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What a PPC Audit Actually Reveals

Most Google Ads accounts — including those managed by agencies — contain budget waste that’s entirely preventable. The most common culprits: search terms that have nothing to do with your business, smart bidding strategies given insufficient conversion data to work properly, broken conversion tracking that’s reporting inflated numbers, and campaign structures that were set up years ago and never revisited.

An audit is the diagnostic that finds these problems before you spend another month paying for them. It’s not a vanity exercise — it’s a structured review of every element of your account with the specific goal of finding what’s wrong and what to do about it.

What the Audit Covers

Who Audits Your Account

The audit is carried out by me directly — Stevie Morris, 12 years in Google Ads, £2M+ managed personally, Google Partner and Microsoft Ads certified. Not a template checklist run by a junior analyst. Not an automated tool that flags issues without understanding context.

Twelve years of direct account work means I can tell the difference between a configuration that looks wrong but is actually intentional, and one that’s genuinely costing you money. The output reflects that nuance — not a list of theoretical improvements, but a prioritised set of real actions.

No obligation — and honest if your account is healthy

The audit is a one-off, fixed-scope engagement. There’s no contract attached to it and no pressure to become a management client. If your campaigns are structurally sound and performing well, I’ll tell you that. A good audit is useful even when the conclusion is ‘carry on’ — because that confidence is worth having.

The Audit Process

  1. Intro callWe spend 20–30 minutes discussing your account, your goals, and what’s been puzzling you. This helps me focus the audit on what actually matters for your business.
  2. Account accessYou add me as a read-only user on your Google Ads account (and GA4 if relevant). I don’t need admin access or the ability to make changes.
  3. Structured reviewI work through the account systematically — tracking, structure, search terms, bidding, copy, extensions. This takes two to three days depending on account complexity.
  4. Written findingsYou receive a written report with findings organised by priority: what to fix first, what to test, and what to monitor. No jargon, no padding.
  5. Debrief callWe walk through the findings together so you understand not just what the issues are but why they matter and how to address them.

Who the Audit Is For

PPC audits suit businesses that are already running Google Ads — whether managed in-house, by a freelancer, or by an agency — and want an independent view of whether the account is performing as well as it should.

I carry out audits for businesses across Cumbria and the wider North of England, including County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire. Common triggers: a new marketing manager who’s inherited an account and isn’t sure what they’ve got; a business that’s increased spend but hasn’t seen a proportional increase in results; or simply a business owner who wants confidence that their agency is earning their fee.

Audits are particularly useful before making a significant increase to ad spend. Scaling a broken account just scales the waste. Getting an audit first means any increase in budget is applied to campaigns that are actually ready for it.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Google Ads audit cost for a Cumbria business?

Audit pricing depends on account size and complexity — the best way to get an accurate quote is to book a call and describe what you’re working with. There’s no fixed published price because a single-campaign local account and a multi-brand ecommerce account are very different scopes of work.

Do I have to become a management client after the audit?

No. The audit is a standalone, one-off engagement. You receive the report and debrief, and what you do with the findings is entirely up to you. Some clients choose to implement the recommendations themselves; others ask me to manage the changes. There’s no pressure either way.

Can you audit an account managed by another agency?

Yes — this is one of the most common audit scenarios. You grant me read-only access; I review the account independently and give you an honest assessment of what your agency is and isn’t doing well. I won’t manufacture problems that don’t exist, but I won’t ignore real issues either.

What if my account turns out to be fine?

Then I’ll tell you that clearly, explain what’s working and why, and flag anything worth monitoring. A clean audit is genuinely useful — it means you can spend with confidence rather than wondering whether there’s waste you can’t see.

Do you carry out audits for businesses in Cumbria in person?

The audit itself is remote — I review the account digitally and deliver findings via a written report and video debrief call. There’s no need for an in-person meeting, and this keeps the process faster and more efficient for businesses across Cumbria and the surrounding counties.

How long does the audit take?

From access being granted, most audits are completed within a week. The debrief is scheduled once the written findings are ready. Exact timelines depend on account complexity and my current workload — we’d agree a schedule on the intro call.

Find Out Where Your Budget Is Going

Book a call to discuss a PPC audit for your Google Ads account. We'll talk through what you're running, what you're concerned about, and what the audit will cover. No commitment required.

Call 07410 907 104 Request a PPC audit