Google Ads audit: find out if your ads are making you money
Most businesses running paid ads have the same problem: spend is going out, results are coming in, but nobody is confident the two are connected. Campaigns were set up months or years ago. Platforms have changed. The account structure that made sense in 2022 is costing money now.
- This is not about finding fault. It is about finding the gap between what you are spending and what you could be getting.
- A commercial review across Google Ads, Meta Ads and TikTok Ads. Not a platform checklist.
- Every finding validated against your actual business context, not just platform benchmarks.
- A 30/60/90 day roadmap your team can execute from day one.
Watch: the 10 step Google Ads audit that got a lead gen site 90% more leads
This is the exact audit I run on Google Ads accounts. I walk through all 10 steps on a real lead generation account. That account went on to win 90% more leads.
In this video:
- Why conversion tracking is always step one.
- How search terms and negative keywords stop wasted spend.
- How bids, match types, ads and landing pages fit together.
Three platforms. One review.
Every audit starts with your commercial goals, not platform dashboards. Experience across ecommerce, financial services, retail, energy, luxury, pharma, charity and B2B SaaS.
- ›Campaign architecture: Search, Shopping, Performance Max, Display and YouTube
- ›Keyword match types, negative keyword coverage and search term waste
- ›Quality Score analysis and landing page relevance
- ›Bidding strategy: manual vs automated, target CPA/ROAS alignment
- ›Conversion tracking setup, attribution model and data quality
- ›Budget pacing, ad scheduling and impression share analysis
- ›Audience targeting and remarketing list coverage
- ›Performance Max: asset group structure, signals and cannibalisation risk
- ›Competitor benchmarking and auction insights review
- ›Campaign objective alignment with business goal
- ›Audience structure: cold, warm and retargeting layers
- ›Pixel health, event setup and Conversions API implementation
- ›Creative review: video, static and carousel performance by format
- ›Advantage+ vs manual campaign performance
- ›Frequency, fatigue indicators and creative refresh cadence
- ›Attribution window settings and cross-channel data conflicts
- ›iOS 14+ signal loss impact and first-party data strategy
- ›Landing page alignment with creative messaging
- ›Campaign structure and objective configuration
- ›Creative performance: hook rate, hold rate and completion rate analysis
- ›Audience targeting: interest, behavioural and lookalike layers
- ›TikTok Pixel and Events API setup and accuracy
- ›Spark Ads vs paid creative performance comparison
- ›UGC and creator content effectiveness benchmarks
- ›Top of funnel vs conversion campaign balance
- ›Budget allocation and bidding strategy review
- ›Cross-platform attribution consistency with Google and Meta
How the audit works
A manual review from a consultant who has audited Harrods, Nationwide, Avis, Hastings Direct, OVO Energy and Macmillan Cancer Support. No junior analysts. No auto-generated reports.
30 minutes to understand your business model, goals and current performance. I agree what good looks like before the audit starts, so every finding is measured against your specific commercial targets.
- Business model review
- Current performance baseline
- Key commercial goals
View-only access to your ad platforms and analytics. Nothing gets changed without your sign-off. Your account data stays between us.
- Google Ads
- Meta Business Manager
- TikTok Ads Manager
- GA4 and analytics
Every campaign, ad group, audience, creative and conversion signal reviewed manually. Platform by platform, then cross-channel to see how Google, Meta and TikTok interact.
- Campaign architecture
- Bidding and budget review
- Creative performance
- Attribution and tracking
A report structured by commercial impact, not platform jargon. You get a clear view of where your money is going, what is working, and what to change.
- Priority matrix
- Platform-by-platform findings
- Cross-channel attribution review
A 60-minute call to walk through findings together. You leave knowing exactly what to fix and in what order. Recorded and shared with your team.
- Findings walkthrough
- Questions and pressure-testing
- Recording shared
A 30/60/90 day roadmap your team or agency can execute from day one. Quick wins in the first 30 days. Structural improvements in 60. Strategic changes by 90.
- 30 day quick wins
- 60 day structural fixes
- 90 day strategic changes
Five outputs. Built to act on.
Every finding is mapped to a commercial outcome, ranked by priority and given a specific recommendation. Structured for action, not for filing.
Every issue ranked across three dimensions: revenue impact, effort to fix and time sensitivity. Your team has a clear sequence to work through.
Separate sections for Google Ads, Meta and TikTok. Each shareable independently with whoever owns that platform in your business.
One of the most overlooked areas in paid media. I review how your platforms interact, where data conflicts exist and where credit is being misassigned. For businesses running multiple platforms, this section alone typically pays for the audit.
Sequenced to deliver results while larger fixes are in progress. Your team or agency can execute from day one.
A 60-minute call to walk through findings, answer questions and pressure-test recommendations against your specific business constraints. Recorded and shared.
Who this audit is for
For businesses already spending on paid advertising who want an independent expert view on whether that spend is configured correctly. Not for brands starting from scratch.
Brands spending £5k/month or more on Google or Meta. Particularly useful before peak trading periods.
Compliance-sensitive paid campaigns that need a specialist eye on targeting, creative and attribution.
Businesses where cost per acquisition needs to be tightly controlled and spend efficiency is a board-level concern.
Brands optimising for lifetime value, not just acquisition. Where the post-acquisition journey is as important as the ad.
Teams wanting an independent view before presenting performance to the board, or who have changed agency and need to understand what they have inherited.
Who have inherited a paid media setup and need to understand its health before committing to strategy or budget changes.
Real experience across complex accounts
This is not a generalist agency using audits as a door opener. Paid advertising is a core specialism at CXConversion.
Ecommerce, Retail, Financial Services, Luxury, Pharma, Energy and Utilities, Charities, B2B SaaS and Public Sector. Every sector has different conversion patterns.
Google Partner, Meta Business Partner and TikTok Ads certified. Platforms reviewed independently and cross-channel.
Harrods, Avis, Nationwide, Hastings Direct, Aviva Investors, OVO Energy, British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, Bacardi and more.
Google Ads audit questions
What does a Google Ads audit include?
I check how your campaigns are set up and which searches you pay for. I check bids, budgets, ads, landing pages and tracking. I also review Meta and TikTok if you run them. You get a ranked list of fixes and a 30/60/90 day plan.
How long does the audit take?
Most audits take 10 to 14 working days from the day you give me read only access. You then get a 60 minute live debrief with me.
Will you change anything in my account?
No. I only need read only access. Nothing changes unless you or your team decide to make the change.
Who is this audit for?
Businesses that already spend on Google Ads and want an independent view. It suits lead generation and ecommerce brands spending £5k a month or more. If you sell online and want profit by product and customer, the ecommerce paid ads audit is the better fit.
What happens after the audit?
You keep the report and the roadmap. Some clients run it with their own team. Others ask me for coaching or hands on help. That is your choice, and I will tell you if you don't need me.
Where to go next
These fix the problems that often show up next. Or read more about me first.
Harrods
Avis
Nationwide
Aviva Investors
Bacardi
Timberland
New Look
British Heart Foundation
OVO Energy
Macmillan Cancer Support
Smith & Nephew
EON Next
Hastings Direct
Philip Morris International