Our expert 10-Point Google Ads Audit Framework

When it comes to paid search, the devil isn’t just in the data – it’s in the setup. Every week, we dive into new client Google Ads accounts, and we see it time and time again: critical missteps that quietly bleed budgets dry. If you're a business owner or marketing lead looking to scale smarter, not just spend faster, this one's for you.

We've distilled our experience into a 10-point audit framework that reveals what separates high-performing Google Ads accounts from money pits. Whether you're managing campaigns in-house or through an agency, understanding these checkpoints could be the difference between modest returns and major profit. Let's break it down.

1. Conversion Tracking Accuracy

If you're not measuring accurately, you're not optimising correctly. We often see duplicated conversion actions, missing enhanced conversions, and poorly assigned values. One ecommerce beauty brand we audited thought they were generating a 4.2x ROAS. In reality? It was 2.1x. Why? Because every purchase was being double-counted.

Takeaway: Check your conversion actions in Google Ads and Google Analytics. If values aren’t lining up, it’s likely a misconfiguration. Don’t just trust the dashboard – test every touchpoint.

2. Campaign Structure

Your campaign structure is your playbook. It determines everything from budget efficiency to reporting clarity. We often see branded and non-branded terms lumped together, which distorts true performance and eats into acquisition budgets.

Takeaway: Separate your branded and non-branded campaigns. Allocate budgets based on lifecycle intent, and make sure campaigns don’t overlap in keyword targeting. This ensures clean data and maximised spend efficiency.

3. Negative Keyword Strategy

Negative keywords are your safeguard against irrelevant traffic. Yet many brands neglect this vital list. One homeware brand was spending thousands on clicks like "free bedside table plans" or "dresser DIY images."

Takeaway: Audit your search terms report weekly. Add negatives like "free," "images," "cheap," or "reviews" if they don’t align with your goals. It’s the quickest win for most businesses.

4. Quality Score Review:

Quality Score is Google's way of telling you if your ads are relevant. Anything below 6/10 is inflating your cost-per-click. One SaaS client reduced CPCs by 30% after we aligned ad copy with landing page copy and improved load speed.

Takeaway: Focus on keyword-to-ad relevance and the landing page experience. Tools like Google's Ad Preview and PageSpeed Insights are invaluable here.

5. Device-Level Performance:

Mobile and desktop don’t perform equally. Yet many accounts have identical bids for both. One fashion retailer we worked with saw mobile convert 71% worse than desktop, but budget allocation was 50/50.

Takeaway: Segment by device in reporting. Adjust bids accordingly. You might find mobile needs separate landing pages or even reduced spend.

6. Bid Strategy:

Automated bidding can work wonders – if you've got the volume. Too many accounts run "Target ROAS" with barely enough conversions to give the algorithm direction. For one lead gen brand averaging under 20 conversions a month, switching to "Maximise Conversions" led to a 48% performance lift.

Takeaway: Don't set it and forget it. Choose bid strategies that match your data volume and business objectives. Not sure which is best? Start manual and test.

7. Ad Copy & Creative:

Generic ads underperform. Every. Single. Time. A client using vague headlines like "Great Value Products" swapped in "Luxury Bedding for Less Than £30" and saw a 42% jump in click-through rate.

Takeaway: Be product-specific, emotionally resonant, and customer-oriented. Talk like your audience thinks. And test multiple versions consistently.

8. Audience Targeting:

Audience data is gold, but most brands barely touch it. We regularly see remarketing lists unsegmented or even missing entirely. Why retarget a 90-day window the same way you'd retarget someone who bounced this morning?

Takeaway: Build segmented remarketing lists: 1-7 days, 8-30 days, 31-90 days. Tailor ads to each segment’s mindset. Also, utilise Customer Match with email lists for high-intent targeting.

9. Budget Allocation:

Some campaigns just perform better. One supplement client saw 70% of all conversions from just 30% of their budget. A quick reallocation turned their 3.1x ROAS into 5.8x.

Takeaway: Review budget allocation monthly. Use data to inform decisions. Don’t split evenly – split smartly.

10. Landing Page Experience:

You can have perfect ads and still burn budget if the landing page underperforms. Bounce rates over 50%? Slow loading times? No clear CTA? It’s all costing you.

Takeaway: Ensure your pages load in under 3 seconds, are mobile optimised, and directly relevant to the ad copy. A/B test high-traffic pages regularly.

Why This Matters Running Google Ads without this level of scrutiny is like trying to win Formula 1 with a flat tire. You can drive, sure – but you’re never going to win. If you’re serious about scaling, these aren’t "nice-to-haves." They’re the backbone of profitable acquisition. Whether you work with an agency or go solo, ensure your account is benchmarked against this framework.

If you're interested in a free audit or just want to talk through what you've got running, we're happy to help. No hard pitch, no fluff. Just real data, real insight, and real conversations. Ready to stop guessing and start scaling?