How to Perform a Google Ads Audit That Actually Drives Results

A Google Ads audit is a comprehensive analysis of your advertising account that uncovers performance issues and growth opportunities across all campaign types and networks. This systematic review examines everything from account structure and tracking setup to targeting strategies and creative assets, ensuring your campaigns are optimized for maximum impact.

Why Regular Google Ads Audits Matter

In 2024, global ad spending is projected to reach $1.088 trillion, with digital advertising claiming an increasingly dominant share. By 2029, an estimated 80% of total ad spending will flow through digital channels, with programmatic advertising accounting for 85% of revenue. Within this massive digital ecosystem, Google Ads remains a cornerstone platform for advertisers worldwide.

However, with greater spending comes greater waste. Studies indicate that up to 20% of ad spend is lost to invalid clicks and fraudulent activity, while another 26% is wasted on inefficient targeting and poor campaign optimization. This means that for every million dollars spent on Google Ads, up to $460,000 could be failing to generate real business results.

The stakes are particularly high in markets like the United States, where digital ad spending is expected to reach $425.90 billion in 2024. Without regular audits and optimizations, advertisers risk contributing to these concerning statistics rather than maximizing their return on ad spend.

The most common sources of wasted ad spend include:

• Invalid traffic, 1 in every 12 clicks being an invalid click (20% of budget)
• Poor campaign structure and targeting (26% of budget)
• Inefficient bid management (15% of budget)
• Suboptimal ad creative and extensions (12% of budget)
• Inadequate conversion tracking (can affect up to 100% of performance measurement)

When to Audit a Google Ads Account

Regular audits are your best defense against wasted spend and missed opportunities. Key times to conduct an audit include:

• Taking over a new account
• Every 3-6 months for active accounts
• After major business changes or market shifts
• When performance unexpectedly declines
• Before launching major new campaigns

Before we dive into how to audit your Google Ads accounts, note that while this guide provides a comprehensive manual approach, you can streamline this process using specialized Google Ads audit tools like Marketing Auditor. The screenshots throughout this guide come from Marketing Auditor's sample audit to provide clear visual examples of what to look for in your own account.

1. Account Structure: Building a Strong Foundation

Campaign Architecture

A well-structured Google Ads account is like a well-organized filing system – it makes everything else easier. Here's what to look for:

Campaign Types and Their Strategic Use

• Search Campaigns: Still the backbone of most accounts, search campaigns should be structured to mirror your business objectives. Look for:

  • Clear segmentation between branded and non-branded terms
  • Logical grouping of similar products/services
  • Appropriate use of campaign subtypes (Dynamic Search Ads, Performance Max)

• Performance Max Campaigns: With Google pushing heavily towards automation, proper PMax setup is crucial:

  • Asset group organization
  • Audience signals implementation
  • Brand safety measures
  • Performance monitoring across channels

• Display and Video Campaigns: These should complement your search efforts:

  • Clear separation of prospecting and remarketing
  • Appropriate use of various targeting methods
  • Brand safety settings and exclusions

Naming Conventions and Organization

Poor naming conventions can cripple account management efficiency. Implement a system that includes:

• Campaign Level: [Location][Product/Service][Campaign Type]_[Goal]
• Ad Group Level: [Main Keyword Theme]_[Match Type]
• Standardization: Use consistent separators (underscore, hyphen) and case formatting

Example of good naming:

US_WomensShoes_Search_Brand
US_WomensShoes_Search_Generic
US_WomensBoots_PMax_Sales

2. Tracking Setup: Ensuring Data Accuracy

Conversion Tracking Infrastructure

Accurate conversion tracking is non-negotiable. Your audit should verify:

Primary Conversion Actions

• Implement 1-2 primary conversion actions that directly tie to business goals
• Set appropriate attribution models (data-driven when possible)
• Configure values for conversion actions
• Implement enhanced conversions for improved tracking accuracy

Secondary Conversion Actions

• Map micro-conversions throughout the customer journey
• Set appropriate conversion windows
• Implement value rules where applicable

Advanced Tracking Considerations

Modern Google Ads requires sophisticated tracking setup:

• Enhanced Conversions: a feature that can improve the accuracy of conversion measurement. It supplements your existing conversion data by sending hashed first-party customer data in a privacy-safe way. This audit reviews if you’ve had set-up enhanced conversions and the match rate quality.
• Offline Conversion Tracking: Set up proper import frameworks for offline sales
• Phone Call Tracking: Implement call tracking for businesses where phone leads matter
• Data Quality Monitoring: Regular checks for:
  • Sudden conversion drops or spikes
  • Unusual conversion patterns
  • Missing or duplicate conversion data

