PPC Audit Checklist For 2027

Last updated: November 13, 2026

A PPC audit should check, in order: conversion tracking, account structure, search terms and negative keywords, Performance Max settings, bidding, budgets, ads and assets, landing pages and reporting. Start with tracking, because every other decision in the account depends on whether conversions are measured correctly.

Use this checklist for Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. Work through it once a quarter, or before you hire or change an agency.

1. Conversion Tracking

• Every important action is tracked: purchases, form fills, calls and booked meetings
• Primary conversions are the ones you want bidding to optimize for; micro-conversions are set to secondary
• No duplicate tags or double-counted conversions
• Conversion values reflect real revenue or lead value where possible
• Offline conversions or CRM data are imported for lead generation accounts
• Enhanced conversions and consent settings are in place

2. Account Structure

• Brand and non-brand campaigns are separate
• Campaigns are organized by product, service or location, not one catch-all campaign
• Ad groups are tightly themed
• Location, language and schedule settings match where and when you sell
• Search partners and Display expansion are switched on only on purpose

3. Search Terms And Negative Keywords

• Search terms report reviewed for irrelevant or low-intent queries
• Negative keyword lists in place for jobs, free, cheap and competitor terms where relevant
• Broad match only used where tracking and bidding are strong enough to support it
• Exact match covers your highest-value terms

4. Performance Max

• Search terms and channel performance reports reviewed
• Campaign-level negative keywords added (up to 10,000 per campaign)
• Brand exclusions set if brand traffic should run in Search
• Asset groups organized by product category or audience
• Product feed titles, images and attributes cleaned up
• New versus returning customer goals set if that matters to you

5. Bidding And Budgets

• Bid strategy matches the goal and has enough conversion data
• Targets (CPA or ROAS) are realistic for current performance
• Budgets are not capping your best campaigns while weak ones spend freely
• Learning periods respected after big changes

6. Ads And Assets

• Each ad group has relevant, current responsive search ads
• Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets and images in use
• Ad strength and asset performance reviewed, with weak assets replaced
• Messaging matches the landing page and the offer

7. Landing Pages

• Pages load quickly on mobile
• Headline matches the search intent and the ad
• Clear call to action and short forms
• Phone numbers tracked
• No broken pages or redirects in final URLs

8. Reporting

• Reports show leads, sales and cost per result, not just clicks
• Brand and non-brand results reported separately
• A clear owner and review rhythm for the account
• You own the ad account and analytics properties

When To Use A Tool Or An Agency

Audit software such as TrueClicks and Adalysis automates many of these checks and runs them daily. If you want a second opinion, several agencies offer free audits. See our PPC audit services and tools roundup for options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a PPC audit include?

A full audit covers conversion tracking, account structure, search terms and negative keywords, Performance Max settings, bidding, budgets, ads and assets, landing pages and reporting.

What is the first thing to check in a Google Ads audit?

Conversion tracking. If conversions are missing, duplicated or set up with the wrong primary actions, automated bidding will optimize for the wrong results and every other finding is unreliable.

How often should I audit a PPC account?

Run a full audit once a quarter or at least twice a year, and check search terms and budgets weekly. Audit software can monitor accounts daily.

Can I add negative keywords to Performance Max?

Yes. Campaign-level negative keywords became available for Performance Max in January 2025, with a limit of 10,000 per campaign from March 2025. They apply to Search and Shopping inventory.

Conclusion

Most wasted spend comes from a handful of problems: broken tracking, loose search terms and budgets on autopilot. Work through this checklist in order, fix tracking first, and repeat the audit every quarter.

For more rankings, comparisons and guides, visit our PPC & Google Ads hub.