iLoopWorld Web
Google Ads

Google Ads Audit 2025: A Step-by-Step Guide for Better Ad Performance

Digital marketer performing a Google Ads audit with charts and campaign metrics on screen, representing ad performance improvement.
July 26, 2025 No Comment

Running Google Ads in 2025 is more advanced and competitive than ever. With Google introducing AI-powered tools, Performance Max campaigns, and smart bidding algorithms, advertisers must continuously evaluate and optimize their accounts. That’s where a Google Ads Audit becomes crucial.

A Google Ads audit is a detailed check-up of your account, campaigns, keywords, ad copy, conversions, and more. It’s the best way to identify what’s working, what’s not, and where to optimize for better Google Ads performance. According to recent industry data, businesses waste up to 25% of their Google Ads budget due to poor targeting and inefficient bidding strategies. A proper audit helps recover that lost value.

A clean and logical account structure is the foundation of a successful Google Ads campaign. Start by checking:
  • Are campaigns properly segmented by objective or product category?
  • Are campaign names consistent and descriptive?
  • Are you using the right campaign types? (Search, Display, Shopping, Video, Performance Max)
Example: A digital agency reduced 15% wasted spend by splitting a single broad campaign into separate ones by product category and device targeting.
Tip: In 2025, Performance Max campaigns have become more prevalent. Ensure they’re not cannibalizing traffic from search or display campaigns. Check for keyword overlap and monitor performance by asset group.

Step 2: Audit Keyword Strategy and Match Types

Keywords are the heart of your campaigns. To audit your Google Ads keyword strategy, follow these steps:

  • Download and review your Search Terms Report.
  • Identify irrelevant queries and add them as negative keywords.
  • Optimize keyword match types (Broad, Phrase, Exact).

2025 Update: Google has further blended match types. Phrase match now behaves almost like a broad match. Prioritize high-intent keywords that drive conversions and avoid duplication across ad groups.

Tool Tip: Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze competitors’ keyword gaps and refine your list.

Step 3: Analyze Ad Copy and Creative Assets

Next, audit your Responsive Search Ads (RSAs). RSAs are the default ad type in 2025, offering multiple headline and description combinations.

  • Are your headlines and descriptions unique and relevant?
  • Are strong CTAs included (e.g., "Shop Now," "Get a Free Quote")?
  • Are top-performing assets being reused in new campaigns?

Example: A home services business increased CTR by 20% by switching generic headlines like “Best Plumbing” to benefit-driven ones like “24/7 Emergency Plumbing – Book Now.”

Tip: A/B test asset combinations. Pause low-performing headlines and rotate new ones quarterly.

Step 4: Check Bidding Strategies and Budget Allocation

Choosing the right bidding strategy is key to achieving your campaign goals.

  • Are you using Smart Bidding (e.g., Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions)?
  • Is your budget spread evenly across high-performing campaigns?
  • Are you adjusting bids by device, time of day, or location?

2025 Insight: Smart Bidding is powerful but needs monitoring. A retail brand saved 18% in ad costs by switching from Maximize Conversions to Target CPA after reviewing ROAS trends.

Tool Tip: Optmyzr can help visualize and test bid strategy scenarios before deploying them.

Step 5: Review Audience Targeting and Segmentation

With evolving privacy laws and cookie deprecation, audience targeting in Google Ads has evolved.

  • Are you using first-party data in your campaigns?
  • Have you set up custom audiences, in-market segments, and remarketing lists?
  • Are your Performance Max audience signals accurate and up-to-date?
Expert Tip: Use Customer Match with email lists to retarget high-value users and combine with GA4 audiences for deeper intent targeting.
Tool Suggestion: Google Ads Audience Insights dashboard can help find performance gaps in segments.

Step 6: Audit Conversion Tracking and Goals

Without accurate tracking, your optimization efforts fall flat.

  • Are your conversions set up in Google Ads or GA4?
  • Is Enhanced Conversion tracking enabled?
  • Are micro and macro goals properly differentiated?

2025 Alert: GA4 is now the standard. Events like form submissions, purchases, or phone calls must be tracked in GA4 and imported into Google Ads.

Common Mistake: Multiple conversions tracked as primary goals can mislead Smart Bidding. Ensure only business-critical actions are primary.

Tool Tip: Use Tag Assistant or Google Tag Manager Debug Mode to validate tracking setup.

Google Ads audit checklist infographic with performance metrics, ad types, keyword settings, and analytics tools.

Step 7: Evaluate Landing Page Performance

Your ads can only convert if the landing pages are optimized.

  • Is your landing page relevant to the ad copy and keywords?
  • How is the page speed and mobile responsiveness?
  • Is the call-to-action clear and visible?
Example: A B2B SaaS company improved conversion rates by 30% after removing extra form fields and reducing mobile page load from 6s to 2.5s.
Quick Fix: Use PageSpeed Insights and heatmaps (like Hotjar) to detect pain points.

