Quick Answer
A complete Google Ads audit examines 23 structural points across campaign architecture, match types, bid strategy, conversion tracking, Performance Max integration, attribution, and feed hygiene. Score each check as pass, fail, or needs proof; cite the account view or export used; then order failed checks by commercial impact. Print this page or save it as a PDF to use it as a working checklist. The source for any platform-setting claim should be confirmed against current Google Ads documentation before a change is made.
Check next
Check the spend leak before changing bids or budget.
Why this article matters: Ad spend, clicks, CPA, or ROAS are not turning into qualified revenue. Budget keeps moving while the account, page, offer, or tracking leak stays hidden. Use the article to check the pattern before raising budget or rebuilding campaigns.
- Separate brand, non-brand, Shopping, Performance Max, and remarketing signals.
- Check landing-page match and tracking before changing bids.
- Open revenue from the ground-truth system, not only platform ROAS.
Campaign architecture (points 1-6)
Brand and non-brand separated. Match types consistent within campaign. Negative keyword lists curated. Budget pacing reviewed in aggregate. Ad groups themed around single intent, not product category. Naming convention identifies purpose at a glance.
Match types and negatives (points 7-11)
Broad match used deliberately, not accidentally. search terms report reviewed weekly. Negative lists prevent cross-campaign competition. Exact match for brand and high-intent commercial only. Close variant matching understood and negated where variants drift from intent.
Bid strategy and conversions (points 12-17)
Bid strategy matches conversion volume. Conversion actions deduplicated. Conversion value passes through to bid signal. Enhanced Conversions enabled where applicable. View-through conversions not inflating claimed ROAS. Offline conversion import wired for B2B and multi-touch. The fast version of point 12 alone is the 20-minute bid-strategy audit: campaign-by-campaign, compare the bid strategy to the trailing 30-day conversion count and flag every mismatch.
Performance Max (points 18-21)
PMax has brand negatives at account level. Asset groups themed by margin tier. Customer list uploaded as audience signal. Search insights reviewed weekly and low-intent query themes negated.
Attribution and tracking (points 22-23)
Google Ads attribution model matches GA4 model. Number claimed to business matches platform number. Attribution mismatch is a common cause of marketing-finance disagreement; resolving it is usually one week of cleanup.
Common Questions
On record.
How long does a full Google Ads audit take?
Stan Consulting delivers the Conversion Marketing Plan in 72 hours from granted account access. The written summary covers all 23 checklist points plus the prioritized fix list.
What is the average wasted spend identified?
There is no universal wasted-spend benchmark. The audit classifies the account's actual queries, placements, conversion signal, and source-of-truth outcomes.
Can I run this audit on my own account?
Yes, the checklist is deliberately public. Self-marketing services catches visible issues; structural review surfaces dependencies between issues, which is where most commercial impact sits.
Is this checklist current for 2026?
Yes. The 23 points are architectural, not tactical. Google product updates change implementation but not the structural categories.
What does the Conversion Marketing Plan add beyond the checklist?
The review adds dependency mapping, commercial impact estimates per fix, and a senior operator's written opinion on the order of operations.
The Engagement Format
Begin with the business problem. Then scope the work.
Share the business problem and the relevant account, page, or store. Scope and price are confirmed after intake.
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