Google Ads Audit Checklist: 30 Points to Review

A Google Ads audit checklist helps you find where money leaks out of an account that is already running. Work through these 30 points in five blocks, scoring each as fine, adjust or critical. Set aside two to three hours and make sure you have admin access.

Block 1: conversion tracking (items 1 to 6)

Start here, because everything else depends on measuring correctly. Automated bidding optimizes toward whatever you marked as a conversion.

1. Is there at least one primary conversion that reflects a real sales contact, such as a submitted quote form or a WhatsApp click?
2. Are soft actions, such as page views, set as secondary so they do not distort bidding?
3. Does each event fire once per submission? Test it yourself.
4. Are calls above a minimum duration counted?
5. Are conversions linked to Google Analytics and your CRM, or at least imported offline?
6. Do the conversion window and assigned value fit your sales cycle?

Block 2: account structure (items 7 to 12)

1. Are campaigns split by product or service line rather than lumped into one?
2. Are brand campaigns separated from generic ones?
3. Do ad groups contain tightly related keywords?
4. Is Search separated from Display?
5. Are search partners turned off if they bring nothing?
6. Do campaign names follow a consistent pattern for reporting?

Block 3: keywords and search terms (items 13 to 19)

The search terms report is where audits usually find the biggest waste. Review the last 90 days.

1. Are job seekers, free downloads or DIY searches eating budget?
2. Is the negative keyword list reviewed monthly?
3. Are recurring junk terms blocked at account level?
4. Are broad, phrase and exact match used deliberately?
5. Have keywords with many clicks and zero conversions been paused or re-examined?
6. Is the Quality Score of core keywords above 6?
7. Do you cover long-tail buying terms such as supplier, manufacturer or quote?

Block 4: ads and landing pages (items 20 to 25)

1. Does every ad group have at least one responsive search ad with varied headlines?
2. Do headlines include the keyword and a genuine differentiator?
3. Are sitelink, call, location and structured snippet assets active?
4. Does the landing page match the search, rather than dumping traffic on the homepage?
5. Does the page load quickly on mobile and does the form work?
6. Do the ad promise and the page message agree?

Block 5: bidding, budget and targeting (items 26 to 30)

1. Does the bid strategy match your conversion volume? Target-based bidding needs enough data.
2. Is the daily budget capping campaigns that perform well?
3. Does location targeting use presence rather than interest when you serve specific regions?
4. Have schedules and devices been analyzed and adjusted?
5. Is there a monthly review routine with a named owner?

How to prioritize your findings

Fix critical items in block 1 first: without reliable conversions, every optimization is a guess. Next, cut waste found in search terms, which pays back immediately. Only then touch bids and structure.

Document the audit so you do not repeat it

Log each item, its score, the action taken and the date in a spreadsheet. At the next review you compare progress instead of starting over, and whoever takes the account later can see what has already been tested.

If the account came from a previous manager, also check the change history and confirm who has access. If you want a second opinion on paid ads management, an outside audit usually takes just a few days.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I audit Google Ads?

A full audit each quarter plus a light monthly check of search terms and budget is usually enough.

What is the first thing to check?

Conversion tracking. If it is wrong, automated bidding optimizes for the wrong outcome.