Our method is a checklist, not a black box
Every audit and every account we run goes through the same five levers, scored on a fixed rubric. You see the score, the findings, and the order we would fix them, in plain language, with the data behind each call. Here is exactly what we look at.
- 01
Account structure
Does the architecture match how people actually search?
We map every campaign and ad group, check the match-type mix, and look at how budget is split between Search and Performance Max. Since broad match became the default for new Search campaigns in July 2024, loose structure quietly widens what your ads trigger on. We score how tightly intent is grouped and where consolidation would help Smart Bidding learn faster.[Search]
- 02
Wasted spend
Where is budget leaking on searches that will never convert?
The search-query report is the first place waste shows up. We pull the terms your ads actually served on, flag the irrelevant ones, and audit your negative-keyword lists. On accounts running broad match without disciplined negatives, this lever alone often frees a double-digit share of spend. You can size the gap yourself with our wasted-spend calculator.
- 03
Bidding & targets
Does the Smart Bidding strategy fit your margin?
Target CPA now lives inside Maximize Conversions and Target ROAS inside Maximize Conversion Value, so the question is whether the target itself is right. A ROAS goal set above your break-even starves volume; one set too low burns margin. We check the strategy, the target math against your unit economics, and whether the account has enough conversion history to bid on.[Search]
- 04
Creative & assets
Are the ads strong enough to earn the click cheaply?
Responsive Search Ads are the only standard Search format now, so headline and description coverage decides what serves. We review asset strength, pinning, and the three Quality Score signals, expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance, landing page experience, because better-quality ads can win higher positions at lower cost.[Google]
- 05
Tracking integrity
Can the data bidding relies on actually be trusted?
Smart Bidding is only as good as the conversion signal feeding it. We verify GA4 and conversion setup, check for double-counting, and confirm Consent Mode v2 is in place, required for EEA and UK traffic since March 6, 2024. A tracking gap here makes every other lever read wrong.[Search]
One rubric, every account
Each lever gets a rating and a short list of findings. We then stack the fixes by impact, so the report does not just tell you what is wrong, it tells you what to do first. The same rubric runs whether you spend $3,000 a month or $300,000, so a small account gets the same rigor as a large one.
Get your free teardownWhat we keep current on
- Jun 2022Expanded Text Ads retiredExpanded Text Ads were sunset June 30, 2022. Responsive Search Ads are now the only standard Search ad format, so asset quality and pinning strategy decide what serves.
- Mar 2024Consent Mode v2 required in the EEA/UKFrom March 6, 2024, EEA and UK advertisers must run Consent Mode v2 with a certified CMP to keep remarketing and measurement working. Tracking setups built before this date leak conversions.
- Jul 2024Broad match becomes the defaultNew Search campaigns default to broad match. It only works with Smart Bidding, enough conversion history, and a disciplined negative-keyword layer, or spend leaks fast.
- 2024tCPA and tROAS folded into Smart BiddingTarget CPA is now a field inside Maximize Conversions, and Target ROAS lives inside Maximize Conversion Value. The optimization is identical; only the setting moved.
- 2025AI Max for Search arrivesAI Max layers Gemini-driven targeting, creative, and URL expansion over Search campaigns. Google reports up to 14% more conversions in testing, with real risk of irrelevant queries without guardrails.
How the teardown works
A full five-lever audit takes us two to three business days once we have read access to your Google Ads and GA4. You get a written scorecard with findings on each lever and the order we would fix them, plus a call to walk through it. Nothing is automated away, a strategist reviews the account by hand.
No. The audit and its findings are yours to keep, whether you act on them with us, with another agency, or in-house. We score every account on the same rubric regardless of whether you become a client, because a teardown that only looks good when you sign is not an honest teardown.
Read-only access to your Google Ads account and GA4 property is enough to score all five levers. We never need your passwords or billing control to run an audit. If you want us to manage the account afterward, access is upgraded then, not before.
Because almost every underperforming Google Ads account fails on one of these five, and a fixed list keeps the review consistent across accounts and strategists. A longer checklist feels thorough but hides which problem actually costs you money. Five levers, scored and ordered, point straight at the fix.
See your account scored on all five levers
A free, by-hand audit of your Google Ads account. Findings, scores, and the fix order, yours to keep.