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Published October 22, 2026.
Log the change before it goes live
Record the campaign, the channel, the old budget, the new budget, the effective time, the person who made the change, and the reason. A budget change made in the platform without a log is hard to separate from a performance change.
Include time zone. A budget that changes at midnight in one zone may take effect in the middle of the team’s reporting day.
Give every change one reason code
Use a short set: test, scale, pause, seasonality, cost control, or correction. One code keeps the history readable. If a change has two reasons, choose the primary one and note the second.
Do not use "optimization" as a reason. It does not explain what was expected.
Compare against a stable window
Record the baseline spend, impressions, clicks, and conversions for the period before the change. Use the same attribution window and the same audience definition. A change in attribution can look like a performance change.
Allow enough time for the platform to learn before judging. Note the learning period in the log.
Review changes monthly
Group changes by reason and outcome. Look for repeated corrections, frequent small changes that reset learning, and campaigns that consistently need manual intervention.
Share the review with the person who owns the account. The log is a learning tool, not a surveillance record.
Related reading
For the supporting routine, see this guide and this guide. To discuss the workflow, contact us.
