A Google Ads audit checklist gives you a fixed order of checks, so you find the leaks in an account before you add budget to it. These 15 checks run from the data your decisions rest on, through settings and structure, to the numbers that show whether spend is working.
In this guide: Tracking and Data | Settings and Structure | Keywords and Search Terms | Ads and Assets | Bids, Budget and Reporting | How to Prioritise What You Find | How Often to Audit | Frequently Asked Questions | Final Thoughts
Work through them in order. A broken conversion setup in check 1 makes every later number unreliable, so fix problems as you find them.
Tracking and Data
1. Conversion actions match real outcomes. Open Goals, then Conversions, and list every action. Primary actions should be leads, calls or sales. Page views or button clicks counted as primary conversions inflate results and mislead bidding. Our guide to tracking conversions in Google Ads shows how to set them up.
2. Each conversion fires once and has recorded recently. Check the status column and submit a test enquiry. A tag that fires twice doubles your reported results.
3. Lead quality flows back into the account. If leads close offline, import those outcomes. Google describes enhanced conversions for leads as an upgraded version of offline conversion import that adds hashed customer data for more accurate reporting.
Settings and Structure
4. Network settings match your plan. A Search campaign that also serves on other networks spreads budget across very different traffic. Switch networks off unless you chose them.
5. Location options are deliberate. Check whether ads can show to people who only show interest in a location, and change it if that is not what you want.
6. Auto-apply is under control. Google’s page on recommendations explains that auto-apply makes selected changes automatically and that you can turn it off at any time. Review which types are on.
Keywords and Search Terms
7. The search terms report is reviewed. Look for irrelevant queries, add negatives and promote converting queries to keywords. Our walkthrough of the search terms report covers the routine.
8. Keywords do not compete with each other. Similar keywords across ad groups and campaigns can split impressions and muddy the data. Consolidate where the intent is the same.
9. Quality Score components are checked. Sort keywords by the three components, expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience, and fix the lowest first. See how Quality Score affects your costs.
Ads and Assets
10. Every ad group has at least two responsive search ads. Google recommends two or more per ad group, each with Good or Excellent ad strength and a unique final URL.
11. Assets are added and approved. Sitelinks, callouts and structured snippets cost nothing to add and give Google more to show with each ad.
12. Landing pages match the ads. Click each ad’s final URL on a phone. The headline, offer and form should match the promise in the ad, and the page should load quickly.
Bids, Budget and Reporting
13. The bid strategy fits the data. Smart strategies need conversion history. If volume is low, a simpler approach may suit better, as covered in our guide to Google Ads bidding strategies.
14. Budget limits are visible. Check which campaigns are limited by budget and how much impression share they lose. The guide to impression share explains what the numbers mean.
15. Reporting uses outcomes. Compare periods by conversions, cost per conversion and conversion value. Clicks and impressions alone show activity rather than results.
How to Prioritise What You Find
An audit usually turns up more problems than you can fix in one sitting. Sort them by how much money they put at risk and how little effort they take.
- Fix broken tracking first. Every other decision relies on it, so nothing outranks it.
- Stop obvious waste next. Add negative keywords for irrelevant searches and pause ads or keywords that spend without results.
- Repair settings that limit reach. Network, location and budget settings are quick to change and affect everything below them.
- Improve ads and landing pages. These take longer but lift results across the account.
- Test bigger changes last. New bid strategies and restructures are easier to judge once the basics are clean.
Write each finding down with the date and the change you made. A short log lets you see what moved results later and stops you from repeating a fix that did not help.
How Often to Audit
A full audit once a quarter suits most accounts. A lighter weekly check keeps problems from building up between audits: spend against budget, conversion volume, search terms and any disapproved ads. Run an extra audit after a major change such as a new website, a new offer or a switch in bid strategy, since these often break tracking or shift traffic.
If you manage the account yourself, ask someone with fresh eyes to review it now and then. Habits you formed early can hide issues that an outsider spots in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I audit a Google Ads account?
A full audit suits a new account, an agency handover or a clear drop in results. Lighter checks of conversions, search terms and budget limits fit a weekly or monthly routine.
What should I fix first?
Anything that affects tracking. Every bid, budget and keyword decision depends on the conversion data being right.
Final Thoughts
An audit is only useful if it ends in a short list of changes with an owner and a date. Work from the top of this checklist, record what you changed and compare results after a full conversion cycle.
Want expert help with your account? See our Google Ads management service.