The checklist
Every Google Ads account tells a story — and the first job is figuring out whether it is a success story or a cautionary tale.
Before making any changes, I run the same audit process on every new account. It helps me identify wasted spend, missed opportunities, and the quickest wins for performance improvement.
Here is the checklist I use every time.
1. Campaign structure
Start with the foundations.
Are campaigns organised logically by product, service, audience, or goal? A messy structure makes optimisation harder and reporting less meaningful.
A clean account should make it obvious what each campaign is trying to achieve.
2. Conversion tracking
If tracking is wrong, every decision after that is compromised.
Check that conversions are firing correctly, values are accurate, and attribution settings align with business goals. Too many accounts optimise toward incomplete or misleading data.
Reliable measurement is non-negotiable.
3. Search terms and keyword quality
Look at what people are actually searching.
Are keywords aligned with intent? Are irrelevant terms slipping through? Search term reports often reveal wasted spend that can be fixed immediately with stronger negative keyword lists.
This is usually where quick savings are found.
4. Ad relevance and messaging
Review whether ads match the audience’s intent.
Strong ads speak directly to the problem being solved, not just the product being sold. Check for weak calls to action, generic copy, and inconsistent messaging.
Relevance improves both click-through rates and conversion rates.
5. Budget allocation
Where is the money going?
Identify campaigns consuming budget without delivering results. Then compare against high-performing campaigns that may be underfunded.
Budget should follow opportunity, not habit.
6. Landing page experience
Ads do not convert in isolation.
A strong campaign can still underperform if the landing page is slow, unclear, or disconnected from the ad promise. Review page speed, clarity, trust signals, and conversion flow.
Often the issue is not the ads — it is the destination.
The takeaway
An audit is not about finding faults for the sake of it. It is about uncovering leverage.
The best audits create a roadmap for smarter decisions, better efficiency, and stronger results.
Before scaling any Google Ads account, make sure the fundamentals are working first. That is where sustainable growth begins.
Jayne Hamilton
Digital marketing strategist. Building at the intersection of AI, SEO, and real business growth.
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