TL;DR
A Google Ads audit is a systematic account review that uncovers wasted spend, missed opportunities, and technical errors. A professional audit covers 80+ checkpoints across 10 categories and, on average, finds 15-25% of the budget being spent inefficiently.
80+
checkpoints
10
audit categories
15-25%
wasted spend average
Q1
deep + monthly mini
Quick answer
What is a Google Ads audit and what does it find?
A Google Ads audit is a systematic account review across 10 categories — account structure, conversion tracking, campaign settings, keywords, ads, audiences, bidding strategy, and budget. A professional audit covers 80+ checkpoints and, on average, finds that 15-25% of budget is being spent inefficiently on accounts that haven't been optimized in 6+ months.
Google Ads audit checklist — the 10 categories
- Account structure — campaign organization, naming conventions, hierarchy
- Conversion tracking — accuracy, duplicates, attribution window
- Campaign settings — location targeting, networks, ad schedule, devices
- Keywords and search terms — Search Terms Report, negatives, Quality Score
- Ads and extensions — RSA quality, Ad Strength, sitelinks, callouts
- Audiences and remarketing — remarketing lists, converter exclusions
- Bidding strategy — Smart Bidding setup, conversion volume, target realism
- Budget and allocation — Impression Share Lost (Budget), budget distribution
- Reporting and analytics — GA4 integration, attribution models, data discrepancies
- Scripts and automation — Google Ads Scripts, automated rules, alerts
Why a Google Ads audit is essential
Over 90% of the Google Ads accounts I take over have the same fundamental problems: conversion tracking that doesn't work properly, budget leaking into irrelevant search terms, poorly organized campaigns, or Smart Bidding trying to optimize on insufficient data. That's why a detailed audit is always the first thing I run on a new account.
A Google Ads audit isn't just a list of things that "don't work" — it's a systematic diagnostic that pinpoints where you're losing money and where you're missing growth opportunities. The average account that hasn't been optimized for 6+ months wastes 15-25% of its budget outright. That waste can be eliminated in the first week after the audit. If you'd rather have it done for you, see my Google Ads audit service, which covers the same 80+ checkpoints below.
This checklist still holds up in the Performance Max and AI Max era: those campaign types blend Search, Shopping, and Display signals into one automated unit, so audit them separately from standard Search campaigns and treat each asset group the way you'd treat an ad group — one theme, not a dumping ground.
When to run a Google Ads audit
A quarterly deep audit (2-4 hours, all 10 categories) + a monthly quick check (30 min, 7 priority points). On top of that, audit immediately if performance suddenly drops, you're taking over an account from a previous agency, you're changing your business model, or you're launching a new campaign.
In my experience, companies either audit too rarely (once a year, or never) or waste time on surface metrics that don't reveal the real problems. This guide covers exactly what to check, how to interpret the data, and which actions to take right away.
What a good Google Ads audit covers
A professional Google Ads audit isn't improvised — it's a structured checklist of 80+ checkpoints divided into 10 key categories. Each category has priority items (critical for performance) and optimization items (additional improvements for advanced accounts).
Foundation
1. Account structure
Logical campaign organization, naming conventions, hierarchy, labels
Critical
2. Conversion Tracking
Whether conversion tracking works accurately and the data is valid
Setup
3. Campaign settings
Location targeting, networks, ad schedule, device bid adjustments
Search
4. Keywords and search terms
Search Terms Report, negatives, Quality Score, match types, duplicates
Creative
5. Ads and extensions
RSA quality, Ad Strength, sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets
Targeting
6. Audiences and remarketing
Remarketing lists, audience layering, converter exclusions
Automation
7. Bidding strategy
Smart Bidding setup, conversion volume, target realism, learning periods
Spend
8. Budget and allocation
Impression Share Lost (Budget), campaign budget distribution
Analysis
9. Reporting and analytics
GA4 integration, attribution models, segment analysis, data discrepancies
Advanced
10. Scripts and automation
Google Ads Scripts, automated rules, alerts, bulk operations — including Google Ads Editor for offline changes
Each category is scored from 1 to 5 and gets a prioritized action plan. At the end of the audit you have a clear picture of where the account stands, what to fix urgently, and what impact to expect from each optimization.
Category 1: Account structure
A well-structured Google Ads account follows three rules: one theme per campaign, 5-20 tightly related keywords per ad group, and no more than 5-15 ad groups per campaign. Structure is the first checkpoint in an audit because every other optimization depends on it — the account should be logical, scalable, and transparent enough that anyone can understand how it's organized within 5 minutes.
