Start with the question
Do not start with tools. Start with the question you need answered: where did this customer come from, and what did it cost? Everything in the setup should serve that sentence.
Step 1: Define your conversions
A conversion is any action that matters to the business - a form, a call, a purchase, a booked call. Write the list down and agree on it before touching code.
Step 2: Fix the tags
Install your analytics tag and your ad-platform tags properly, using a tag manager so future changes do not require a developer. Test with a real submission and confirm it registers.
Step 3: Connect spend data
Attribution only works if costs are attached. Connect ad accounts to analytics so spend and results appear side by side.
Step 4: Build one dashboard
One screen with the five to seven numbers you actually check: leads, cost per lead, pipeline value, channel split, and trend. If it needs training to read, it is too complicated.
Step 5: Monthly review ritual
Fifteen minutes monthly: what changed, what it cost, what to do next. Tracking without a review ritual is just expensive data collection.
The ownership rule
Build every dashboard inside the client’s own accounts. It stays with the business, it survives agency changes, and it keeps everyone honest.