Step 8: Check Quality Score Components

Quality Score is Google’s rating of keyword relevance and impacts ad rank and CPC.
  • CTR: Are your ads getting clicked?
  • Ad Relevance: Does the ad message match the keywords?
  • Landing Page Experience: Is the page useful and easy to navigate?

Expert Insight: Focus less on score itself and more on the components. Improving CTR by just 1% can lead to 10-15% reduction in CPC.

Pro Tip: Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion carefully to improve ad relevance.

Step 9: Review Ad Extensions and Assets

Extensions, now called assets, are essential for increasing ad visibility.
  • Are you using sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets?
  • Are image extensions and lead forms included?
  • Is asset performance regularly reviewed?

Example: A fashion retailer increased ad rank without raising CPC by enabling image and promotion extensions.

Tool Tip: Google Ads Asset Report shows performance breakdown by asset type.

Step 10: Analyze Performance Metrics and Reporting

Look into key performance indicators (KPIs) to understand what’s driving ROI.

  • CPC, CTR, Conversion Rate, ROAS, Impression Share
  • Use segmentation (by device, location, audience) for deeper insights
  • Build custom reports in Google Looker Studio (formerly Data Studio)
2025 Advantage: Looker Studio allows cross-platform analysis and better visualization of long-term trends.
Expert Tip: Add GA4 metrics like engagement time and scroll depth to enrich campaign insights.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Google Ads Audit

  • Not updating conversion actions in GA4 – You may be optimizing for outdated or broken goals.
  • Using only broad match keywords – This attracts low-intent traffic.
  • No audience segmentation – You miss personalization opportunities.
  • Poor mobile landing page experience – 70%+ of users are mobile.
  • Running Performance Max without proper exclusions – This can steal budget from well-performing search campaigns.
Fix: Create an audit checklist in Google Sheets or Looker Studio to monitor fixes over time.

Top Tools for Running a Google Ads Audit in 2025

Here are top tools to assist your audit:
  • Google Ads Editor – Great for making bulk changes offline.
  • GA4 – Offers detailed behavior tracking and cross-device reporting.
  • Looker Studio – Create customizable dashboards and reports.
  • Optmyzr – Provides AI-powered audit suggestions and budget automation.
  • SEMrush/SpyFu – Research competitors' keywords and ad copy.

Action Plan Template: Implementing Your Audit Results

Turn insights into action:
  • Identify Top Priorities: Focus on campaigns with high spend but low ROI.
  • Set KPIs: Use metrics like ROAS, CPA, and Quality Score.
  • Assign Ownership: Ensure each task (e.g., keyword cleanup, landing page improvement) has a clear owner.
  • Track Progress: Use a shared Google Sheet or Asana for weekly updates.
  • Re-audit: Schedule mini-audits every 30–60 days.

Sample KPIs to Track:

  • ROAS target per campaign
  • % of high-converting keywords
  • Cost per lead
  • Bounce rate from ad traffic

Conclusion

Conducting a regular Google Ads audit in 2025 is not optional—it’s essential. With automation and AI driving most of the processes, you still need human oversight to align strategy with business goals.
By following this step-by-step audit guide, you’ll:
  • Reduce wasted ad spend
  • Improve campaign efficiency
  • Increase conversions and ROAS

Final Tip: Block a calendar day each month just for audits. It’s one of the most profitable hours you’ll spend.

Frequently Asked Question

Q1. What metrics should I track during a Google Ads audit?

Track CTR, CPC, Quality Score, Conversion Rate, ROAS, Bounce Rate, and Impression Share. Analyze these metrics across devices, locations, and audience segments for actionable insights.

Q2. What’s new in Google Ads audits for 2025?

In 2025, audits must account for AI-based campaign types like Performance Max, enhanced conversions, first-party data usage, and asset performance tracking. Automation and machine learning insights play a bigger role than ever.

Q3. What is a Google Ads audit in 2025?

A Google Ads audit in 2025 is a systematic evaluation of your ad account performance, structure, keyword targeting, bidding strategies, and conversion tracking to identify areas for optimization and reduce wasted spend.

Q4. How can I audit ad extensions and assets in 2025?

Review performance metrics for assets like sitelinks, callouts, images, and structured snippets. Remove low-performing ones and update outdated copy to ensure relevance and engagement.

Q5. What’s the difference between a basic and advanced Google Ads audit?

A basic Google Ads audit focuses on surface-level checks like keywords, ad copy, and budget, while an advanced audit dives deeper into data analysis, conversion tracking, audience segmentation, and AI-driven campaign performance.

Leave a Comment