Free Google Ads Audit Template 2026 (15-Point Checklist)

Monthly audits catch issues early, prevent waste, and continuously improve performance. This 15-point template covers account structure, performance analysis, and bidding strategy with specific instructions for each check. Bookmark and use monthly.

Structure Checks (1-5)

The foundation of any well-performing account is proper structure:

• Campaign-goal alignment: each campaign has clear objective and matching type
• Ad group organization: 5-15 related keywords per group, split mixed intent
• Negative keyword health: comprehensive, applied at right level, no conflicts
• Ad asset completeness: 3+ RSAs per group, 10+ headlines, all extensions active
• Landing page mapping: relevant page per group, no broken URLs, message match

Performance Analysis (6-10)

Dig into the data to find optimization opportunities:

Search Terms & Quality Score (6-7)

Pull 30-day Search Terms, add negatives for irrelevant queries, find new keyword ideas. Export QS data and compare with last month. Fix keywords that dropped below 5.

Conversion & Segmentation (8-10)

Sort keywords by spend, identify high-spend non-converters. Compare conversion rates by device — set bid adjustments. Analyze by location and hour for granular optimization.

Bidding & Budget (11-15)

Ensure your money is working efficiently:

• Budget pacing: on track for monthly target? Adjust daily budgets
• Bid strategy: check Smart Bidding learning status, target achievement
• Impression Share: identify losses to budget vs. rank, aim for 60-80%
• Wasted spend: calculate total on non-converters, reduce 10%/month
• Competitive analysis: Auction Insights for new/changed competitors