A useful Google Ads audit for a business that lives on phone calls and enquiry forms checks six things in order: advertiser verification, Search and Display separation, location targeting, negative keywords, conversion tracking for forms and calls, and ad group structure by service.
I ran this sequence on a dental clinic's account that had never been properly configured.
Most Google Ads audit checklists start with bids and ad copy. For a lead-generation business I start further upstream, because bids and copy cannot repair an account that shows ads in the wrong place, to the wrong searches, with no record of what happened next.
The six checks
Advertiser verification
Google can require advertiser identity verification. On the clinic's account it had not been completed, which put campaign delivery at risk. Look for a verification notice first, because nothing else matters if ads stop serving.
Search and Display kept apart
The clinic's campaigns mixed the Search and Display Networks. Display was using budget without producing enquiries, so I separated the two and paused Display. Check the network settings of every campaign.
Location targeting
The campaigns targeted the whole world instead of Islamabad, where the clinic operates. Open each campaign's location settings and confirm the places listed are the places you serve.
Negative keywords
There were no negative keywords, so a share of the budget went to searches with no local intent. Read the search terms report for the last 30 days and add what should never have triggered an ad.
Conversion tracking for forms and calls
Neither form submissions nor phone calls were tracked, so every decision rested on clicks alone. I set up Google Tag Manager triggers for form submissions and click-to-call taps and linked those events to Google Ads.
Ad groups by service
I researched local search terms and grouped keywords by service, such as teeth cleaning, implants and whitening, so each ad can match what the person typed.
What changed on the clinic's account
After the rebuild the account was Search-only, targeted to Islamabad, with a negative keyword list and tracking in place. For the first time the clinic could see which ads, keywords and campaigns produced real patient enquiries.
The full account of the work is in the Smile Line Dental case study.
One dental clinic account in Islamabad. It is one account, not a study, and it is not a UK, US, Canadian or Australian account. The six checks apply to any lead-generation account because they sit upstream of bidding, but the specific problems I found are this clinic's.
What this checklist does not cover
It does not cover bidding strategy, ad copy or landing pages. Those matter, and they work better once the six upstream checks pass, because only then can you trust the data they rely on.
If check five is the weak spot on your account, my guide to tracking calls from Google Ads and the diagnostic order for conversion tracking go deeper.
Common questions
How long does a Google Ads audit take?
The free audit I offer is a live 15-minute review of your ads, site or search presence, and it ends with one thing you can fix this week.
Can I run these six checks myself?
Mostly yes. Checks one to four are inside your own Google Ads account. Check five also needs access to your website's tag setup.
What is a negative keyword?
A word or phrase that stops your ads from showing on searches that contain it, so you stop paying for clicks from people who were never going to become customers.
Want me to run these six checks on your account?
Book a free 15-minute audit and I will tell you one thing you can fix this week.
Book a free audit →