3. Targeting Strategy: Reaching the Right Audience

Keyword Strategy

Your keyword strategy should balance reach with relevance:

Keyword Analysis Framework

• Match Type Distribution: Aim for adopting all match types:
  • Exact Match
  • Phrase Match
  • Broad Match (with proper monitoring)
• Search Term Analysis: Regular review of Added vs Non-Added terems:
  • High-cost non-converting terms
  • New keyword opportunities
  • Negative keyword gaps

Quality Score Optimization

Quality Score directly impacts your ad costs and positions. During your audit, analyze these key components:

• Expected CTR: Review keywords with below-average expected CTR:

  • Identify patterns in underperforming keywords
  • Consider pausing or revising keywords with consistently low CTR
  • Test different ad copy variations to improve engagement

• Ad Relevance: Check the alignment between keywords and ads:

  • Ensure ad copy includes the keyword or close variants
  • Review ad group themes for tight keyword grouping
  • Split large ad groups into more focused ones where relevance is low

• Landing Page Experience: Evaluate landing page factors:

  • Page load speed across devices
  • Content relevance to keywords and ads
  • Clear calls-to-action
  • Mobile responsiveness

Audience Targeting Excellence

Your audience targeting approach should leverage all available audience types to maximize reach and relevance. During your audit, check the implementation and performance of each audience type:

Rule-Based Audiences

• Verify implementation of rule-based audiences
• Target: Maintain at least 6-8 active rule-based audiences
• Check for:
  • Website visitor segments
  • Duration-based rules
  • Page visit combinations
  • Custom intent signals

Google Analytics Audiences

• Review integration with GA4 property
• Target: 10-15 active GA audiences minimum
• Audit for:
  • Event-based audiences
  • Sequence audiences
  • Combined audiences
  • Predictive audiences

First-Party Data Implementation

• Customer Lists
  • Check for active customer list uploads
  • Verify match rates
  • Monitor list freshness
  • Implement segmentation by value/behavior

Expansion Audiences

• Lookalike Audiences

  • Build from high-value customer lists
  • Test different audience sizes
  • Monitor performance by similarity level

• Similar Audiences

  • Target: 5-10 active similar audiences
  • Base on best-performing custom audiences
  • Test across different campaign types
  • Monitor audience overlap

Focus on activating any missing audience types and optimizing underperforming segments. Regular audience refreshes ensure targeting remains relevant as user behaviors change.

4. Budget and Bidding Optimization

Budget Management

With studies showing that 26% of ad spend is wasted on poor targeting and budget management, your audit should focus on optimizing budget allocation and pacing.

Campaign Budget Health Check

• Limited By Budget Campaigns

  • Identify campaigns hitting budget limits
  • Review lost impression share due to budget
  • Calculate potential missed opportunities
  • Prioritize additional funding based on performance

• Underspending Campaigns

  • Flag campaigns using less than 90% of budget
  • Check for targeting restrictions limiting reach
  • Review bid strategies and targets
  • Assess potential expansion opportunities

Budget Pacing Analysis

• Track month-to-date spend vs budget
• Project end-of-month spending
• Identify seasonal impact on pacing
• Plan for high-season budget needs

Budget Optimization Framework

• Performance-Based Allocation

  • Prioritize top ROAS/CPA performers
  • Scale successful campaigns gradually
  • Reduce or pause underperforming campaigns
  • Reserve budget for testing new opportunities

• Seasonal Adjustments

  • Plan for known seasonal peaks
  • Build buffer for unexpected spikes
  • Adjust daily budgets proactively
  • Monitor competitor spending patterns

Bidding Strategy Optimization

Your audit should identify and optimize automated bidding strategies across campaigns. Google's machine learning algorithms consistently outperform manual bidding, making automated strategies the clear choice for modern Google Ads accounts.

