Last updated: November 2026 · Answers by Andrew Gorton, freelance PPC specialist based in Chorley, Lancashire

Each answer leads with the short version. Prices are in pounds sterling and reflect the UK market as of November 2026.

21 questions on this page

What is a PPC audit?

A PPC audit is a structured review of a Google Ads or Microsoft Ads account to find wasted spend, missed opportunities and tracking problems. It covers search terms, keywords, structure, bidding, ads, assets, targeting, conversion tracking and landing pages, and ends with a prioritised list of fixes. PPC audit guide and checklist →

What does PPC audit stand for?

PPC stands for pay per click, so a PPC audit is a pay per click account audit: a health check of your paid search advertising, usually on Google Ads or Microsoft Ads.

What is a Google Ads audit?

A Google Ads audit is a detailed review of your Google Ads account settings, campaigns, keywords, ads, bidding and conversion tracking, to find where money is being wasted and where results can be improved.

How do I do a PPC audit?

Start with conversion tracking, since everything depends on it. Then review the search terms report for waste, check match types and negatives, campaign settings (networks, locations, devices), bidding strategies, ad copy and assets, and landing pages. Finish by ranking fixes by impact on cost and leads.

How do I audit a Google Ads account?

1) Confirm conversions are accurate and not duplicated. 2) Review search terms over 90 days and add negatives. 3) Check settings: Search Partners, Display expansion, location "presence" targeting. 4) Review bidding strategies against data volume. 5) Check ad strength, assets and Quality Scores. 6) Review landing page conversion rates.

What should a PPC audit include?

Conversion tracking accuracy, search terms and negatives, keyword match types, account structure, campaign settings, bidding and budgets, ad copy and assets, audiences, location and device performance, Quality Score, landing pages and, for ecommerce, Shopping feed health.

What is a free PPC audit?

A free PPC audit is a no-cost review of your account offered by a freelancer or agency, usually to show where improvements can be made. Quality varies: automated tool reports are generic, while manual audits look at your actual search terms and tracking. Request a free manual PPC review →

Who can do a PPC audit?

An experienced PPC freelancer, consultant or agency. Choose someone who will do a manual review rather than send an automated report, and ideally someone independent of the people currently running the account.

How often should you audit a PPC account?

A full audit once or twice a year is sensible, plus whenever performance drops, you change agency, or you are about to increase budget significantly. Search terms should be reviewed weekly or fortnightly as routine.

How long does a PPC audit take?

A thorough manual audit of a small to medium account takes around 3–8 hours. Large ecommerce accounts with many campaigns and feeds can take several days.

What is a PPC account audit checklist?

A typical checklist: conversion tracking; search terms; negative keywords; match types; campaign settings; location targeting; ad schedule; device performance; bidding strategies; budgets and lost impression share; ads and assets; Quality Score; landing pages; audiences; Shopping feed.

What is the most common problem found in PPC audits?

Wasted spend on irrelevant search terms, closely followed by inaccurate conversion tracking, such as counting page views or duplicated form submissions as leads. Both lead smart bidding to optimise for the wrong thing.

What is a PPC audit for a SaaS company?

A SaaS PPC audit focuses on tracking trials and demos through to paid customers, competitor and category keyword strategy, offline conversion imports from the CRM, and whether bidding is optimising for quality sign-ups rather than raw form fills.

Can I audit my own Google Ads account?

Yes. Use the search terms report, the recommendations and change history tabs, and a checklist covering tracking, settings, keywords, ads and landing pages. An outside expert will usually spot issues faster, but a self-audit is a good start.

What tools are used for PPC audits?

The Google Ads and Microsoft Ads interfaces, Google Ads Editor, Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager and Tag Assistant for tracking checks, and sometimes third-party tools for scripts and competitor data. Manual review matters more than tools.

What happens after a PPC audit?

You get a prioritised list of fixes. Quick wins, such as negatives and setting changes, are usually done first, followed by tracking fixes and restructuring. You can implement them yourself or have the auditor do it.

What does a PPC audit cost?

UK PPC audits commonly cost £250–£1,500 depending on account size. I offer a free initial manual audit for UK businesses.

How do I audit Microsoft Ads (Bing)?

Follow the same steps as Google Ads, plus check imported campaigns for settings that do not translate well, Audience Network inclusion, search partner traffic and location targeting. Many Bing accounts are imported once and never reviewed.

What is a Performance Max audit?

A Performance Max audit checks conversion goals, asset groups and asset quality, audience signals, brand exclusions, product feed quality, search term insights, placement data and whether PMax is cannibalising brand or Search campaigns.

Why is my PPC audit score low in Google’s optimisation score?

Google’s optimisation score measures how many of Google’s recommendations you have applied, not how well your account performs. Many recommendations increase spend. A low optimisation score is not necessarily a problem.

What is a PPC account review?

A PPC account review is a lighter form of audit, usually focusing on the biggest opportunities and problems rather than every setting. My free PPC review is a manual look at your account with clear recommendations. Free PPC account review →

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