Google Ads / GTM / GA4
Google Ads, GA4 & GTM audit in 1 day. Better results.
We run a full, deep-dive audit of your Google Ads account, Google Tag Manager and GA4 setup in one business day. You see exactly where budget leaks, where tracking counts things wrong, and what will deliver the biggest gains.
We use our own scripts and custom-built tools that pull 12 months of data through the API and pinpoint budget leaks and growth opportunities quickly, without cutting corners.
Hands-on with Google Ads and web analytics since 2008. Real experience, practical results.
0 day
from access to report
0 mo
of data in every audit
0
systems: Ads, GA4, GTM
What you get
Here is what we will map out for you.
Exact budget leaks
- Tracking and attribution gaps
- Loose match types and search terms that never convert
- Structural waste: networks, formats, devices
Clear growth points
- Untapped scaling opportunities
- Audience and targeting insights
- Better use of data and automation
Prioritised action plan
- Step-by-step fixes
- What to do first, and why
- Clear timeline and expected impact
Audit checklist
What we check in Google Ads, GA4 and GTM
An ad audit that skips analytics is only half the job: if conversions are counted wrong, automated bidding optimises against the wrong data. That is why we always review all three systems together.
Google Ads
- Campaign and ad group structure
- Match types, negatives, non-converting search terms
- Bidding strategies and targets
- Impression share and why it is lost
- Networks: Display inside search, search partners
- Performance Max: branded traffic and conversion sources
- Ads: ad strength, pinning, retired formats
- Devices, schedule, geo and budget trends
GA4
- Events and key events
- Duplicates and mismatches against Google Ads
- GA4 to Google Ads link and conversion import
- Attribution model and conversion windows
- Traffic sources, (not set) and Unassigned
- Internal and spam traffic filters
- E-commerce events
Google Tag Manager
- Tags, triggers and variables
- Conversion tags firing twice
- Consent Mode v2
- Enhanced Conversions
- Meta CAPI and server-side tagging
- Data layer and resilience to site updates
Real findings
What we find in the accounts we audit
Figures from our audits over the last 12 months. Company names are omitted; the method and full data are published on our blog.
0
ads in formats Google retired long ago, still marked as enabled
0%
of conversion actions marked primary, so bidding optimises for everything at once
0%
of audited accounts lose more impressions to ad rank than to budget
0%
of search campaign budget in one account went to Display with zero conversions
See how an audit like this runs from start to finish in our case study.
How it works
From request to action plan in one day
Access
You grant read-only access to Google Ads, GA4 and GTM. It takes around 10 minutes, and we send the instructions.
Data export
Our scripts pull 12 months of data through the API: campaigns, search terms, conversions, devices, networks, ads.
Analysis
We look for budget leaks, tracking errors, structural problems and growth opportunities, reconciling ads against analytics.
Report and walkthrough
A written report, an estimate of the losses and a prioritised action plan. We walk through it all on a short call.
What is a Google Ads audit, and when do you need one?
A Google Ads audit is an independent review of your ad account: how campaigns are built, what the business is actually paying for, whether conversions are counted correctly, and where budget performs worse than it could. A good PPC audit does not answer "is everything set up"; it answers "what should change to get more for the same money".
Businesses usually order an audit in one of four situations: cost per lead or sale has risen for no visible reason; budget went up but results did not; the account is moving from one agency or specialist to another; or the business simply wants an independent check on how its advertising is run. In all four cases the answer sits in the data, not in the surface-level settings.
A PPC audit without GA4 and GTM is only half the job
Google Ads automated bidding optimises towards conversions. If one sale is counted twice, if a dozen actions including map clicks are marked primary, or if a conversion tag fires on page refresh, the algorithm diligently buys exactly what is being counted wrong. No amount of bid optimisation fixes that.
That is why our audit always covers three systems: Google Ads, GA4 and Google Tag Manager. We reconcile conversion counts between them, check which events are passed to advertising, review Consent Mode and Enhanced Conversions, and only then draw conclusions about campaign performance.
Free Google Ads audit tools vs a manual PPC audit
Free Google Ads audit tools are useful as a first look: they quickly flag empty assets, missing negatives or weak ad strength. But they check the account against a template and know nothing about your business. A tool will not tell you that half of your search conversions are people looking for your own brand, that Performance Max is collecting conversions from questionable placements, or that the ad rated Poor is actually the best one in the account.
A manual audit combines automation with experience. Our scripts export a year of data in minutes, and the analysis is done by a person who understands how those numbers connect to the business's money.
How much does a PPC audit cost?
The cost of an audit depends on the number of accounts, the spend level and how complex the tracking is: one account with search campaigns and a standard GA4 setup is quicker to review than several accounts running Performance Max, offline conversions and server-side tagging. We quote a fixed price after a quick look at your request, before any work begins.
The better question, though, is not "what does an audit cost" but "what do the problems it finds cost". In the accounts we audited, those problems absorbed up to a quarter of the budget: in Display with no conversions, in ads that never serve, or in campaigns that grew in spend but not in sales.
Research from our audits
All articles →
Sep 14, 2026
Performance Max Beat Search in 100% of the Accounts We Audited. We Tested Three Explanations
Every audited account showed cheaper conversions from Performance Max than from search. We checked micro-conversions, branded queries and non-search inventory, and found one account where the advantage may not exist at all.
Sep 13, 2026
What Really Holds Google Ads Back: 7 Findings From Auditing 8 Accounts
A year of data from eight audited accounts: impressions lost to rank rather than budget, budget growth that bought fewer conversions, ad strength that predicts nothing, and a Quality Score pattern that splits along industry lines.
Sep 11, 2026
Where Google Ads Budgets Actually Go: A Search Terms Analysis of 4 Accounts
We sorted 58,000 search queries from four accounts over a year: how much spend goes on non-converting queries, what those queries contain, and which of them should never become negative keywords.
Google Ads audit FAQ
How long does a Google Ads audit take?
One business day from the moment we receive access. If there are several accounts or the tracking is complex, for example with server-side tagging and offline conversions, we agree the timeline before we start.
What access do you need for the audit?
Read-only access to Google Ads (an email invite or via MCC), the Viewer role in GA4 and read access to your Google Tag Manager container. No passwords are needed, and we change nothing in the account.
Is it safe to give an agency access to my ad account?
Yes. Read-only access cannot change campaigns, bids or budgets, and you can revoke it with one click once the audit is done.
How is a manual PPC audit different from a free Google Ads audit tool?
Automated tools check settings against a template: whether negatives exist, whether assets are filled in. They cannot see business context and do not reconcile advertising with analytics. We export 12 months of data through the API, cross-check Google Ads against GA4 and GTM, and find problems that settings alone never reveal: double-counted conversions, budget sitting in formats that deliver nothing, branded traffic flattering the reports.
What exactly do I get at the end?
A written report of the problems found, an estimate of how much budget they absorb, a list of growth opportunities and a prioritised action plan: what to fix first, why, and what result to expect. We walk through the report together on a short call.
Do you implement the changes after the audit?
Yes, as a separate engagement. The plan is written so that your own team or current agency can implement it too.
How much does a PPC audit cost?
It depends on the number of accounts, the spend level and the complexity of the tracking. We quote a fixed price after a quick look at your request, before any work starts, with no extras added along the way.
Another agency manages my account. Can I still order an audit?
Yes, it is one of the most common requests we get. The audit is independent: we assess the account on its data, not on who set it up.
Do you audit accounts outside your home market?
Yes. We audit accounts in any currency and any market, including across Europe and North America.