Google Ads Audits

Your Google Ads account is probably leaking money. Here is how to find out.

Most Google Ads accounts waste between 20% and 40% of their budget on irrelevant clicks, poor targeting, broken tracking, or bidding strategies that have not been touched in months. The problem is you cannot see the leaks from inside the dashboard. You need someone who has audited hundreds of accounts to know where to look.

Our free Google Ads audit is not a software-generated scorecard. A senior strategist reviews your account personally and delivers a written report covering what is working, what is wasting money, and exactly what to fix. No cost. No obligation. No sales pitch unless you ask for one.

With 17 years managing over $115 million in ad spend as a Google Premier Partner (top 3% globally), our team has seen every mistake an account can make. We audit accounts from solo operators spending $2,000 a month to enterprise brands managing six-figure budgets. The process is the same: thorough, honest, and useful whether you work with us afterwards or not.

What our free Google Ads audit covers

We review five areas that account for virtually all wasted spend and missed opportunity in a Google Ads account. This is what you receive at no cost within 48 hours.

1. Keyword and search term analysis

Are you bidding on the right terms? We audit your keyword list, match types, and actual search term reports to find irrelevant queries eating your budget. Most accounts have negative keyword gaps costing hundreds per month without anyone noticing. We also check for keyword cannibalisation where multiple ad groups compete against each other and drive your CPC up.

2. Ad copy and creative performance

We assess your ad copy against click-through rate benchmarks for your industry and location. Low CTR means your ads are not compelling enough or they are showing to the wrong audience and either way you pay more per click. We review responsive search ad asset combinations, pinned headlines, and whether your messaging matches what the searcher actually wants.

3. Landing page alignment

The best ad in the world fails if the landing page does not convert. We check whether your pages match the promise in your ad copy, load fast enough to hold attention (under 2.5 seconds LCP), and have clear conversion paths. Landing page Quality Score directly affects what you pay per click because a poor page means you pay more for the same position.

4. Bidding strategy and budget allocation

Are you overpaying for clicks? We audit your bidding strategy (manual CPC, Target CPA, Maximise Conversions, Target ROAS) against your actual conversion data to determine if the algorithm is working for you or against you. We also check budget distribution. Many accounts over-invest in brand campaigns while under-funding the non-brand terms that drive new customer acquisition.

5. Conversion tracking and attribution

If your tracking is wrong, every decision you make is wrong. We audit your Google Ads conversion actions, GA4 integration, Google Tag Manager setup, and attribution model. 67% of Google Ads accounts have tracking issues that lead to misleading performance data. We find them and show you how to fix them.

Free audit vs discovery: which one do you need?

The free Google Ads audit is the right starting point for most businesses. It covers your Google Ads account specifically (and any shopping campaigns) and delivers tactical recommendations you can action immediately. But some businesses need more than a single-channel check. Here is how our three tiers compare.

Free Google Ads Audit

Cost: $0 | Turnaround: 48 hours

A focused review of your Google Ads account only. You receive a written report covering keywords, ad copy, landing pages, bidding strategy, and conversion tracking with prioritised recommendations. A senior strategist conducts the review personally. You keep the report and implement changes yourself or ask us to help. No obligation either way.

Best for: businesses already running Google Ads who suspect waste, have inherited an account from a previous agency, or want an independent second opinion before renewing a contract.

Discovery Session

Cost: $1,200 $895 + GST | Turnaround: 1 week

A broader strategic review that goes beyond Google Ads. You meet with our General Manager to discuss your business goals, competitive landscape, and marketing performance across all channels. You receive a competitor and market share analysis, digital performance evaluation, profitability report, and a short-term action plan for immediate impact. Includes a detailed gap analysis identifying what is preventing long-term growth.

Best for: businesses new to structured digital marketing, or those spending across multiple channels without a clear picture of what is working and what is not.

Digital Roadmap

Cost: $4,000 $2,895 + GST | Turnaround: 2 weeks

A comprehensive audit of every digital channel plus a 12-month strategic marketing plan with quarterly sprints. You meet with our Managing Director and senior team. The review covers traffic sources, competitor benchmarking, website usability, conversion analysis, content review, and lead generation effectiveness. You walk away with budget allocation recommendations, a prioritised roadmap to eliminate growth constraints, and a data-driven plan for sustainable business growth.

Best for: established companies actively marketing who need strategic consulting to break through a growth ceiling, or businesses preparing for a major investment in digital and wanting a plan before committing budget.

Not sure which tier fits? Compare the Discovery Session and Digital Roadmap in detail, or start with the free audit and we will tell you honestly whether you need more.

What makes our audit different

Most “free audits” are lead magnets dressed up as analysis. Ours is different because we treat the audit as a standalone deliverable, not a sales funnel.