Campaigns organized logically
Campaigns should be divided by product/service, geography, or funnel stage — never lumped into one mega campaign.
- Brand vs Non-brand SEPARATE — Completely different economics: brand terms have lower CPCs, higher conversion rates, and a different strategy
- Search and Display SEPARATE — Never together, except in Performance Max (different metrics, different targeting)
- Consistent naming convention — E.g., [Type]_[Product]_[Geo]_[Stage] for quick filtering and reporting
- Separate geographic campaigns — If you operate in multiple countries or regions, split campaigns by geo
Ad Groups thematically focused
One Ad Group = one theme/intent. In practice, that means 5-20 keywords per Ad Group, not 50+.
- No "catch-all" Ad Groups — Keywords for different themes in the same group = worse Ad Strength and Quality Score
- Keywords share similar intent — "buy shoes" and "shoe price" are similar intent; "running shoes" and "dress shoes" aren't
- Dedicated Ad Groups for high-value terms — Brand terms, top sellers, and high-margin products deserve their own groups
Mistake
One campaign with 50+ Ad Groups, or Search + Display together in the same campaign
Solution: Restructure the account: separate Search and Display, divide campaigns into smaller logical units (by product/geo/stage), and reduce Ad Groups to 5-15 per campaign.
Pro tip
If you have more than 10 campaigns, create labels (e.g., "Priority", "Testing", "Paused-Low_ROI") for faster filtering in the interface. For bulk changes, use Google Ads Editor — it saves significant time during the audit analysis.
Category 2: Conversion tracking
Conversion tracking is the most critical part of any Google Ads audit. If tracking is broken or records the wrong data, everything else is pointless — you're optimizing on bad information and making the wrong decisions.
Red flag: Google Ads conversions don't match GA4/CRM (>20% difference). That signals tracking isn't set up properly or there's an attribution model problem.
For a detailed guide on setting up tracking and troubleshooting problems, see: Conversion Tracking for Google Ads.
Category 3: Campaign settings
Google Ads default settings are bad — they're designed for Google to earn more, not for you to get better results. Over 70% of the new accounts I review still run on defaults that waste budget in the wrong places.
Location targeting
Check that "People in your targeted locations" is selected, NOT "People interested in your locations". The default option shows ads to people Google thinks are interested in your location — even if they're on another continent.
- Location bid adjustments active — Raise bids for your best-performing geos, lower them for the worst
- Exclude non-converting locations — If a location has a 0% conversion rate after 50+ clicks, exclude it
- Radius targeting precise — Local businesses: a 10-20km radius, not 50km+ (wasted spend)
Networks
The Display Network must be DISABLED in Search campaigns. Evaluate Search Partners after 30 days — if their CPA is worse than core Search, turn them off.
- Search campaigns = Google Search only (uncheck Display and watch Search Partners closely)
- Display campaigns = Display Network only (never together with Search — different economics)
- Search Partners check — Check the segment report after a month: if CPA is 20%+ worse, disable them
Ad schedule (days/hours)
Analyze performance by hour and day (Day & Hour report). If conversions drop after 8pm or on weekends, lower bids or pause those slots.
- Time-based bid adjustments — Raise bids +20-50% for the best time slots, cut them -30-50% for the worst
- B2B campaigns — Usually shouldn't run on weekends (office hours only: 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
- eCommerce seasonality — Raise bids for evening hours and weekends (prime shopping time)
Devices (Desktop/Mobile/Tablet)
Analyze performance by device. If mobile converts 2x worse, cut its bid by -30% to -50%.
- Device bid adjustments — Raise bids for the best-performing device, lower them for the worst
- Mobile-friendly landing page — If the mobile landing page isn't optimized, lower the mobile bid until you fix the UX
Category 4: Keywords and search terms
The keywords you enter in the account are not what you're actually buying — the search terms people type are. Every Google Ads audit must analyze the Search Terms Report in detail to see what actually triggers your ads and where the budget goes.
Red flag: the Search Terms Report has never been reviewed, there's no negative keyword list, Quality Score is below 5 for most keywords, or irrelevant search terms are eating 20%+ of the budget.
For a detailed guide on keyword research, match types, and Quality Score optimization, see: Keywords for Google Ads. For negative keyword strategy: Negative Keywords.
Category 5: Ads and extensions
Over 50% of the accounts I audit run ads with "Poor" Ad Strength and barely any extensions. That's a missed opportunity — better ads mean a higher CTR, which means a lower CPC and more conversions. Ads are the only part of your account that potential customers actually see.
