Ad notes from inside real accounts.
Plain notes on Meta Ads, Google Ads and tracking for e-commerce stores and service businesses. What I check, what I change, and why.
By Moiz Khan 13+ years, $12M+ in ad spend managed
Why your Meta ads stopped working after iOS updates (and what to fix first)
Ad teardowns
Real ads from the Meta Ad Library, circled where it matters.
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How to cut fake COD orders with WhatsApp confirmationReal ad: Classic Ceramics Shop, Meta Ad Library -
WhatsApp Business app vs API: which one your store needsReal ad: RK Fitters, Meta Ad Library - Sample
Should your ad show the price? 3 brands that doReal ad: Pezwaan, Meta Ad Library - Sample
Free delivery ads, checkedReal ad: Dressifyshops, Meta Ad Library
Latest notes
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Meta AdsTargeting is not your problem: what I fixed inside a real estate ad account
A real estate account was stuck on audience settings. The real problems were creative, tracking and the page after the click. Here is what I fixed, in order.
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CareersHow to build a media buyer portfolio with no clients (without faking results)
You don't need fake screenshots to land your first ads client. You need one small real campaign, honest case notes and a few mock audits.
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Meta AdsYour creative is your targeting on Meta ads now. Here's how I brief it
Broad audiences only work when your ads say genuinely different things. Here's how I brief creative concepts for a store, and what I test first.
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Meta AdsFacebook ad payment failed? The causes and the order to fix them
A failed Meta payment is almost always a card or bank problem, not a banned account. Here's what usually causes it and the order I fix it in.
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E-commerce
How to cut fake COD orders with WhatsApp confirmation
A COD order is only a promise to pay. Here's how I confirm orders on WhatsApp before dispatch, with scripts you can copy, and why it matters for your ads.
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TrackingGA4 purchase tracking audit for COD stores: the checklist I use
If GA4 counts purchases wrong, every report built on it is wrong too. This is the checklist I run on cash on delivery stores before I trust a single number.
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Google AdsThe 15-minute weekly search terms check I run on every Google Ads account
The search terms report shows what people really typed before they clicked. Fifteen minutes a week in it stops most of the waste I find in the accounts I audit.
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Google AdsGoogle Search ads for service businesses: how I set them up
Clinics, coaching centres, home services and B2B firms all sell to people nearby. This is how I set up Google Search ads so the leads are real, local and countable.
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TrackingGoogle Tag Manager for store owners: the five tags most stores need
Tag Manager looks technical, but most stores only need a handful of tags. Here is what each part means, which tags matter, and when Shopify already does the job.
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CareersShould you learn Meta ads or Google ads first? A plan for beginners
For most beginners, start with Meta, then Google, and learn tracking alongside both. Here's why, and a 30-day plan to get going.
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Meta AdsMeta ads launch checklist for a new Shopify or COD store
The first campaign is cheap to get right and expensive to get wrong. This is the checklist I run before a new store spends anything on Meta.
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TrackingMeta pixel vs Conversions API on Shopify: what each one sees and how to check
The pixel sees what happens in the browser. The Conversions API sees what your store's server knows. On Shopify you want both, sending each event once.
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E-commerceROAS vs POAS vs blended ROAS: which one a COD store should trust
Your Meta ROAS can look great while you lose money. Here's how ROAS, POAS and blended ROAS differ for a COD store, and which one I use for which decision.
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E-commerce
WhatsApp Business app vs API: which one your store needs
The free app works for most new stores. The API starts paying for itself when chats get missed. Here's how I decide which one a store needs.
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Google AdsGoogle Ads for e-commerce: 5 settings I change on every new account
Google's defaults are built to spend your budget, not protect it. These are the five settings I check before a new store spends anything.
On my desk next
- Google AdsPerformance Max for COD stores: what it does well and where it hides spendHow I read PMax reports when half the orders are cash on delivery.
- TrackingGA4 and Meta never show the same number. Here's how I read bothWhy the two tools disagree, and which one I trust for which decision.
- Meta AdsSelling on WhatsApp with Meta ads: click-to-chat for online storesWhen a WhatsApp campaign beats a website campaign, and how to track the orders it brings.
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Reading is good. Fixing is better.
If your ads are spending and the orders aren't coming, I can look at the account with you, or my team can run it for you.