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You get the task. You rarely get the reason.

Tasks arrive without evidence."Add negative keywords" lands in your queue with no numbers behind it, so you redo the analysis yourself.
Your channel is judged alone.Ads look bad when the tracking is broken. Nobody reads the sources together, so the wrong channel takes the blame.
Nobody says when to scale.You are told to hold or cut. The result that would justify more budget is never written down.

The Playbook gives every task its numbers, and a "Changes if" line that names the result that triggers a budget increase.

Channels, Content and Data: every task with its evidence

One sample client. The figures are sample data.

Sample client This month's data, next month's plan

Channels

Written for the specialists. What happened, so what, now what, with the evidence. The "Changes if" line names the result that triggers a budget increase.

Website and tracking

2 / 10 Fix this first. Every other channel is judged through it. 2 actions

What

3pages with forms that fire no event
132form events that cannot be verified
9crawl errors across 212 pages

So what

Until the forms report, results from ads, search and social are guesses. This is one day of developer work.

Now what

DEVFix form tracking on the ad landing pages (action 1).Week 1
DEVClear the 9 crawl errors (action 14).Week 4

Lead tracking health

Event	Last month	This month	Status	Note
generate_lead	7	9	Counted	Fires on the thank-you page only. The one confirmed lead source.
form_submit	88	132	Unverified	Fires on 3 pages that have no thank-you step. Reconcile with the intake inbox.
click_to_call	0	21	Not counted	New this month. A tap on the phone link, not a completed call.

Form events overstate leads nearly 15 to 1. There were 132 form events against 9 confirmed leads. Until the three forms report a real submission, every channel's lead count is a floor, not a total. Confirmed

Top landing pages

Page	Sessions	Leads	Avg time	Note
/blog/is-a-lawyer-worth-it	402	0	2m 10s	Read to the end, then nowhere to go. No contact link.
/ (home)	388	6	1m 34s	Carries most confirmed leads.
/car-accident-lawyer	340	0	48s	Main ad landing page. Form fires no event.
/blog/how-long-does-a-claim-take	292	0	1m 52s	No contact link.
/contact	74	3	2m 21s	Healthy.

Technical issues, ranked by effect on leads

Three forms report no submission. Blocks measurement on every paid visit. One day of developer work.
The ad landing page loads in 4.1 seconds on phones. 78% of its visits are on phones, and average time on page is 48 seconds.
9 crawl errors. 5 broken internal links and 4 redirect chains, across 212 pages.

Google Ads

3 / 10 Hold spend flat, strip out the irrelevant terms and cap the broad-match ad group. 3 actions

What

$3,460spend, 4% below last month
2conversions, both calls, at $1,730 each
$905on one broad-match ad group: 31 clicks, 0 conversions
$412(11.9%) on clearly irrelevant terms

So what

The campaign cannot be judged yet, because the landing page logs no forms. Stop the known waste now and decide on budget once tracking works.

Changes if fixed tracking shows 3 or more form conversions in the second half of next month. Then bring forward a budget increase for the main ad group.

Now what

ADSAdd the 11 negative keywords (action 3).Week 1
ADSCap the broad-match ad group (action 5).Week 2
ADSCheck location targeting and run Auction Insights (action 10).Week 3

$3,460Spend4% below last month

498Clicks$6.95 average

2ConversionsBoth calls

$1,730Cost per conversionCalls only

6.8%Click rateFlat

Brand and non-brand

The account does not live on its own name. The brand campaign took $310 (9.0% of spend) and 0 conversions. Both conversions came from non-brand keywords. The problem is the reverse of the usual one: non-brand spend barely converts, and the form leads it may be earning are invisible. Confirmed

Campaign verdicts

Campaign	Spend	Clicks	Avg CPC	Conv.	Verdict	Why
Search, car accidents	$2,640	401	$6.58	2	Fix	No form conversion is counted, and one broad-match ad group took $905 for 31 clicks.
Search, truck accidents	$510	35	$14.57	0	Test	Too few clicks to judge. Give it 30 days on the fixed form, then cut or keep.
Search, brand	$310	62	$5.00	0	Hold	The site ranks first for its own name. May be protecting clicks on a contested page.
Display, remarketing	$0	0	N/A	0	Paused	Paused last month. $380 moved to Search.