RSA quality
Every Ad Group needs a minimum of one Responsive Search Ad with 10-15 headlines and 4 descriptions.
- Ad Strength is "Good" or "Excellent" — Never "Poor" (Google is literally telling you the ad is bad)
- Headlines contain keywords — A minimum of 3-4 headline variations with the primary keywords from that Ad Group
- A CTA in 2-3 headlines — "Order now", "Free shipping", "Buy today"
- A clear, specific USP — What sets you apart from the competition? (numbers, guarantees, unique benefits)
- Minimal pinning — Give Google the freedom to test combinations (pin only for legal or brand requirements)
Extensions (sitelinks, callouts...)
Extensions increase CTR by 10-15% and claim more space on the SERP. Every campaign should have:
- Sitelinks (min 4) — Links to different pages (categories, about, contact), each relevant to that campaign
- Callouts (min 4) — Short bullet-point benefits: "Free shipping", "24/7 support", "30-day guarantee"
- Structured Snippets — Lists of categories, products, or services (specific, not generic)
- Call extensions (if relevant) — A phone number directly in the ad for high-intent queries
- Location extensions (local businesses) — Address + map pin for local searches
- Price extensions (eCommerce) — Show prices directly in the ad (weeds out low-budget clicks)
Mistake
Ad Strength "Poor", only 3-5 headlines, generic copy that doesn't stand out from the competition
Solution: Fill the RSA out to 10-15 headlines (add variations with keywords, numbers, CTAs, and USPs), use all 4 descriptions, and remove excess pinning so Google can test combinations.
Mistake
No extensions, or all sitelinks lead to the same homepage
Solution: Create 4 sitelinks to different pages (product categories, best sellers, about, contact), 4 callouts with specific benefits (not generic "quality"), and structured snippets with product/service lists.
Category 6: Audiences and remarketing
Remarketing is the easiest win in Google Ads — people who have already visited your site convert 3-5x better than cold traffic. If the audit reveals an account with no remarketing lists or converter exclusions, that's a huge missed opportunity.
Recommendation
Create dedicated remarketing campaigns with higher bids (+50-100% vs cold traffic) and targeted ad copy that references the previous visit. Remarketing converts 3-5x better, so you can afford a higher CPC and still stay profitable.
For a detailed guide on remarketing strategies and audience segmentation, see: Remarketing guide for Google Ads.
Category 7: Bidding strategy
Smart Bidding is a powerful tool, but only when the algorithm has enough conversions to learn from. Over 40% of the accounts I audit run Smart Bidding with <10 conversions a month — that simply can't work.
Strategy matches goal and phase
I recommend:
- Maximize Clicks or Manual CPC — A new campaign without conversion history; focus on gathering traffic and data
- Maximize Conversions — When you have 15-30 conversions a month but no clear target CPA yet
- Target CPA — When you have 30+ conversions a month and know your desired CPA (baseline plus a 10-20% improvement)
- Target ROAS — eCommerce with precise conversion value tracking and 50+ conversions a month
- Maximize Conversion Value — eCommerce when you don't have a ROAS target but want to maximize revenue
Enough conversions for Smart Bidding
Google recommends 15+ conversions in the last 30 days for Maximize Conversions, 30+ for Target CPA, and 50+ for Target ROAS. Below that, the algorithm doesn't have enough signal to optimize reliably.
Target CPA/ROAS realistic and achievable
Your target shouldn't be 50% better than current performance. I recommend setting it 10-20% better than baseline, then tightening it gradually over several weeks.
- Example: If your current CPA is $65, don't set a $30 target immediately — start at $55, move to $50 after two weeks, and so on
- Learning period — Wait 7-14 days after each change before drawing conclusions
Mistake
Smart Bidding with <10 conversions a month, or an unrealistic target (e.g., a $15 target CPA when the current CPA is $80)
Solution: Go back to Manual CPC or Maximize Conversions until you collect more conversions (30+ a month). If you're staying on Smart Bidding, reset the target to something realistic (a 10-20% improvement, not 50%+).
Category 8: Budget and allocation
Budget misallocation is one of the most common problems an audit uncovers: the best campaigns sit at "Limited by budget" while the worst spend their full budget. That's like giving your best salesperson the fewest resources.
Red flag: your best-performing campaign is limited by budget, >30% of impression share is lost to budget, or underperforming campaigns spend 50%+ of the total budget.
If you don't know how much budget to allocate per campaign or industry, read: How much does Google Ads cost.
A quick Google Ads audit in 30 minutes
If you don't have 2-4 hours for a full audit, this 30-minute check covers 80% of the most critical issues. I recommend running it monthly, between quarterly deep audits.
