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Google Ads · Audit

A Google Ads audit checklist you can run yourself

Start with tracking, because every other decision depends on it. Then work through settings, keywords, ads, bidding and landing pages.

Audit tracking before anything else

Settings leaks waste the most money

Judge results by cost per lead

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The short answer

A Google Ads audit checks whether your account measures the right results, spends money only on relevant searches, and sends clicks to pages that convert. Work in this order: conversion tracking, account access, campaign settings, structure, keywords and search terms, ads and assets, bidding and budgets, landing pages, and reporting. Tracking comes first because if conversions are wrong, every bid, keyword and budget decision built on them is wrong too.

Use the checklist below with the last 90 days of data. Each item is a yes-or-no check. Anything marked no goes on a fix list, ordered by how much money it is likely wasting.

1. Conversion tracking

  • Every lead action is tracked: form submissions, calls from ads, calls from the website and booked appointments.
  • Each conversion action has been tested recently with a real form fill and a real call.
  • Only real business results are set as primary conversions. Page views, scrolls and button clicks are secondary or removed.
  • Conversions are not double counted, for example a thank-you page tag and a form event firing for the same lead.
  • Calls are counted only when they last long enough to be real, not every two-second hang-up.
  • Enhanced conversions are on, so Google can match more conversions using hashed customer data.
  • If sales happen offline, closed deals or qualified leads are imported back from your CRM.
  • The conversion count in Google Ads roughly matches the leads your team actually received.

2. Account access and ownership

  • Your business owns the account and at least one person at your company has admin access.
  • Former staff and former agencies have been removed.
  • Billing is in the business name and ad spend is visible separately from any management fee.
  • Google Analytics is linked, and auto-tagging is on.

3. Campaign settings

  • Search campaigns do not include the Display Network unless that was a deliberate choice.
  • Search partners are reviewed: kept only if they produce leads at an acceptable cost.
  • Location targeting matches your service area, and the location option is set to people in or regularly in your area where that suits you, rather than people merely interested in it.
  • Ad schedule matches the hours you can answer the phone.
  • Device performance has been checked, and bids adjusted if one device converts poorly.
  • Auto-applied recommendations are reviewed. Turn off any that change keywords, ads or bidding without your review.
  • Optimization score is treated as Google’s to-do list, not a measure of performance.

4. Structure

  • Each campaign has one goal and one budget you would manage separately, such as one per service or location.
  • Ad groups are tightly themed so ads and landing pages can match the searches.
  • Brand and non-brand searches are in separate campaigns, so branded clicks do not hide weak results elsewhere.
  • No campaign is starved of budget while another wastes it.

5. Keywords and search terms

  • The search terms report has been reviewed in the last week, and irrelevant terms added as negatives.
  • Shared negative keyword lists cover jobs, free, DIY, training and other common wasted searches for your industry.
  • Broad match keywords are used only with Smart Bidding and solid conversion data, and their search terms are watched closely.
  • Keywords with significant spend and no conversions are paused or rewritten.
  • Quality Score components (expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience) are checked for your top-spending keywords, and below-average ones have a plan.

Want a second opinion on your ads?

Book a free 30-minute call. We look at your current ads or your plans, your website and your market, and tell you what we would change first. No obligation. Pick a time.

6. Ads and assets

  • Every ad group has at least one responsive search ad with a range of distinct headlines.
  • Ad strength is reviewed but not chased at the cost of clarity; headlines mention the service, the area and a reason to act.
  • Pinned headlines are used sparingly.
  • Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets and call assets are set up and current.
  • The business location is linked so location assets can show.
  • Offers, prices and promotions in ads are still accurate.

7. Bidding and budgets

  • The bid strategy fits the data. Target CPA and other Smart Bidding strategies need a steady flow of accurate conversions.
  • Targets are realistic: a target cost per lead set far below actual results simply stops delivery.
  • Campaigns limited by budget are the ones producing leads, not the ones wasting money.
  • Budgets reflect seasonality and staffing, such as cutting back when the team is fully booked.

8. Landing pages

  • Each ad group sends traffic to a page about that specific service, not the home page.
  • Pages load quickly on a phone.
  • The phone number is tappable and the form is short.
  • The page repeats the promise in the ad and shows reviews, photos or credentials.
  • Forms actually deliver to someone who responds quickly; test them.

For what a good page includes, see landing page vs homepage for ads and our conversion rate tips.

9. Reporting

  • Reports show spend, leads and cost per lead by campaign, not just clicks and impressions.
  • Lead quality is recorded: how many became customers, by campaign where possible.
  • Changes are logged, so you can connect results to what was done.

How to prioritize what you find

  1. Fix tracking first. Until conversions are accurate, hold off on major bidding or budget changes.
  2. Plug leaks next: Display Network on search campaigns, wrong locations, wrong hours and missing negatives.
  3. Then improve relevance: structure, ads and landing pages.
  4. Revisit bidding last, once the data feeding it is clean.

Repeat a full audit every quarter, and the search terms and budget checks every week.

How JLB USA can help

JLB USA has run marketing for growing businesses for more than 15 years, with 500+ clients and 1,000+ projects. Our Google Ads management covers these checks as routine, with weekly adjustments, more often early in a campaign.

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Pick a time. We look at what you have now with you and tell you what we would change first. No obligation.

Prefer to talk now? Call 954-539-5678, or send the form and we’ll contact you.

Questions we hear

How often should a Google Ads account be audited?

Run a full audit every quarter and whenever results change sharply. Review search terms, negatives and budgets every week.

What should I check first in a Google Ads audit?

Conversion tracking. If conversions are missing, duplicated or counting the wrong actions, every other decision is built on bad data.

Does a high optimization score mean my account is healthy?

No. Optimization score is Google’s estimate of how well the account is set up to perform, based on its own recommendations. It does not measure whether your ads produce profitable leads.

Should search campaigns include the Display Network?

Usually not for lead generation. Display clicks tend to be lower intent. If you want display ads, run them in a separate campaign.

Can I audit my own Google Ads account?

Yes. Work through this checklist with 90 days of data. An outside review is useful when you lack time or want a second opinion on tracking and structure.

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