Why Audit Your Google Ads Account
Most Google Ads accounts waste 20-40% of their budget on fixable issues. A systematic audit finds those issues before they drain your budget for another month.
We have audited over 100 accounts since 2018. This is the same checklist we use internally. It covers 12 areas with specific pass/fail criteria you can check yourself.
"The top three issues I find in almost every audit: no negative keyword strategy (78% of accounts), conversion tracking that is broken or incomplete (65% of accounts), and geographic targeting that is too broad (55% of accounts). Those three alone account for the majority of wasted spend." - Brock Olsen, Paid Media Strategist
Google Ads Account Scorecard
Score your account across 12 areas. Be honest for useful results.
Your score
Account Structure (Areas 1-3)
1. Campaign Organization
Your campaigns should be organized by service type or business goal. Each campaign should have a clear theme, and ad groups within it should be tightly focused (5-15 keywords each).
Pass: Campaigns named descriptively (e.g., "Roof Repair - Seattle"), ad groups with 5-15 related keywords.
Fail: One campaign with everything in it, ad groups with 50+ keywords, or default campaign names.
2. Geographic Targeting
Your ads should only show in areas you serve. Check Settings > Locations for each campaign.
Pass: Targeting your specific service area by city, ZIP code, or radius. Location option set to "Presence" not "Presence or Interest."
Fail: Targeting the entire state or country. Using "Presence or Interest" (which shows ads to people interested in your area but not physically there).
3. Device and Schedule Settings
Review performance by device (mobile, desktop, tablet) and time of day. Adjust bids based on where leads actually come from.
Pass: Bid adjustments set based on performance data. Higher bids during business hours when phones are answered.
Fail: Default settings everywhere with no data-based adjustments.
Keywords (Areas 4-6)
4. Negative Keyword Strategy
| Checkpoint | Pass Criteria | Fail Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Negative keyword list exists | 50+ negative keywords, organized by list | No negatives or under 20 |
| Search terms reviewed regularly | New negatives added in the last 30 days | No additions in 60+ days |
| Industry-specific negatives in place | Common waste terms blocked (jobs, schools, DIY) | Obvious waste terms appearing in search report |
5. Match Type Strategy
Review the match types used across your keywords. A healthy account uses a mix of phrase and exact match, with broad match used strategically only when paired with smart bidding and sufficient conversion data.
Pass: Phrase and exact match keywords for core services. Broad match only where there are 30+ monthly conversions to support it.
Fail: All keywords set to broad match. No match type strategy visible.
6. Quality Score Monitoring
Quality Score (1-10) measures how relevant your ads and landing pages are to search queries. Higher scores mean lower costs per click.
Pass: Most keywords at 6 or above. High-value keywords at 7+.
Fail: Multiple keywords below 5. No Quality Score tracking.
Ads (Areas 7-9)
7. Ad Copy Testing
You should always have multiple ad variations running to test which messaging converts best.
Pass: 2-3 responsive search ads per ad group with varied headline and description options. Ads updated in the last 90 days.
Fail: One ad per ad group. Same ad copy running for 6+ months.
8. Ad Extensions (Assets)
Extensions increase your ad's visibility and click-through rate at no extra cost.
| Extension Type | What It Does | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Sitelinks | Links to specific pages on your site | Yes |
| Callout extensions | Highlight key benefits (Free Estimates, Licensed) | Yes |
| Call extension | Shows phone number in the ad | Yes (local businesses) |
| Location extension | Shows your business address | Yes (if you serve walk-in customers) |
| Structured snippets | Lists services or features | Recommended |
9. Landing Page Alignment
Each ad group should send traffic to a landing page that matches the search intent and ad copy.
Pass: Dedicated landing pages per service. Headlines match ad copy. Clear call to action visible above the fold.
Fail: All ads going to homepage. No CTA above fold. Slow load time (3+ seconds).
Bidding and Budget (Areas 10-11)
10. Bid Strategy Selection
The right bid strategy depends on your conversion data volume. Manual CPC works for new accounts. Smart bidding (Target CPA, Maximize Conversions) works better with 30+ monthly conversions.
Pass: Bid strategy appropriate for conversion volume. Performance reviewed and adjusted monthly.
Fail: Smart bidding on an account with fewer than 15 conversions per month. Or manual bidding on a mature account with ample data.
11. Budget Pacing and Allocation
Budget should be allocated to top-performing campaigns, not split evenly regardless of results.
Pass: Higher budgets on campaigns with the best cost per lead. Impression share above 50% for top campaigns.
Fail: Equal budgets across all campaigns. Impression share below 30% on best-performing campaigns (budget is too thin).
Tracking and Reporting (Area 12)
12. Conversion Tracking Setup
This is the foundation everything else depends on. If your tracking is broken, your optimization is meaningless.
| Tracking Element | Pass Criteria | Fail Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads conversion tracking | Active, recording conversions | Not set up or showing zero conversions |
| Phone call tracking | Call tracking number with recording | No phone tracking or using website number only |
| Form submission tracking | Event fires on thank-you page or form submit | No form tracking or tracking all page views as conversions |
| GA4 integration | Connected, events flowing | Not connected or using Universal Analytics only |
| Attribution model | Data-driven or position-based | Last-click only |
How to Score Your Audit
| Score Range | Rating | What It Means | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-12 passes | Excellent | Account is well-managed | Minor optimizations, focus on scaling |
| 7-9 passes | Good | Solid foundation, room to improve | Targeted fixes on failed areas |
| 4-6 passes | Needs Work | Significant waste likely | Professional audit recommended |
| 0-3 passes | Critical | Major issues across the board | Account rebuild recommended |
"The most common reaction we get after walking a client through their first audit is disbelief. They had been told everything was fine. Then we show them the search terms their money has been going to, the missing conversion tracking, and the geographic waste. It is an eye-opener." - Leo Speaks, Sr. Account Manager
If your account scored below 7, or if you would rather have professionals do this, request a free Google Ads audit from our team. We will review your account and show you exactly where the waste is.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I audit my Google Ads account?
Comprehensive audits should happen quarterly. Ongoing optimization (search terms, bid adjustments, ad testing) should happen weekly. If you switch agencies, run a full audit on day one.
Can I audit my own Google Ads account?
Yes, using this checklist. You need admin access to your Google Ads account and basic familiarity with the interface. For deeper analysis (wasted spend calculations, Quality Score optimization, bid strategy evaluation), a professional audit adds more value.
What is the most common problem found in Google Ads audits?
Missing negative keywords. We find it in 78% of accounts. It is also one of the easiest problems to fix, which makes it especially frustrating when it has been ignored for months or years.
How long does a Google Ads audit take?
A self-audit using this checklist takes 1-2 hours. A professional audit with detailed analysis and recommendations takes 4-8 hours of analyst time, with results typically delivered within one week.
Should I pause my ads during an audit?
No. Keep ads running during the audit so we can see live performance data, search terms, and conversion patterns. Pausing hides the problems we need to find.
What happens after a Google Ads audit?
You receive a report with specific findings and prioritized recommendations. The highest-impact fixes (typically negative keywords, conversion tracking, and geographic targeting) can be implemented within the first week. Most clients see measurable improvement within 30 days of implementing audit recommendations.