92% client retention and 4.8 on Google

The same team that conducts your audit manages campaigns for businesses across Sydney every day. A 92% client retention rate and 4.8 Google rating from multi-year engagements exist because we give honest advice, not just the advice that leads to a sale. If your account is in good shape, we will tell you.

$115 million in managed ad spend as context

When we review your account, we benchmark it against 17 years of campaign data across hundreds of Australian businesses. We know what CPCs, CTRs, and conversion rates look like for your industry in Sydney. That context turns a generic audit into specific, actionable advice.

Written findings, not a slide deck

You receive a written report with prioritised recommendations. Not a 40-slide presentation designed to overwhelm you into signing a contract. Each finding includes what the issue is, why it matters, and what to do about it so you can implement changes yourself or ask us to help.

No obligation, no lock-in

The free audit is genuinely free. Many businesses take the report and implement changes themselves. Others ask us to manage the fixes. Either outcome is fine with us.

Problems we find in almost every audit

“I am spending too much but not seeing enough leads”

Usually a combination of broad match keywords without proper negatives, campaigns targeting the wrong geographic areas, or bidding strategies that optimise for clicks instead of conversions. We identify exactly where the budget is going and redirect it to what converts.

“My ads are not showing up”

Low Ad Rank from poor Quality Score, insufficient bids, or ad disapprovals. We audit your Quality Score components (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) and show you which lever to pull to improve visibility without just throwing more money at it.

“I do not trust my conversion numbers”

The most dangerous problem because it makes every other decision unreliable. Duplicate conversions, misconfigured GA4 events, missing phone call tracking, or attribution models that inflate or deflate results. We audit the full tracking chain from click to conversion and fix the gaps.

“My previous agency set this up and I do not know what is running”

Inherited accounts are the most common audit request we receive. Old campaigns still spending, audiences that no longer make sense, conversion actions from a previous website. We untangle the history and give you a clear picture of what is active, what is working, and what should be paused immediately.

“I do not know where my budget is actually going”

Performance Max campaigns, display placements, and automated bidding can obscure where your money ends up. We break down spend by campaign, network, device, location, and time of day so you can see exactly what you are paying for and whether it is worth it.

Your audit timeline

From first contact to written findings, here is what to expect at each stage.

Last updated: March 18, 2026

What happens after the free audit

You receive your written audit report within 48 hours. We walk you through the findings on a 30-minute call. Then you decide.

Option 1: Implement it yourself

Take the report and action the recommendations with your internal team or current provider. Many businesses do this and see immediate improvement from the quick wins alone. No hard feelings.

Option 2: Go deeper with a Discovery Session or Digital Roadmap

If the free audit reveals issues that go beyond Google Ads (and it often does), a Discovery Session ($895 + GST) or Digital Roadmap ($2,895 + GST) gives you the broader strategic view. These paid packages cover every digital channel, not just Google Ads, and include direct meetings with our senior leadership team.

Option 3: We manage your campaigns ongoing

If you want us to implement the changes and manage your Google Ads ongoing, our campaign management starts from $1,200 per month (month-to-month from day one). The audit becomes your onboarding so there is no re-briefing, no wasted time repeating what we already know about your account.

Who reviews your account

Your audit is conducted by the same senior Google Ads specialists who manage campaigns daily for Australian businesses, not a junior running automated software.

Claire Wendell

Visionary Founder

Part of the original team rolling out Google Ads (AdWords back then) to Australian businesses in 2003. A 20+ year industry veteran, founder of Click Click Media and one of the leading Google Ads strategists in Australia.

Amanda Decker

General Manager | Client Services

Amanda has been a cornerstone at Click Click Media since 2015, blending operational excellence with deep expertise in PPC and Google Ads. She keeps programs humming with clear priorities, tight communication, and zero surprises. From campaign optimizations to major launches, Amanda’s focus ensures everything runs smoothly, often ahead of schedule. If a launch is planned for Friday, she makes sure it’s ready to ship on Thursday.

Adriel Santos

Senior Manager | Paid Media Specialist

Adriel joined Click Click Media back in 2015 and has been shaping high-performing Google Ads campaigns ever since. He’s known for making Google Ads behave, fine-tuning match types, setting solid PMax guardrails, and orchestrating creative cadence. By cutting out waste and doubling down on what works, Adriel helps clients scale their best-performing campaigns with precision.

Phillip Wendell

Managing Director | Click Click Media

Phil leads client strategy and drives commercial outcomes at Click Click Media, ensuring every service line – including SEO – is tightly aligned with business KPIs. A process-focused engineer at heart, he thrives on building long-term relationships that deliver lasting results. Over the past decade, Phil has partnered closely with more than 20 key accounts, guiding their growth with a steady focus on performance, trust, and measurable impact.

Google Ads audit FAQs

Direct answers to the most common audit questions from Sydney businesses.