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Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.

Definition

Why It Matters

SOPs are crucial for maintaining consistency and quality across complex advertising campaigns and creative projects. In a fast-paced agency environment, they ensure that every team member, regardless of experience level, follows the same proven process for tasks like media buying, ad setup, creative asset approval, and performance analysis. This standardization minimizes costly errors, reduces campaign launch times, and improves collaboration between departments like creative, media, and accounts. Well-defined SOPs make it easier to scale operations efficiently without sacrificing quality. For example, a clear SOP for A/B testing ensures that experiments are conducted rigorously, yielding reliable data for strategic decision-making and optimization.

Examples

  • •An SOP for launching a new paid social campaign, detailing steps for audience targeting, budget allocation, ad set creation, tracking pixel implementation, and QA checks before activation.
  • •A creative review and approval SOP, outlining the required format for submitting mockups, the stakeholders involved in each feedback round, turnaround time expectations, and the final sign-off protocol.
  • •An SOP for monthly client performance reporting, specifying which metrics to pull from each platform, the data sources to use, the required format for the dashboard or slide deck, and the deadline for delivery.

Common Mistakes

  • ✕Creating SOPs that are too rigid, which can stifle creative problem-solving or adaptation to unique campaign requirements.
  • ✕Failing to review and update SOPs regularly, leading to outdated processes that are no longer effective or compliant with new ad platform features.
  • ✕Writing procedures that are overly complex or filled with jargon, making them difficult for new team members to understand and follow.
  • ✕Not involving the employees who actually perform the tasks in the creation of the SOP, resulting in a document that doesn't reflect real-world workflows.
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