Current Bidding Strategies

• Maximize Conversions

  • Best for: New campaigns and lead generation
  • Focus on: Getting maximum conversions within budget
  • Monitor: Conversion volume and CPA trends

• Maximize Conversion Value

  • Best for: E-commerce and value-based goals
  • Focus on: Driving highest possible conversion value
  • Monitor: ROAS and revenue trends

• Target ROAS

  • Best for: Mature e-commerce campaigns
  • Focus on: Maintaining specific return on ad spend
  • Monitor: Value per conversion and spend efficiency

• Target CPA

  • Best for: Lead generation with stable CPAs
  • Focus on: Maintaining consistent cost per acquisition
  • Monitor: Conversion volume and quality

• CPV (Cost Per View)

  • Best for: Video campaigns
  • Focus on: Video views and engagement
  • Monitor: View rate and viewer retention

Manual CPC: A Strategy to Avoid

While Manual CPC gives granular control, it should be phased out of your account for several reasons:

• Lacks machine learning capabilities
• Cannot optimize in real-time
• Misses micro-moment opportunities
• Requires constant human monitoring
• Typically underperforms compared to automated strategies

Bidding Strategy Audit Checklist

1. Identify campaigns still using Manual CPC
2. Create migration plan to automated bidding
3. Review performance data requirements for each strategy
4. Check campaign eligibility for desired automated strategies
5. Monitor performance during transition period

5. Ad Assets and Extensions

Ad Strength Analysis

Ad strength is a crucial indicator of your ad's potential effectiveness. During your audit, analyze the distribution of ad strength across your campaigns:

• Excellent Strength

  • Highly optimized ads with compelling copy
  • Strong headline and description variations
  • Relevant keywords in copy
  • Clear calls-to-action

• Good Strength

  • Well-performing ads meeting most best practices
  • Minor optimization opportunities
  • Adequate keyword inclusion
  • Basic call-to-action implementation

• Average Strength

  • Ads requiring optimization
  • Limited headline variations
  • Generic messaging
  • Basic feature presentation

• Poor Strength

  • Priority for immediate improvement
  • Missing key components
  • Weak calls-to-action
  • Limited relevance to keywords

Ad Distribution Health

Proper ad distribution is essential for testing and optimization:

Ad Count Per Ad Group

• Minimum Requirements

  • At least 3 active ads per ad group
  • Mix of different ad formats when available
  • Variety in messaging approaches
  • Different call-to-action variations

• Common Issues to Address

  • Single-ad ad groups
  • Overreliance on one ad format
  • Duplicate ads across groups
  • Stale ad copy

Ad Approval Status

Monitor and address approval issues:

• Disapproved Ads

  • Currently: 5 disapproved ads
  • Common locations: Promotional campaigns
  • Impact on Performance Max campaigns
  • Required actions for resolution

• Policy Compliance

  • Review trademark usage
  • Check landing page alignment
  • Verify promotional content
  • Monitor restricted content

Ad Rotation and Testing

Optimize your ad serving strategy:

• Ad Rotation Settings

  • Verify 'Optimize' setting across campaigns
  • Monitor performance distribution
  • Check impression share per ad
  • Track conversion distribution

• Testing Framework

  • Implement systematic A/B testing
  • Track statistical significance
  • Rotate new challengers regularly
  • Document winning elements

Extension Strategy

Maximize the use of all relevant extensions:

• Sitelinks: Minimum 8 per campaign
• Callouts: Highlight key benefits
• Structured Snippets: Showcase product/service ranges
• Image Extensions: Enhance visual appeal
• Price Extensions: Display pricing information
• Lead Form Extensions: Simplify lead capture

Implementing Your Audit Findings

Prioritization Framework

Not all audit findings are equally important. Prioritize based on:

1. Impact on performance
2. Ease of implementation
3. Resource requirements
4. Strategic importance

Implementation Timeline

Create a structured timeline for implementing changes:

• Week 1: High-impact, easy fixes
• Weeks 2-3: Medium-complexity changes
• Weeks 4+: Major structural changes

Regular Audit Schedule

Establish a regular audit calendar:

• Weekly: Performance metrics, budget pacing
• Monthly: Keyword performance, audience insights
• Quarterly: Complete account audit
• Annual: Strategic review and planning

Conclusion: Making Audits Work for You

A Google Ads audit isn't a one-time exercise – it's an ongoing process of optimization and improvement. Whether you're an agency serving multiple clients or a brand managing your own campaigns, regular audits using this framework will help ensure your Google Ads investment delivers maximum return.

Remember: The best audit is the one that gets implemented. Focus on actionable insights and systematic improvement rather than trying to fix everything at once. By following this comprehensive guide, you'll be well-equipped to conduct thorough Google Ads audits that drive real business results.

While this guide provides a manual approach to auditing, tools like Marketing Auditor can automate much of this process, especially valuable for agencies managing multiple accounts or brands with complex account structures. This allows you to focus on strategy and implementation rather than data collection and manual audit checklists. Here's a quick demo video of how the tools works: