A Google Ads account audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a Google Ads account to assess its performance, identify areas for improvement, and optimise campaigns for better results. Conducting regular audits is essential to ensure that your advertising efforts are efficient and cost-effective. In this post, we’ll briefly explore the key components of a Google Ads account audit.
1. Account Structure
The first step in a Google Ads audit is to review the account’s structure. A well-organised account is critical for campaign management and optimisation. Here’s what to look for:
- Campaigns: Check if campaigns are logically organised by product, service, or goal. Consider if there are too many or too few campaigns for effective management.
- Ad Groups: Assess the ad group structure within each campaign. Ad groups should contain closely related keywords and ad variations to maintain relevancy.
- Keywords: Review keyword lists to ensure they are relevant, well-researched, and not too broad. Remove irrelevant or low-performing keywords.
2. Ad Copy and Creatives
The next aspect to examine is the quality and relevance of ad copies and creatives:
- Ad Relevance: Evaluate how closely ad copy aligns with keywords and landing page content. Ensure ad extensions, such as site links and callouts, are being used effectively.
- A/B Testing: Identify ads with low click-through rates (CTRs) and suggest A/B tests to optimise ad copy, headlines, and descriptions for better performance.
3. Budget and Bidding
Effective budget management and bidding strategies are essential for maximising ROI:
- Budget Allocation: Ensure budgets are allocated according to campaign priorities and performance. Shift budgets to top-performing campaigns if necessary.
- Bidding Strategies: Review bidding strategies, including manual CPC, automated bidding, and bid modifiers. Optimise bids to achieve desired ad positions and conversion goals.
4. Landing Pages and User Experience
The landing page experience plays a significant role in ad performance and quality score:
- Landing Page Quality: Analyse landing pages for relevance to ad campaigns. Ensure fast loading times, mobile responsiveness, and user-friendly design.
- Call-to-Action (CTA): Assess the clarity and effectiveness of CTAs on landing pages to encourage desired actions, such as form submissions or purchases.
5. Quality Score and Ad Rank
A high-quality score can lower your cost per click (CPC) and improve ad placement:
- Quality Score Evaluation: Review quality scores for keywords. Suggest improvements to increase relevancy and ad rank.
- Ad Rank Analysis: Assess how ad rank impacts ad visibility and position in search results. Propose strategies to improve ad rank.
6. Conversion Tracking and Goals
Tracking conversions is crucial for measuring campaign success:
- Conversion Tracking: Ensure that conversion tracking is properly set up and tracking goals, such as form submissions, e-commerce purchases, or phone calls.
- Attribution Modeling: Evaluate the attribution model to understand how conversions are attributed to different touchpoints in the customer journey.
7. Negative Keywords and Exclusions
Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches:
- Negative Keywords: Review and expand negative keyword lists to filter out irrelevant traffic and reduce wasted ad spend.
- Exclusion Settings: Check ad placements and exclusion settings to prevent ads from appearing on low-quality websites or in inappropriate content.
8. Competitive Analysis
Finally, it’s essential to keep an eye on your competition:
- Competitor Research: Analyse the strategies and tactics of your top competitors. Identify opportunities to gain a competitive edge in your niche.
- Ad Copy Inspiration: Look for innovative ad copy and creative ideas that can set your campaigns apart from the competition.
In conclusion, our Google Ads account audit is a thorough assessment of various elements within your account to ensure it’s optimised for maximum ROI. By reviewing and optimising account structure, ad copy, budget management, landing pages, quality score, conversion tracking, negative keywords, and competitor strategies, we can refine your campaigns, reduce wasted ad spend, and achieve better results in your digital advertising efforts. Regular audits, coupled with ongoing optimisation, are crucial for staying competitive in the ever-evolving landscape of online advertising.