Pro tip
Create a Google Sheet with a score for each category (1-5 scale). During the monthly quick audit, just update the scores and watch the trend — up means the optimizations are working, down means new problems are creeping in.
A scoring system for your Google Ads audit
Score each category from 1 to 5 and track the overall account health score over time. This helps you prioritize actions, measure progress, and justify the investment in optimization.
| Score | Status | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Excellent | All checkpoints covered, best practices implemented | Maintain, monitor monthly |
| 4 | Good | Mostly covered, minor improvements possible | Minor tweaks, low priority (schedule for the next month or two) |
| 3 | Average | Basics covered, but important optimizations missing | Improvement needed; plan 1-2 weeks for fixes |
| 2 | Poor | Major gaps, high wasted spend (15-25%+) | Priority fix; schedule immediately (this week) |
| 1 | Critical | Fundamentally broken, serious problems | Urgent action today — consider pausing campaigns until fixed |
The Overall Account Health Score is the average of all 10 categories. A score of 3.5 or higher means the account is in solid shape. Below 3.0 means there are priority problems actively wasting budget.
My experience with scoring
When I take over a new account, the average score is 2.5-3.0 (the basic setup is fine, but there are many gaps). After the first month of optimization, the score climbs to 3.5-4.0. A score of 4.5+ is hard to sustain long-term because it requires constant proactive work and testing.
The most common Google Ads audit mistakes
These are the most common mistakes I see when people audit Google Ads themselves or outsource the job to an inexperienced agency or freelancer.
Mistake #1
Focusing only on surface-level metrics (CTR, CPC) without looking at conversions and profitability
Solution: Always audit CPA and ROAS (or conversion rate if you don't have revenue tracking). CTR and CPC are means, not the goal — you can have a high CTR and a terrible ROI.
Mistake #2
Skipping the Search Terms Report — the single most important part of the audit for uncovering wasted spend
Solution: The Search Terms Report MUST be part of every Google Ads audit. Filter the top 50 terms by cost (30 days) and check their relevance. Add negatives for every irrelevant term with $15+ spend.
Mistake #3
Changing 10 things at once, so you can't tell what moved the results
Solution: After the audit, prioritize the top 3-5 actions and roll them out gradually (1-2 weeks between changes, respecting learning periods). That way you can measure the impact of each optimization individually.
Mistake #4
Looking at only the last 7 days of data (too short for valid conclusions)
Solution: Audit the last 30-90 days of data. Seven days is too short — weekend vs weekday distortion, seasonality, and too few conversions for statistical significance.
Mistake #5
Pausing campaigns/keywords with "bad" performance without diagnosing WHY they're bad
Solution: Before pausing, diagnose: is the problem the keyword (bad intent), the ad copy (low CTR), the landing page (poor CVR), or the targeting (wrong audience)? The fix may be simple — a new landing page or better ad copy.
Mistake #6
Ignoring benchmarks — you don't know whether your $80 CPA is good or bad
Solution: Compare your metrics with industry benchmarks (Google publishes average CPC/CVR by industry). Also compare performance against your own baseline (3-6 months ago) to see the trend.
Frequently asked questions about Google Ads audits
How often should I run a Google Ads audit?▼
I recommend a quarterly deep audit (2-4 hours, all 10 categories and 80+ checkpoints) plus a monthly quick audit (30 minutes, 8 priority checkpoints). Also run an audit immediately if: (1) performance suddenly drops, (2) you're taking over an account from another agency, (3) you're launching new products or services, or (4) you're changing your business model.
What should I check first in a Google Ads audit?▼
Five points that cover 80% of problems: 1) Conversion tracking — are you tracking the right actions? 2) The Search Terms report — which queries are triggering your ads? 3) Quality Score — are your keywords relevant? 4) Wasted spend — where is money going without results? 5) The landing page — does the page you're sending traffic to actually convert?
How much does a professional Google Ads audit cost?▼
Prices range from $300 to $2,500+ depending on account size, number of campaigns, and audit depth.
- Basic audit (small account, 2-3 campaigns, 1 market): $300-500
- Standard audit (medium account, 5-10 campaigns, 1-2 markets): $600-1,200
- Deep audit (large account, 10+ campaigns, multi-market, complete diagnostics): $1,200-2,500+
If your monthly ad spend is $8K+, a professional audit pays for itself: on average it uncovers 15-25% wasted spend that can be eliminated in the first month.
