Help us evaluate what’s working, what’s broken, and where to focus if paid ads are run in the future.
Estimated Time: 30–40 minutes (including access setup)
Step 0: Get Access to Google Ads (Before You Begin)
What to Do:
- Ask the client for access to their Google Ads account.
- Have them go to:
- Google Ads > Tools & Settings > Access and Security
- They should click the blue + button to invite a new user:
- Enter: team gmail (or whatever account you use)
- Access Level: Admin or Standard
- Admin is preferred if we might set up tags or integrations.
- Standard is fine for audit-only access.
- Once they send the invite, accept it via email.
Why This Matters:
Without access, we can’t do anything. It’s crucial that the access is added to the correct account, especially if the client has multiple businesses or managers on file. Admin access ensures we can view billing settings, conversion tracking, and linking setup—parts that are often broken and critical for the audit.
Optional: If the client has access issues or is confused, send them this instruction block:
To give us access to your Google Ads account, log in at ads.google.com, click the gear icon (Tools & Settings) in the top bar, go to Access and Security, click the blue plus (+) button, and invite us using [your email]. Please give Standard or Admin access so we can do a full audit. Let us know once you’ve added us!
Step 1: Account Overview (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- Go to Google Ads > Overview
- Set the date range to Last 30 Days and Last 90 Days
- Note down:
- Conversions
- CPA (Cost per Acquisition)
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
- CTR (Click-through rate)
- Total spend
Why This Matters:
This gives us a high-level snapshot of how the account is performing. If performance is trending down, we know to dig deeper. If they’re spending a lot but conversions are low, we know the account may not be efficient. We’re trying to answer: Are they getting value from their spend?
Also look at campaign types:
- Search, Display, Performance Max, Video, etc.
- This tells us what strategy they’re currently using and whether it’s appropriate for their goals.
Step 2: Campaign Structure & Naming (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- Open the Campaigns tab
- Look at how campaigns are labeled:
- Are they easy to read?
- Do they follow a pattern? (e.g., Search_Brand, Display_Retargeting_Q2)
- Check segmentation:
- Are campaigns broken down by product/service, geo-location, or funnel stage?
- Flag things like:
- Duplicate campaigns
- Unclear naming
- Random paused campaigns
Why This Matters:
A clean structure makes optimization easier and shows strategic thinking. If campaigns are too broad (like one Search campaign for all services and states), it’s hard to see what’s working or scale performance later.
Step 3: Conversion Tracking (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- In Google Ads, go to:
- Tools & Settings > Conversions
- Review:
- Are the active conversion actions relevant (form fills, purchases)?
- Are they marked as “Primary”?
- Are any outdated (ex: “All Visitors” as a conversion)?
- What attribution model is used? (Data-driven preferred)
- In Meta (if applicable):
- Open Events Manager
- Check that the right pixel is installed
- Confirm standard events (like “Lead” or “Purchase”) are set up
- See if they’re firing and matched to ads
Why This Matters:
Conversion tracking is what tells us if the ads are doing their job. Without clean data, nothing else matters. This also affects smart bidding—if conversions aren’t tracking right, automated strategies won’t work correctly.
Step 4: Keywords & Search Terms (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- Go to a Search campaign in Google Ads
- Open Keywords and Search Terms
- Check:
- Are they using broad match, phrase, or exact match?
- Are they targeting high-intent terms (like “book consultation”)?
- Do any irrelevant searches show up? (mark as wasted spend)
- Are negative keywords being used?
Why This Matters:
We’re looking for wasted spend and missed opportunities.
Bad keywords = poor traffic = wasted budget.
Broad match without negatives is a red flag. Also, if search terms are converting, they should be prioritized.
Step 5: Ad Copy & Extensions (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- Open a campaign and review the Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)
- Check:
- Are the headlines and descriptions relevant to the product or service?
- Are they testing multiple variations?
- Is the ad compelling and unique?
- Do they use sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, or other extensions?
Why This Matters:
Good ad copy improves CTR and Quality Score, which lowers CPC. Extensions increase real estate on the search page and can boost performance significantly. Lack of testing or relevance is a sign of poor maintenance.
Step 6: Bidding & Budget Allocation (5 Minutes)
What to Do:
- Look at each campaign’s bidding strategy:
- Manual CPC? Maximize Conversions? Target ROAS?
- Identify:
- Any campaigns limited by budget
- Budgets allocated toward poor-performing campaigns
- Whether campaigns are using appropriate strategies for their goals
Why This Matters:
We want to ensure the client is spending smart. If Google is limiting campaigns or spending most of the budget on low-converting ads, that’s a problem. Also, if they’re using automated bidding with bad tracking, the system can’t optimize effectively.
How to Complete the Competitor Audit Section (10 minutes)
- Search for competitors in the client’s area or niche. Use keywords the client wants to rank for and see who is running ads.
- Check Google and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads. Use tools like:
- Facebook Ad Library
- Google search results for key phrases
- Google Ads Transparency Center (if needed)
- Take note of:
- What platforms they’re active on
- Their ad tone (friendly, urgent, professional, etc.)
- Any common offers (discounts, limited-time promos, bundles)
- Visuals and formats (video, carousel, static images, local search ads)
- Record this in the audit checklist. Paste any relevant links and highlight ways the client can stand out.
Final Output: Audit Recap
At the end, compile a quick doc or presentation slide with:
- Top 3 Opportunities
- Any Tracking/Data Issues
- Quick changes they can implement today (negative keywords, campaign cleanup, etc.)
- Optional scaling ideas or potential directions if ads are launched later
- Recommended Platforms and Budget Options