Managed advertising brief: what to send your account manager
A useful advertising brief explains which work you want, who you can serve, what you can honestly offer and what happens after an enquiry. Send those business facts to your account manager; you do not need to write the ads or choose the targeting yourself.
Start with facts, not a finished slogan
‘We need more leads’ describes a wish, not enough information to build a campaign. A manager also needs to know which jobs are valuable, which locations are workable and which promises the business can deliver. A short, accurate brief is more useful than a long company history with no clear priority.
Google's Search-ad guidance recommends messaging around customer needs and benefits, with specific, relatable next steps. The owner provides the substance behind those benefits. Your manager turns it into campaign copy and creative; you should not have to become an advertising specialist first.
The six decisions to put in your brief
Use the checklist below as a starting document. The example answers are fictional, not VOCO client briefs or recommended targets. Replace every detail with your own facts; mark unknowns as questions instead of filling them with guesses.
| Decision | What to send | Illustrative answer |
|---|---|---|
| Priority work | One main service or campaign goal; separate additional goals | Kitchen renovations, not small repair call-outs |
| Service area | Named areas you cover and genuine exclusions | Our listed service towns; no projects across the state line |
| Offer and next step | What the customer receives, any conditions and where they go next | An initial project consultation; not an instant fixed-price quote |
| Evidence | Authorised project photos, current credentials and support for claims | Our completed kitchen photos, with permission for advertising use |
| Capacity and follow-up | Real appointment availability, lead owner and backup | Consultations next month; office manager handles new enquiries |
| Budget and boundaries | Advertising allowance separately from management fees; limits to respect | Agree the media budget before launch; no unsupported discount or start-date claims |
Separate different reasons someone might contact you
For a home-service firm, emergency repairs and planned replacements may need different messages, availability and follow-up. For a real-estate business, enquiries about a specific listing, seller consultations and investment opportunities are different goals. Tell the manager which one matters now rather than asking one ad to do everything.
Describe an unsuitable enquiry too: a service you do not deliver, a location you cannot cover or a request your team cannot fulfil. Explain the business reason. Your manager can use that context to improve the offer and qualification process; it is not a request to invent discriminatory audience restrictions.
Give each asset a little context
An unlabeled folder of photos creates avoidable questions. For each useful image or video, note what it shows, whether it is your work, whether you are authorised to use it in ads and any detail that must remain accurate. Keep the original files where possible, without baked-in captions or screenshots of screenshots.
Supply the exact wording and conditions of an offer, plus an expiry date if there is one. Explain qualifications or warranties accurately rather than asking for vague ‘best in the area’ claims. Do not share private customer records as marketing evidence; use approved material with unnecessary identifying details removed.
AI can help explore presentation and wording. It cannot establish that you completed a project, own an image or have next-week availability. Where evidence is missing, the right next step is a question—not a more confident sentence.
Make the next step match the promise
Google's landing-page guidance stresses consistency between the ad, destination and call to action. If the ad offers a consultation, the destination should explain that consultation. An advertised promotion should be available on the linked page with its relevant conditions.
Put the operational detail in the brief: whether the customer requests a callback, books a time or submits project information, who receives it and when someone can realistically respond. A completed form is not automatically a booked appointment, and a booked appointment is not a sale.
Before launch, ask your manager to confirm the agreed enquiry route has been checked. If a job, offer or availability changes later, flag it promptly so the campaign is not left describing yesterday's business.
How the brief fits VOCO's managed service
VOCO's dedicated account manager handles advertising using our own AI software. You supply business facts, share the required account access and agree a separate advertising allowance. An optional onboarding call is available if you need help getting set up.
For new Meta campaigns, the client review focuses on images and videos; VOCO handles copy, targeting and strategy. Google campaigns are managed by the team within the agreed scope and allowance rather than requiring a separate client approval step. Follow the scope shown in your own review screen, especially for an existing campaign.
Once enquiries arrive, your business follows up with customers and records the next steps. Use support chat or email to flag factual changes and explain which enquiries are useful. A clear brief does not guarantee results, but it gives the team a concrete starting point and fewer assumptions to work around.
Common questions
Do I need to write the ad copy myself?
No. Give your manager accurate services, benefits, proof and boundaries. They handle the advertising work. Flag any wording that misrepresents your business, even when copywriting is not part of the client approval step.
What if I do not have professional photos?
Tell your manager what genuine material is available and where permissions are unclear. Simple, clear original photos may be useful. Do not present stock or generated imagery as your completed work; agree an honest creative approach.
Should I send my account passwords with the brief?
No. Business facts and creative assets belong in the brief; account permissions belong in the guided access process. Use the appropriate partner-access method and ask for help if ownership or permissions are unclear.
Sources & further reading
- Write compelling, genuine ad copyGoogle Ads Help · Checked 25 October 2026
- Optimize your ads and landing pagesGoogle Ads Help · Checked 25 October 2026
- VOCO managed advertising: service and onboardingVOCO · Checked 25 October 2026
- Managed-service scope and client responsibilitiesVOCO · Checked 25 October 2026
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Prepared with AI-assisted research and writing. Sources are checked before publication; this is not a claim of independent human review. VOCO’s recommendations are editorial judgement, not promises of results. Read our editorial standards or suggest a correction.