PPC audit
A PPC audit that tells you what is wrong, in what order to fix it, and what it is costing you
A paid, independent review of your Google Ads, Microsoft, Meta or LinkedIn accounts, delivered as a written report with every finding ranked by financial impact. Read-only access is enough. It is yours to act on, with or without me, and it is credited against the first month if you continue.
What a PPC audit usually uncovers
Measurement that cannot be trusted
Duplicated conversion actions, phone clicks counted as enquiries, GA4 and Google Ads disagreeing by 40%. Everything the account has learned is built on this, so it comes first.
Wasted spend with a number attached
Search terms that should have been negatives months ago, PMax harvesting brand, display placements nobody chose, geographies outside the service area. The report puts a monthly pound figure on each.
Structure that fights the business
Campaigns organised by whoever built them rather than by margin, service line or intent, so budget flows to the easy conversions instead of the valuable ones.
The page after the click
The landing page reviewed as part of the account, because it usually is the largest single lever and the one nobody who runs the ads has touched.
What the audit covers
- Measurement. Conversion actions, GA4 events, Tag Manager, Consent Mode, CRM reconciliation. What is counted, what is double-counted, what is missing.
- Search terms and match types. The last 90 days of queries against the negatives that exist, with the waste quantified.
- Structure and bidding. Campaign and ad group logic, budget allocation, Smart Bidding readiness, brand and competitor handling.
- Performance Max and automation. What the automated campaigns are actually doing, and whether the reported results survive brand exclusion.
- Ads and landing pages. Message match, page speed, forms, phone tracking, the test history if any.
- Microsoft, Meta and LinkedIn where they are in scope, with the same rigour.
The deliverable is a written document with findings ranked by financial impact, each with the fix, who should do it and how to confirm it worked, plus a walkthrough call. Typically 5 to 7 working days from access.
Why the audit is paid
Free audits are sales documents: they find whatever supports the retainer being sold. A paid audit can say "your agency is doing a good job, here are the three remaining gains" and often does. The price is fixed and quoted from the form, based on account size and how many platforms are in scope. It is the same price whether or not you go on to work with me, and it is credited against the first month if you do.
Questions people ask before hiring
How much does a PPC audit cost?
A fixed price quoted from the form, based on monthly spend, number of campaigns and platforms in scope, in pounds ex VAT. It is credited against the first month of management if you hire me afterwards. See pricing for the models.
What access do you need?
Read-only access to Google Ads, GA4 and Tag Manager, and to any other platform in scope. Nothing is changed during the audit.
Do I have to hire you afterwards?
No. Many audits are implemented by the client's own team or their existing agency. The report is written so that it can be.
Will you tell me if my agency is doing a good job?
Yes, in writing. I have no retainer to win by criticising them, and a fair audit that confirms the agency is competent is still useful: it tells you where the remaining gains are.
How long does it take?
Usually 5 to 7 working days from access, with the walkthrough call in the week after.
Related services
Get the audit quoted
Spend band, platforms and what you suspect. You get a fixed price and a delivery date in the reply.