A Google Ads audit is the process of taking a close look at your current Google campaigns to identify and evaluate their performance. A detailed and well-executed audit will help you to spot any minor or major issues, identify areas for improvement, and provide you with a clear picture of how effective your paid ads are.
It is often the case that an audit will reveal issues you were unaware of, allowing you to focus on how to improve performance and then take action.
What is the purpose of a Google Ads audit?
The ultimate goal when conducting a Google Ads audit is to develop an overall understanding of the current status of your campaigns, ad groups and keywords. An in-depth audit can enable you to make smarter business decisions and drive better results.
Let’s take a look at some more specific examples:
Identify areas that are wasting spend
Return on investment (ROI) will be top of mind for any business owner or PPC account manager. That’s because in digital marketing, there is always a potential to waste budget if a campaign is not fully optimised and up-to-date.
With PPC specifically, things are constantly changing and tools are always developing. This can have an impact on the methods and tactics you are using within your campaigns.
For example, if your tactics are outdated, you could be budgeting inefficiently. An audit helps you to understand where wasteful spending is occurring and how you can re-allocate budget to drive better value.
Update your PPC management processes
To drive maximum ROI and maintain efficiency, you will need to find ways to streamline your management process. An audit can do just that, by identifying any areas that need improvement.
Gain valuable, and actionable campaign insights
An audit can provide you with insight that you can take action on to improve your campaign performance and reach your target audience as a result.
For example, you may spot notable trends and changes occurring over time within an account. An audit can bring to light the metrics that can help you to resonate with your most valuable customers.
Find new PPC opportunities
As digital capabilities continue to develop, you need to constantly be on the ball when it comes to new opportunities to increase returns, drive conversions and reach your target audience at the right time.
Essentially, constant monitoring is key in today’s digital marketplace. An audit can help you to spot things like trending keywords and new, unused ad content types that could take your campaign to the next level.
Do you need a Google Ads audit?
There are a number of reasons why your business may need a Google Ads audit. In fact, we would recommend regular audits to really keep on track.
Ensure your ads are relevant
An ad that performed well once before won’t necessarily perform well in the future. The relevancy of an ad can fade, but with an audit, you can ensure your ads are ‘fresh’ and relevant by spotting any low performers, and then removing or optimising them accordingly.
Ensure you are driving genuine value from your keywords
One key part of the auditing process is analysing the relevance and usefulness of your PPC keywords. An audit can really alert you to the value of each keyword. This can help you to know when it’s the right time to update keywords or focus on new keywords that target your audience more effectively. Identifying the relevant search terms will drive engagement and sales.
Remain in sync with your target audience
An account audit, or better yet, regular account audits, can help you to get to know your target audience. You will be able to spot which ads they engage with the most and align your strategy accordingly.
Optimise budgeting and improve ROI
Without an in-depth Google Ads audit, you may find yourself wasting ad budget on content that doesn’t resonate with your target audience. To really make the most of your budget and drive maximum ROI, you will need to know that what you’re currently doing is working for your business.
Final thoughts
The key to a good audit:
- Identify which aspects you’re going to review
- Understand the importance of what you are reviewing
- Review and document the status of each item within the audit
- Make detailed notes throughout an audit
- Call out examples of items that need to be revisited in the post-audit action plan
- Optimise accordingly
Whilst an audit may seem like a tedious task, they can produce improved results and bigger wins in the long run. Contact our team of PPC experts today if you’re not getting the results you expected. It may be down to an issue within your Google Ads account.