reason in the **Notes** column. - If the lack of spend is expected, hide the row. - Hide the following accounts before continuing: - Accounts highlighted in **green** or **yellow**. - Accounts that are paused (client request, billing/credit card issues, etc.). - Recently launched accounts (less than **14 days** old). - Accounts marked as **ZZZ** or otherwise hidden (inactive or not currently managed). #### **6. Review Accounts at Monthly Budget** - For any account that has spent **100% of its monthly budget**: - Open the account and confirm the campaigns were automatically paused by the Agent. - If the campaigns are **not paused**, manually pause them and set a reminder for yourself to re-enable them on the 1st (or schedule an automated rule). - Document the action taken in the **Notes** column. #### **7. Review Remaining Red Accounts** - Review all remaining visible accounts highlighted in **red**. #### **Underpacing Accounts (20%+ Below Target)** - - Increase daily budgets across active campaigns to encourage additional spend. - After updating budgets, enter **"-"** in the **Notes** column. #### **Overpacing Accounts (20%+ Above Target)** - - Decrease daily budgets across active campaigns to slow down spend. - After updating budgets, enter **"-"** in the **Notes** column. ### **Part 2 – Monitor Flagged Accounts (Thursday & Friday)** #### **1. Refresh Month-to-Date Spend** - In the Google Ads MCC: - Navigate to **Performance**. - Set the date range to **This Month**. - Update each visible account's **Month-to-Date Spend** in the pacing sheet. The pacing percentages and conditional formatting will update automatically. #### **2. Hide On-Track Accounts** - Hide all accounts now highlighted in **green** or **yellow**, leaving only the accounts requiring additional attention. #### **3. Review Red Accounts** - For accounts still highlighted in **red**: - Follow the same troubleshooting and budget adjustment process outlined in **Part 1 – Step 7**. - Make any additional optimizations needed to improve pacing. - Document any optimizations in the **Optimizations** column and add a note in the **Google Ads account**. - Add to your task list to indicate that changes were made to this account (i.e. Pacing Edit - ABC Dentistry). #### **4. Review Accounts at Monthly Budget** - For any account that has spent **100% of its monthly budget**: - Open the account and confirm the campaigns were automatically paused by the Agent. - If the campaigns are **not paused**, manually pause them and set a reminder for yourself to re-enable them on the 1st (or schedule an automated rule). - Document the action taken in the **Notes** column. - [Paid Media SOPs](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/paid-media-sops?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Account Management & Updates](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/paid-media-sops?hsLang=en#account-management-updates) - [Google Ads](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/paid-media-sops?hsLang=en#google-ads) - [Google Tag Manager](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/paid-media-sops?hsLang=en#google-tag-manager) - [Creative Team SOPs](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/creative-team-sops?hsLang=en) - [Client Success SOPs](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/client-success-sops?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Photoshoot](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/client-success-sops?hsLang=en#photoshoot) - [Claude Design Landing Pages](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/client-success-sops?hsLang=en#claude-design-landing-pages) - [Technology SOPs](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/technology-sops?hsLang=en#main-content) - [HubSpot](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/technology-sops?hsLang=en#hubspot) - [Other](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/technology-sops?hsLang=en#other) - [Onboarding SOPs](https://grow.dentalmarketing.com/university/onboarding-sops?hsLang=en) # Dentalmarketing.com dentalmarketing.com Help Center Copyright © 2026, Dentalmarketing.com