The Google Ads Audit Checklist I Use Before Touching an Account

Before changing anything in a new account, I run the same audit. It takes a few hours and it almost always finds enough waste to fund the improvements. You can run most of this yourself.

Conversions

• Is every counted conversion a real inquiry, or are page views and short calls included?
• Is there a call duration threshold?
• Are duplicate conversions double counting the same lead?
• Which conversions are set as primary for bidding?

Search terms

• Pull 90 days of search terms sorted by cost
• Flag every term for a service you do not offer
• Flag DIY, salary, jobs, free and parts related terms
• Check how much total spend went to terms with zero conversions

Structure

• Are high value and low value services sharing a budget?
• Is Performance Max cannibalizing branded search?
• Are budgets capped on campaigns that convert best?

Geography and scheduling

• Does targeting match the areas you actually serve?
• Is presence targeting used rather than interest targeting?
• Are ads running when nobody answers?

Ads and landing pages

• Do ads mention the specific service and area?
• Is there any qualifying language about scope or minimums?
• Does the landing page match the promise of the ad?
• Is the phone number and form visible without scrolling on mobile?

If you work through that list and act on what you find, most underperforming service business accounts improve materially before a single new dollar is added to the budget.