Wasted spend, with the negative to add

Search term	Cost	Clicks	Why it is waste	Negative to add
workers comp attorney	$64.80	4	Not a practice area on the site	"workers comp" (phrase)
accident lawyer, another city	$55.30	6	Outside the service area	Exclude the location
personal injury paralegal jobs	$41.60	3	Job seeker	"jobs", "paralegal" (phrase)
free legal advice car accident	$38.20	4	Looking for free advice	"free" (phrase)
how to file a claim yourself	$29.50	3	Wants to do it alone	"yourself", "diy" (phrase)
All 17 terms	$412.00	40	11.9% of account spend	11 negatives cover all 17

Relevant terms that did not convert are not waste. "car accident attorney" ($212), "auto accident lawyer near me" ($188) and nine similar terms are the right searches. Judge them after the form fix, not before. Likely

Top converting keywords

Keyword	Match	Spend	Clicks	Conv.	Cost per conversion
car accident lawyer near me	Phrase	$386	58	1	$386
auto accident attorney	Exact	$291	44	1	$291

Conversion actions

Action	Status	This month	Note
Calls from ads	Counted	2	The only conversion the account can see.
Lead form submit	Not set up	N/A	No form conversion exists in Google Ads. Import it once action 1 is done.
Website call click	Not counted	21	Recorded as a secondary action, so bidding ignores it.

SEO

6 / 10 Rankings are healthy. Give the new blog traffic a way to get in touch. 2 actions

What

1,310organic clicks, up 61%
71%of new sessions landed on two blog posts
4service pages sitting in positions 4 to 8

So what

The site earns attention it does not convert. The service pages just off the top three are the cheapest growth on this account.

Now what

SEOAdd contact links to the two blog posts (action 6).Week 2
SEORewrite the intro and add an FAQ on the 4 service pages.Week 3

1,310ClicksUp 61%

41,200ImpressionsUp 38%

3.2%Click rateUp from 2.7%

18.4Average positionBetter by 2.6

The growth is readers, not buyers. Two blog posts took 694 of the 977 new sessions. Both rank on page one for questions, and neither links to a service page or the contact form. Confirmed

Four service pages sit just off the top three. Positions 4 to 8 get a fraction of the clicks of positions 1 to 3. These four pages already have the impressions, so a rewrite of the intro and an FAQ is the cheapest growth on the account. Likely

Queries

Query	Clicks	Impressions	Position	Type	Opportunity
is it worth getting a lawyer for a car accident	318	6,900	5.2	Question	Add a contact link in the first screen (action 6)
how long does a car accident claim take	286	7,400	6.1	Question	Add a contact link (action 6)
the firm's own name	212	640	1.3	Brand	Hold
car accident lawyer near me	41	3,850	7.4	Money	Rewrite the intro and add an FAQ (action 11)
personal injury lawyer free consultation	22	1,640	4.9	Money	Test a clearer page title
truck accident attorney	18	2,120	6.8	Money	Rewrite the intro and add an FAQ (action 11)

Business Profile

7 / 10 Best lead source on the account. Give it the hours. 3 actions

What

14calls, up from 10
1,480profile views, up from 510
2of 3 new reviews unanswered

So what

Calls rose 40% after one small job, adding photos. No other channel returns this much for so little work.

