Tracking comes first because every other check reads its numbers. Below are 10 checks I run first on every account I audit. After them, you decide: check the account yourself or get an audit. The free PDF guide has all 105 checks in 12 categories.
The 10 checks to run first
Run these 10 checks in this order. If check 1, 2 or 3 fails, fix tracking before you trust any number in the rest. A red flag with no Google link is my own rule from the accounts I manage.
| # | Check | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Make a test purchase or submit a test lead. | It records twice or not at all. Each order needs a unique transaction ID so Google counts it once. Source: Google Ads Help |
| 2 | See which conversion action is set as Primary. | A click, page view or add to cart is Primary instead of the sale or lead. |
| 3 | Compare Google Ads conversions with your store backend or CRM. | A gap over 20% for the same dates. |
| 4 | Sort search terms by cost for the last 30 days and read the top 50. | An irrelevant term spent $15+ and has no negative keyword. |
| 5 | Check the location option in each campaign. | The business serves one area only, but ads also reach people who only showed interest in it. |
| 6 | Check the networks in each Search campaign. | Display Expansion is on. I turn it off in every Search campaign. |
| 7 | Compare budget status with results per campaign. | A campaign that beats your target is Limited by budget while a weak one spends in full. |
| 8 | Match the bid strategy to your conversion volume. | Target ROAS with under 15 conversions in the last 30 days, Google's minimum on Search and Shopping. Source: Google Ads Help |
| 9 | Online stores: in Merchant Center, open Products, then the Needs attention tab. | Product issues nobody fixed, or no GTIN on products that have one. |
| 10 | Open your top 5 landing pages on a phone. | The page does not match the ad, or its main content (LCP) loads in over 4 seconds. Google rates that as poor. Source: web.dev |
Running Performance Max? Add my PMax audit checklist for the campaign itself. Still deciding whether to run it? Start with my PMax guide. For checks 1 to 3, my conversion tracking guide goes deeper. For check 4, start from my negative keywords list.
Check it yourself or get an audit?
Start with the 10 checks yourself, whatever you spend. Your monthly spend decides the next step.
Use the free PDF guide
Run the 10 checks, then all 105 in the PDF guide. Or book a consultation at $200 an hour.
Free 15-minute video review
Run the 10 checks, then apply. I record a review of your account and show the three things I would fix first.
Deep Audit + Action Plan
I go through all 12 categories myself and hand you a prioritized action plan. UK £750, EU €750, US $1,500, AU $1,200 AUD.
Why spend matters: in the accounts I take over that nobody optimized for 6+ months, 15-25% of the budget goes to waste. That is my observation, not a promise of savings in your account. The bigger the budget, the more that share costs. See what the Deep Audit covers.
Get a 15-minute video review of your Google Ads account
For accounts spending $1,500+ a month. I record it and show the three things I would fix first.
Apply for the video reviewInside the free PDF guide: 105 checks, 12 categories
The PDF guide splits 105 checks into 12 categories. I group the categories by what to fix first.
Each check in the guide says how to check it, what the red flag is and how urgent it is. You mark the status as you go: OK, Issue or N/A.
Get the Google Ads Audit Checklist (PDF)
105 checks (#1-#105) in 12 categories, with the 10 I run first, diagrams and prompts for ChatGPT and Claude.
How often to audit, and when to audit now
I run the 10 checks every month and the full PDF guide every quarter. Some events need an audit at once.
I add a 5-minute daily look from about $100 a day in spend. It shows a dead tag after one day, not after one month.
After a fix, wait before you judge it. Google says new campaigns and campaigns with bigger changes need about 1-2 weeks to optimize. The full rhythm, from daily to quarterly, is in my management checklist. Took over an account? Start with my first-week takeover checklist.
Six mistakes I see in DIY audits
In my experience with the 100+ accounts I have reviewed, these six mistakes hide the real problem most often.
Judging CTR and CPC
Audit CPA and ROAS instead. A high CTR can still lose money.
Only 7 days of data
Use 30-90 days. One week has too few conversions, so one unusual day can change the result.
Ten changes at once
Roll out the top 3-5 fixes 1-2 weeks apart. Then you can see which one worked.
Pausing before diagnosing
Find the cause first: the search term, the ad, the landing page or the targeting.
Only the Google Ads screens
Merchant Center, GA4 and your landing pages reveal problems the Google Ads screens do not show.
Skipping Change history
Check what changed before a drop. Google keeps 2 years of account changes there.
Source: Google Ads Help
Google Ads audit FAQ
Is there a free Google Ads audit?
My Deep Audit is paid, but two things are free. The PDF guide with 105 checks is free for any account. If you spend $1,500+ a month, apply for my free 15-minute video review. I record a review of your account and show the three things I would fix first. I take 5 a month.
How much does a professional Google Ads audit cost?
My Deep Audit + Action Plan costs £750 in the UK, €750 in the EU, $1,500 in the US and $1,200 AUD in Australia. It fits accounts spending $5,000+ a month. If you hire me for management within 30 days of the audit, with a 3-month minimum, I deduct 50% of the audit fee from your first monthly fee.
What should I check first in a Google Ads audit?
Conversion tracking. Make a test purchase or lead and confirm it records once. Then check that the Primary action is the sale or lead. Google Ads and your backend or CRM should not differ by more than 20%. Every other check reads these numbers, so a tracking error makes the rest of the audit wrong.
How often should I audit a Google Ads account?
I run the 10 checks every month in about 30 minutes and the full PDF guide every quarter in 2-4 hours. Audit at once when you take over an account, results drop suddenly, or tracking or the site changes. From about $100 a day in spend, I add a 5-minute daily look.
Is there a Google Ads audit tool?
I use the free PDF guide as my audit tool. Inside Google Ads, Change history shows account changes from the last 2 years. Google also publishes an Account Anomaly Detector script. For Performance Max, use my PMax audit checklist.
Performance Max audit checklist
Sources: Google Ads Help; Google for Developers
What changed in 2026 that affects an audit?
Since June 2026, Search campaigns use the names Target CPA and Target ROAS for the Maximize strategies with a target. Behavior stays the same. Since 17 Aug 2026, budget-limited campaigns with a target deliver closer to that target, not to past results. If results slipped after that date, check the target first.
What changed in this guide
I update this checklist when Google changes something that affects an audit.
- 17 Oct 2026: I rebuilt the guide around 10 checks in priority order and a decision on when to get an audit. The full 105-check PDF guide stays free.
- Jan 2026: First version.
Get a 15-minute video review of your Google Ads account
For accounts spending $1,500+ a month. I record it and show the three things I would fix first.
Apply for the video reviewUnder $1,500 a month? Get the free checklist.