Google Ads Audit Checklist: 30 Checks That Find Wasted Spend
Most Google Ads audits list a hundred checks in random order. This one is ordered by where money is usually wasted, starting with the check that invalidates everything else if it's wrong.
A Google Ads audit should start with conversion tracking, because if the account counts the wrong things as conversions, every other number in it is misleading. After tracking, check search terms, match types and negatives, then campaign structure, bidding, ads, landing pages and settings. This checklist is ordered by where wasted spend most often hides in lead generation accounts.
Key takeaways
- Check tracking first. A wrong conversion definition makes the whole account optimise toward the wrong outcome.
- The search terms report shows where money actually goes. Read it before anything else.
- Too many campaigns for the budget is one of the most common structural problems.
- Location settings and network settings hide surprising waste.
- An audit should end in a short, prioritised fix list, not a hundred-item report.
1. Conversion tracking (check this first)
- Which actions are set as primary conversions? Only real leads (calls from ads, completed form submissions, booked appointments) should be primary.
- Do any primary conversions fire on page loads, button clicks or form views rather than completed actions?
- Are phone calls tracked with a minimum duration, so wrong numbers and hang-ups don't count?
- Are conversions duplicated? For example, the same form counted by both Google Ads and an imported analytics goal.
- Is offline data imported? Qualified leads or closed jobs from your CRM, so bidding learns what a good lead looks like.
- Does the conversion count match reality? Compare the conversions reported last month with the leads your team actually received.
If check 6 fails, stop and fix tracking before changing anything else. In our Pro Drain Cleaning case study, rewiring conversion tracking to count only real leads was the largest single reason cost per lead fell from $716.65 to $90.23.
2. Search terms and keywords
- Read the search terms report for the last 30–90 days. What share of spend went to searches that could never become customers?
- Are broad match keywords running without enough conversion data for automation to target well?
- Are there negative keyword lists, applied at campaign or account level, for jobs, DIY, free, training, competitors (if you don't want them) and irrelevant services?
- Are keywords grouped by intent, so each group can have specific ads and landing pages?
- Are high-spend keywords converting? List the top 20 by cost and check conversions for each.
3. Campaign structure
- How many campaigns share the budget? Too many campaigns means none gets enough data to optimise.
- Do campaigns compete for the same searches? Overlapping keywords across campaigns split data and can raise costs.
- Is brand separated from non-brand? Mixing them makes non-brand performance look better than it is.
- Is Performance Max running alongside Search without brand exclusions or an understanding of what it's taking credit for?
Want this audit run on your account? We'll go through tracking, search terms and structure on a free strategy call and give you the top three fixes. Book it.
Related: Running a service business? Our Google Ads playbook for service businesses shows how a clean account should be set up, so you can compare it with what the audit finds.
4. Bidding and budget
- Does the bid strategy match the data volume? Target CPA and Target ROAS need a steady flow of conversions to work well.
- Has the bid strategy been changed recently? Frequent changes restart learning.
- Are campaigns limited by budget while others underspend?
- Is there a sensible target CPA, based on what a lead is worth? (Our cost per lead calculator works it out.)
5. Ads and assets
- Does each ad group have at least one strong responsive search ad with headlines that match the keywords?
- Are call, sitelink, callout and structured snippet assets set up and accurate?
- Is the call asset showing during hours someone actually answers?
- Do ads make claims the landing page backs up?
6. Landing pages
- Does each campaign send traffic to a relevant page, not just the homepage?
- Does the page load quickly on mobile?
- Is the phone number tappable and the form short?
- Does the page match the ad's promise and the search intent?
7. Settings
- Location targeting: is it set to people in your target area, or also people "interested in" it? The "presence or interest" option can serve ads to people far outside your service area.
- Networks: are Search campaigns also running on the Display Network or search partners without you deciding they should?
- Ad schedule: are you paying for clicks at hours nobody can answer a call?
If the audit points to the agency rather than the account, our guide to Google Ads management cost explains how to compare what you're paying for.
Turning the audit into action
An audit is only useful if it produces a short list. Rank findings by money wasted and ease of fixing:
| Priority | Typical findings |
|---|---|
| Fix this week | Broken or inflated conversion tracking; obvious irrelevant search terms; location setting errors |
| Fix this month | Structure consolidation; negative keyword lists; landing page mismatch |
| Test next | Bid strategy changes, new ad copy, new campaigns |
Change a few things at a time so you can see what each change did.
Frequently asked questions
What should a Google Ads audit include?
Conversion tracking accuracy, the search terms report, keyword match types and negatives, campaign structure, bidding and budgets, ads and assets, landing pages, and settings such as location targeting, networks and ad schedule.
How often should I audit my Google Ads account?
A full audit every few months, and a quick weekly check of search terms, spend and conversions. Audit immediately if cost per lead jumps or lead quality drops.
What's the most common Google Ads mistake?
Conversion tracking that counts the wrong things, such as page views, button clicks or duplicate conversions. The bidding system then optimises toward the wrong outcome, and every report looks better than reality.
Can I audit my own Google Ads account?
Yes. Start with tracking and the search terms report, which reveal most waste. An outside audit helps when you don't have time, or when you want a second opinion from someone without a stake in the current setup.
How do I find wasted spend in Google Ads?
Read the search terms report for irrelevant queries, check spend on keywords with no conversions, review location and network settings, and confirm conversion tracking counts only real leads.
Want an outside view of your Google Ads account? We'll audit it on a free strategy call and tell you the three changes most likely to cut your cost per lead.
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