Can I run a Google Ads audit myself, or do I need a specialist?▼
You can do it yourself if you follow the checklist in this guide and have a technical understanding of Google Ads. A specialist or agency will identify problems faster, though, because they see 10-20+ accounts a month and know what's normal versus a red flag. An external review also eliminates confirmation bias. If your ad spend is $5K+ a month, I recommend a professional audit at least once a year for a second opinion.
What's the most common problem a Google Ads audit uncovers?▼
The top three problems are: (1) irrelevant search terms — they waste 15-30% of the budget when there's no negative keyword list or it isn't maintained, (2) inaccurate conversion tracking — it's either broken or recording duplicate conversions, so the algorithm makes bad decisions, and (3) poor budget allocation — weak campaigns overspend while good campaigns sit limited by budget.
How long until an audit produces visible results?▼
Quick wins (adding negative keywords, removing the Display Network from Search campaigns, budget reallocation) deliver results in 7-14 days. Medium optimizations (ad copy improvements, bidding adjustments) take 2-4 weeks. Deep changes (campaign restructuring, a new bidding strategy) can take 4-8 weeks. Smart Bidding always has a 7-14 day learning period after each change.
What should I do after a Google Ads audit?▼
Build a prioritized action list. Urgent (this week): conversion tracking errors and active issues burning budget. High priority (this month): negative keywords, ad improvements, Quality Score. Optimization (next 3 months): bidding strategy testing, landing page optimization, campaign expansion. Without prioritization, the audit remains just a list of problems.
Who implements the optimizations after a Google Ads audit?▼
That depends on the agreement and your resources. Some specialists deliver only the audit report with prioritized recommendations (you implement it yourself). Others offer audit plus implementation as a package, and some offer audit plus ongoing monthly management. I recommend having the same person who ran the audit implement the changes — they know the context, the priorities, and the reasoning behind each recommendation.
Conclusion
A Google Ads audit isn't a one-time checklist — it's a systematic process that should become part of your regular workflow. In my experience, accounts that are audited regularly (a quarterly deep audit plus a monthly quick check) perform 20-30% better than accounts left on "set and forget".
This guide covers the 80+ checkpoints across 10 categories that I've personally used on 50+ accounts over the past several years. Not everything applies to every business — if you don't run eCommerce, skip conversion value tracking — but the basics (conversion tracking, search terms, budget allocation, ad quality) are universal across industries.
When I take over a new account, the first thing I run is always a detailed Google Ads audit. It gives me a clear picture of where the problems are, where the quick wins are, and where the long-term growth opportunities lie. Without an audit, optimization is improvisation — and improvisation wastes money.
If you don't have the time or experience to run a detailed audit yourself, I recommend bringing in a specialist. An investment of $400-1,200 in a professional audit pays for itself many times over once it uncovers 15-25% wasted spend or missed scaling opportunities.
To continue optimizing after the audit, read: Google Ads optimization guide and Most common Google Ads mistakes.
Need a professional Google Ads audit?
I audit accounts of all sizes — from startups to enterprise clients. You get an 80+ checkpoint audit report, a prioritized action plan, implementation recommendations, and a follow-up consultation.
Schedule a free consultationRelated guides
Professional Google Ads Audit
A detailed account analysis with an action plan
Google Ads Management
Professional account management after the audit — optimization and reporting
Conversion Tracking guide
How to set up conversion tracking and troubleshoot problems
Quality Score guide
What Quality Score is and how to improve it for a lower CPC
Keywords guide
Keyword research, match types, and keyword optimization
Negative keywords
How to identify and add negative keywords to eliminate wasted spend
Google Ads optimization
Ongoing optimization after the audit — what to do monthly and weekly
How much does Google Ads cost
Budget planning and CPC benchmarks by industry
Remarketing guide
How to set up remarketing lists and strategies for better conversions
Most common Google Ads mistakes
20+ of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them
Author: Slobodan Jelisavac, Google Ads Specialist
Last updated: July 2026
Free video audit
Get a Personalised Video Audit of Your Google Ads Account
I'll record a 15-minute walkthrough of your campaigns showing exactly where you're losing money and what to fix first.
Free personalised video audit
Want a video walkthrough of your Google Ads account?
I'll personally record a 15-minute video walking through your campaigns, showing you where you're losing money and giving you 3 specific things to fix immediately. No sales pitch — just value.
What you get:
- 15-min personalised video analysis
- 3 specific quick wins to implement
- Budget & bidding recommendations
Requirements:
- Ad spend: €1,500+/month (or £1,500+)
- Active account for 3+ months
- eCommerce or Lead Gen business
Limited to 5 audits per month. Response within 48 hours.