Now what

AMReply to the 2 open reviews.Week 1
AMAdd the call tracking number, late from last month.Week 2
AMStart weekly profile posts.Week 2

1,480Profile viewsUp from 510

14CallsUp from 10

46Website clicksUp from 31

22Direction requestsDown from 25

4.7Rating86 reviews

Calls are a lead path the website count does not see. The profile produced 14 calls against 9 confirmed website leads. They are counted in lead signals, and kept out of confirmed leads until call tracking is on the profile. Confirmed

Views tripled after one small job. Twelve photos were added in week 2 of last month and views rose from 510 to 1,480. Calls per view fell, which fits people browsing the photos. Likely

Two of three new reviews have no reply. Unanswered reviews are the most visible sign of an unattended profile. Confirmed

Meta Ads

5 / 10 Cheap reach, no proof of leads yet. 2 actions

What

$640spend
212link clicks at $3.02 each
0tracked leads

So what

The same tracking gap hides results here. Hold spend until the form fix is live, then judge it on leads.

Now what

ADSPoint the ads at the page with the fixed form.Week 2
ADSReplace the two oldest creatives (action 15).Week 4

$640SpendFlat

18,400ReachDown 5%

212Link clicks$3.02 each

2.6FrequencyUp from 2.3

0Tracked leadsNo lead event

Campaign	Objective	Spend	Link clicks	Result for its objective	Verdict
Traffic, service area	Traffic	$640	212	$3.02 a click, 118 sessions in GA4	Hold

It is paid to deliver clicks, and it does. The campaign optimises for clicks, so zero leads is the expected result. The pixel records page views only, so Meta could not report a lead even if one happened. Confirmed

The audience is starting to tire. At flat spend, reach fell 5% and frequency rose from 2.3 to 2.6. Fresh creative is due. Likely

Instagram and Facebook

4 / 10 Posts go out on schedule, and none of them sends anyone to the site. 1 action

What

8posts on each page
1,240accounts reached
6clicks to the website

So what

The posts earn reach but carry no link to a service page, so social sends almost no visits.

Now what

AMAdd a service-page link to every post.Week 2

16Posts8 on each page

1,240Accounts reachedUp 9%

96Reactions and commentsFlat

6Clicks to the site20 sessions in GA4

Reach without a route. None of the 16 posts linked to a service page. The best post reached 310 accounts and sent nobody to the site. Confirmed

Sample client This month's data, next month's plan

Content and AI search

Written for the content team. Next month's topics with a full brief for each, the pillars they belong to, and how ready the site is to be named by AI assistants.

The four briefs

Ready to hand to a writer

What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Car AccidentPillar 1, informational, 1,400 words, week 1

Primary keyword
what to do after a car accident
Secondary keywords
car accident checklist; when to call a lawyer after an accident; reporting an accident to insurance
Written to be quoted by AI
Open with a two-sentence direct answer. Put the steps in a numbered list with a time for each. The attorney checks every legal statement before it is published.
Heading outline
1. What should I do at the scene?
2. Do I need to see a doctor if I feel fine?
3. When do I have to tell my insurer?
4. What should I not say to the other driver's insurer?
5. When is it worth calling a lawyer?
Must include
A first-hand note from the attorney, a printable checklist, and the firm's own intake steps.
Internal links
The car accident service page, the two blog posts that drew 694 sessions, and /contact.
Call to action and byline
"Get a free case review." Bylined to the lead attorney, with credentials from the bio page.

Should You Talk to the Other Driver's Insurance Company?Pillar 1, commercial, 1,500 words, week 2

Primary keyword
talking to the other driver's insurance
Secondary keywords
recorded statement after a car accident; insurance adjuster questions; do I have to give a statement
Written to be quoted by AI
Answer yes or no in the first two sentences. Give what to say and what to leave out as two short lists.
Heading outline
1. Do I have to talk to their insurer?
2. What is a recorded statement?
3. What can I safely say?
4. What should I leave to a lawyer?
5. What if they offer money quickly?
Must include
A short sample script for the first call. No promises about outcomes.
Internal links
The car accident service page, post 1, and /contact.
Call to action and byline
"Have a lawyer take the call." Bylined to the lead attorney, with credentials from the bio page.

