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What a proper Google Ads audit actually involves

Most Google Ads audits are automated reports with a few screenshots and a list of recommendations that amount to “spend more money with us”. That’s not what this is.

I’m Stevie Morris — 12 years in Google Ads, over £2M managed directly, Google Partner and Microsoft Ads certified. When I audit your account, I go through it manually: campaign structure, match types, search terms, negative keywords, bid strategies, ad copy, extensions, landing page alignment, and conversion tracking. Every element that affects whether your money is working or wasting.

What the audit covers

No obligation, no upsell pressure

The audit is a fixed-scope diagnostic. At the end of it, you get a clear report and a conversation. If I think ongoing management would help, I’ll say so and explain why. If your account is in reasonable shape and just needs a few tweaks, I’ll tell you that instead. There’s no manufactured urgency and no obligation to do anything with the findings.

Why tracking is often the first thing I find broken

Across audits of South Yorkshire businesses and clients nationwide, the single most common issue I find is conversion tracking that’s broken, double-counting, or measuring the wrong thing entirely. It’s more common than most business owners realise because Google Ads will report conversions regardless — even if what it’s recording isn’t a real lead or sale.

When tracking is wrong, every optimisation decision made on the basis of that data is wrong too. Fixing it is usually straightforward once it’s identified, but it requires someone looking at the account with fresh eyes and a deliberate checklist. That’s what an audit provides.

The audit process

  1. Initial callA short conversation to understand your business, your goals, and what you already suspect might be wrong. This shapes where I focus.
  2. Account accessYou grant read-only access to your Google Ads account. Nothing is changed at this stage — this is purely diagnostic.
  3. Manual reviewI go through the account in detail, working through a structured checklist developed over 12 years of auditing and managing accounts at scale.
  4. Written report and debriefYou receive a clear written report with prioritised findings and specific recommendations. We then walk through it on a call so you understand exactly what to act on first.

Who gets the most value from an audit

A Google Ads audit is most valuable when you’ve been running campaigns for several months but haven’t had an independent expert look at them. That includes businesses in Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley and across South Yorkshire who are working with an agency and want to verify they’re getting value, in-house teams who want a senior review, and businesses who’ve paused campaigns and want to understand what went wrong before restarting.

It’s also a useful starting point for businesses in neighbouring areas — Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, East Yorkshire — who want a baseline before committing to ongoing management.

The investment is discussed on a call and quoted based on account size and complexity. Book a call to get a specific figure.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Google Ads audit cost?

The fee depends on account size and complexity. I’ll give you a clear quote after a short call — there’s no standard price list because a small single-campaign account is a very different job to a large multi-product ecommerce account.

Do you audit accounts for businesses across South Yorkshire or just Sheffield?

All of South Yorkshire — Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley — and the surrounding region including Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and beyond. Everything is done remotely, so location is no barrier.

Will you make changes to my account during the audit?

No. The audit is read-only. Nothing is changed without your explicit instruction. The output is a report and recommendations, not unilateral changes to your campaigns.

What if the audit shows my campaigns are performing well?

Then I’ll tell you that. A good audit is honest about what it finds. If the account is in reasonable shape, the report will say so — along with any minor optimisations worth considering. I don’t manufacture problems to justify the engagement.

Is the audit a first step toward ongoing management?

It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. Many clients commission an audit as a standalone exercise — to get clarity, verify an agency’s work, or satisfy themselves before making a bigger decision. There’s no obligation to proceed with anything else.

How long does the audit take?

That depends on account size and complexity. We’ll agree a realistic timeline on the initial call. I don’t rush audits — the value is in the detail, not a quick pass with an automated tool.

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