A Google Ads audit checks ten things: conversion tracking, goals, search terms, negative keywords, ad text, landing pages, location and language settings, schedule, budget and reporting. You can review most of them yourself in an hour, and a clear list of fixes matters more than a long report.
The 10-point checklist
- Conversion tracking: is every form, WhatsApp click and call recorded? Send a test enquiry and confirm it appears.
- Goals: is the campaign aimed at enquiries, not only clicks or visits?
- Search terms: read the last 30 days. Are most searches from people who could become customers?
- Negative keywords: are obvious bad searches, such as jobs, free, course or other cities, blocked?
- Ad text: does each ad say clearly what you offer, where, and what to do next?
- Landing page: does the page repeat the ad's promise, load quickly on a phone and make contact easy?
- Locations: do the targeted areas match the places you really serve?
- Language and schedule: do ads run in the language and at the hours that suit your customers and how fast you can reply?
- Budget: is the daily budget enough to get meaningful data, and is it split sensibly across campaigns?
- Reporting: can you see spend, enquiries and cost per enquiry in one place every month?
Red flags
- You cannot say how many enquiries came from ads.
- The ad account is in someone else's name and you have no access.
- Nobody can explain what was changed last month and why.
What to do with the results
Sort the problems into three groups: things that stop you measuring results, things that waste budget, and things that improve results. Fix the first group first, because without measurement you cannot judge anything else.
Want a second pair of eyes?
If you would like us to review your account, ask for a free Google Ads audit. We will tell you what we find, and you are under no obligation to hire us.
Quick answers
How often should I audit my account?
A quick check every month and a fuller review every quarter is a sensible rhythm for most small accounts.
Do I need access to Google Ads to do this?
Yes. You need access to your own ad account, ideally as the owner or an admin.
Can an audit promise better results?
No. It shows what is wasting money or hiding results, so you can fix it.
Want help with this?
Tell us about your business and goals. We will suggest a sensible starting point, with no promises of guaranteed results.