Do You Need a Lawyer After a Minor Car Accident?Pillar 2, commercial, 1,300 words, week 3

Primary keyword
do I need a lawyer for a minor car accident
Secondary keywords
minor accident injury claim; when to hire an accident lawyer; small claims after an accident
Written to be quoted by AI
State the three cases where a lawyer is worth it in the opening lines. Add a table: handle it yourself, or call a lawyer.
Heading outline
1. When can I handle a claim myself?
2. Which injuries show up later?
3. What does a lawyer cost on a small claim?
4. What do insurers do differently when you have a lawyer?
Must include
Honest cases where a lawyer is not needed. That is what earns the trust.
Internal links
The fees page, post 2, and /contact.
Call to action and byline
"Ask if your case needs a lawyer. It is free." Bylined to the lead attorney, with credentials from the bio page.

How Fault Is Decided When Both Drivers Share the BlamePillar 1, informational, 1,600 words, week 4

Primary keyword
shared fault car accident
Secondary keywords
comparative negligence explained; who decides fault in an accident; partial fault settlement
Written to be quoted by AI
Define shared fault in one sentence. Show one worked example with percentages in a table. The attorney confirms the rule for the state.
Heading outline
1. Who decides who was at fault?
2. What evidence changes the percentages?
3. How does shared fault change what I can recover?
4. What if the police report blames me?
Must include
One worked example, and the attorney's review of every legal statement.
Internal links
The car accident service page, post 1 and post 2.
Call to action and byline
"Get a free case review." Bylined to the lead attorney, with credentials from the bio page.

Next month's blog plan

4 posts, one a week

Pillar 1, informational, week 1
What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Car Accident
Pillar 1, commercial, week 2
Should You Talk to the Other Driver's Insurance Company?
Pillar 2, commercial, week 3
Do You Need a Lawyer After a Minor Car Accident?
Pillar 1, informational, week 4
How Fault Is Decided When Both Drivers Share the Blame

Why these four. Three answer questions the site already gets impressions for but ranks below position 10. Each brief is also added to your topics sheet.

AI search readiness

3 / 10

2 pass, 4 warn, 3 fail of 9 checks. AI assistants named the business in 4 of 20 test questions.

Fail
Answer-first content.The first 80 words of the two top service pages are slogans, not an answer.
Warn
Question headings.The homepage has 6 question headings; service pages have 1 or 2.
Fail
Authorship and credentials.No byline or author markup on any service page.
Warn
Information gain.Local detail is present; the headline claims have no supporting detail.
Warn
Entity consistency.Three versions of the business name are in use across the site and profiles.
Fail
Industry markup.No business or attorney markup on any crawled page.
Pass
Crawlable by AI search.AI search crawlers are allowed and every page loads.
Warn
Business Profile and reviews.Views are up to 1,480; 2 of 3 new reviews are unanswered.
Pass
Technical foundation.Page text is in the page source; 9 crawl errors to clear.

AI search actions

SEORewrite the first 60 words of the two top service pages as a direct answer (action 12).Week 3
DEVAdd business and attorney markup, linked to the Business Profile (action 13).Week 3

Content pillars and clusters

3 pillars, 12 topics, 4 scheduled

Car accident claims

The core commercial theme. It carries every ad conversion and the largest money query.

What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Car Accident Next monthInfo
Should You Talk to the Other Driver's Insurance Company? Next monthCommercial
How Fault Is Decided When Both Drivers Share the Blame Next monthInfo
What a Car Accident Claim Costs You, and When You PayCommercial

Choosing and working with a lawyer

Answers the questions people ask just before they call. Two page-one posts already sit here.

Do You Need a Lawyer After a Minor Car Accident? Next monthCommercial
What Happens in a Free Case ReviewCommercial
How Contingency Fees Work, With a Worked ExampleInfo
Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Accident LawyerInfo

Local guides

Roads, courts and insurers in the service area. Generic sites cannot write these.

