To audit a Google Ads account, work in a fixed order: tracking first, then structure, targeting, search terms, ads and landing pages, and finally budget and bidding. Tracking comes first because every later judgement depends on it. If conversions are wrong, the rest of the audit is built on sand.
Before you start
Agree what success means. Is it phone calls, quote requests, online sales or booked appointments? Note the target cost per enquiry or the margin that makes a sale worthwhile. Export at least a few months of data so you are not reacting to one unusual week.
Step 1: Conversion tracking
Google’s conversion tracking guidance says tracking shows which keywords, ads and campaigns drive valuable activity and powers Smart Bidding strategies such as Maximize Conversions and target CPA. It also says conversion actions should be marked primary (used for bidding) or secondary (observation only), and warns that misconfiguring them can stop Smart Bidding optimising properly.
Check:
- Every conversion action maps to something the business values.
- Primary actions are only the important ones. Page views or soft engagement marked primary will teach bidding to chase the wrong thing.
- Tags show as active and have recorded real conversions.
- Duplicate counting is not inflating results (for example, a form tag and an analytics import both counting the same lead).
- Phone calls are measured if they matter. See call assets and call reporting, which uses Google forwarding numbers and is available on the Search Network only.
- Results are cross-checked against what the business actually received, such as enquiries in the inbox or CRM.
Step 2: Account and campaign structure
Look for campaigns that mix different goals, budgets or audiences. Each campaign should have a clear purpose, and ad groups within it should hold closely related keywords. Google’s keyword guidance suggests keeping each ad group’s list to roughly 5 to 20 related keywords.
Check:
- Brand and non-brand terms are separated so you can see true new-customer performance.
- Campaign names make sense to someone new.
- No campaign is limited by budget while a poor campaign takes spend.
Step 3: Location and settings
Location targeting settings are a frequent source of waste. Google recommends “Presence or interest” for Search, but “Presence” is available when you only want people physically in the area. Radius targeting needs at least 1 km.
Check:
- Locations match where the business can actually serve customers.
- Excluded locations are set where appropriate.
- Ad schedules match business hours, particularly for call-led businesses.
- Devices, languages and networks are set intentionally.
Step 4: Search terms and negatives
The search terms report shows the actual searches that triggered your ads on the Search Network. Google says to use it to add irrelevant terms as negative keywords, adjust match types and find ideas for ad copy and landing pages.
Check:
- Review at least the top spending search terms for relevance.
- Add negatives for jobs, free, DIY and other off-target intent where they apply.
- Look at match types to see whether broad matching is attracting poor queries.
- Look for strong terms that deserve their own ad group.
Step 5: Ads and assets
Check:
- Each ad group has ads that reflect its keywords and a clear call to action.
- Assets such as sitelinks, calls and locations are present and accurate. Note that call assets need a verified number in E.164 format.
- Claims in ad text are accurate and can be substantiated, as required under Australian Consumer Law.
- Underperforming variants are replaced rather than left running.
Step 6: Landing pages
An audit that ignores the page after the click is incomplete. Open the actual landing page on a phone. Does it match the ad’s promise, load quickly and make the next step obvious? See landing pages that turn campaign traffic into enquiries.
Step 7: Budget and bidding
Check whether the bidding strategy fits the data you have. Automated bidding needs reliable conversion data, which is why tracking comes first. Check whether the account has enough conversion volume for the chosen strategy and whether budgets are set sensibly relative to cost per conversion.
Turn findings into a plan
List problems by effect and effort. Tracking errors and wasted spend on irrelevant searches usually come first, structure changes second, creative tests third. Record the date and expected effect of each change so you can read results later. Our article on measuring creative campaign performance beyond views explains how to connect ad results to business outcomes, and building a digital marketing strategy shows where paid search fits in the larger picture.
Limits of a checklist
A checklist finds problems but does not decide strategy. Ads that are technically clean can still be uneconomic if your margins are thin or your offer is weak. Treat the audit as the first step toward a testing plan, not a certificate of health.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Growth division covers campaigns and marketing strategy. If you would like help interpreting an audit, see /growth or contact us.
Sources
- About conversion tracking, Google Ads Help
- About the search terms report, Google Ads Help
- About call assets, Google Ads Help
- Target your ads to geographic locations, Google Ads Help