The Most Dangerous Intersections in the Area, From Crash DataLocal
How the Local Courts Handle Injury CasesLocal
Where to Get a Copy of Your Police ReportLocal
Dealing With the Three Largest Local InsurersLocal

Priority

Topic	Pillar	Buyer stage	Search demand	Difficulty	AI citability	Priority
First 24 hours after a car accident	1	Awareness	High	Medium	High	P1
Talking to the other driver's insurer	1	Consideration	Medium	Low	High	P1
Lawyer after a minor accident	2	Decision	Medium	Medium	Medium	P1
Shared fault	1	Consideration	Medium	Medium	High	P1
What a free case review covers	2	Decision	Low	Low	Medium	P2
Dangerous intersections, from crash data	3	Awareness	Low	Low	High	P2

Search demand comes from this account's own search and ads data, not from a keyword tool.

Content gap

Against the site's own search demand

Content type	Has it?	Evidence	Priority	Action
In-depth guides	Yes	Two posts drew 694 sessions	Medium	Add contact links (action 6)
Pages that answer common questions	Partly	6 question headings on the homepage, 1 or 2 on service pages	High	Add an FAQ to 4 service pages (action 11)
Attorney bios with credentials	No	No byline or author markup on any page	High	Bios, bylines and markup (action 13)
Case results and reviews	Partly	Reviews on the profile only, none on service pages	Medium	Publish approved results
Video	No	None found in the crawl	Low	Revisit next quarter

Sample client This month's data, next month's plan

Data

For anyone who wants to check. The figures behind the plan, and whether each source can be trusted this month.

Source health

7 of 9 healthy

Search Console	Healthy	1,310 clicks read
GA4	Fix needed	Form event missing on 3 pages
Google Ads	Fix needed	Only calls counted as conversions
Meta Ads	Healthy	$640 spend read
Business Profile	Healthy	Calls, views and reviews read
Instagram	Healthy	8 posts read
Facebook	Healthy	8 posts read
AI answers	Healthy	Named in 4 of 20 test questions
Site crawl	Healthy	212 pages, 9 errors

Where $412 of ad spend went

11.9% of spend

Term type	Clicks	Cost
Jobs and careers	14	$148.20
Services not offered	9	$112.10
Free and DIY	11	$96.40
Outside service area	6	$55.30

Where the 2,140 sessions came from

GA4, this month

Channel	Sessions	Share	Confirmed leads	Verdict
Organic search	1,180	55.1%	3	Grow the service pages; give the blog posts a way to contact
Paid search	452	21.1%	0	Fix tracking before judging
Direct	318	14.9%	5	Healthy. Carries most confirmed leads
Paid social	118	5.5%	0	Hold until the lead event exists
Referral	52	2.4%	1	Mostly directories
Organic social	20	0.9%	0	Add links to posts

Why each number moved

4 of 7 shown

Measure	Change	Cause	What we found
Sessions	1,163 to 2,140	Traffic mix	71% of the new sessions landed on two blog posts.
Confirmed leads	7 to 9	Too few to call	Both extra leads followed a Business Profile visit.
Ads conversions	2, calls only	Tracking	The landing page logs no form events.
Profile calls	10 to 14	Real gain	Followed the 12 new photos.

From search to lead

This month

41,200search impressions
1,310search clicks, 3.2% of impressions
2,140sessions from every channel
9confirmed leads, 0.42% of sessions

Sessions are not a subset of search clicks. They include paid, direct and social visits.

Six months, side by side

Oldest to newest

Measure	-5	-4	-3	-2	Last	Now
Website sessions	980	1,240	890	1,020	1,163	2,140
Confirmed website leads	13	17	6	8	7	9
Business Profile calls	9	11	8	9	10	14
Google Ads spend	$3,200	$3,350	$3,410	$3,580	$3,604	$3,460

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