Google Ads Audit Framework for eCommerce

Anirban Sen
Apr 4
7 min read

Updated: Apr 5

Here’s why it matters and what you’ll achieve:

Cut Costs: Eliminate underperforming keywords and campaigns.
Boost Conversions: Fix gaps in the customer journey.
Simplify Management: Organize campaigns for scalability.
Make Smarter Decisions: Use clear metrics to guide optimizations.

Focus Areas for Your Audit:

Account Setup: Check campaign structure, settings, and budgets.
Budget & Performance: Track ROAS, CPC, CTR, and CPA.
Keywords: Analyze search terms, match types, and Quality Scores.
Ad Copy: Ensure alignment with products, audience, and promotions.
Landing Pages: Optimize speed, mobile-friendliness, and CTAs.

Tools to Use:

Google Ads Editor: Manage campaigns in bulk.
Google Analytics 4: Track user behavior and conversions.
Google Merchant Center: Monitor product feeds.

Regular audits help you maximize ROAS, reduce wasted ad spend, and improve campaign results. Dive into the full article for step-by-step insights and actionable tips.

How To Audit Google Ads Accounts For eCom Brands

5 Main Areas to Audit

To improve campaign performance and ROI in Google Ads for eCommerce, it's important to assess five key areas systematically.

Account Setup Review

The structure of your account is the backbone of successful campaigns. Focus on:

Campaign Organization: Group campaigns logically by product categories, seasonal promotions, and brand terms.
Naming Conventions: Use consistent naming patterns that reflect the campaign's purpose, target audience, and product lines.
Settings Verification: Double-check critical settings such as:
- Location targeting and bid adjustments
- Device bid modifiers
- Ad scheduling and delivery methods
- Campaign budget distribution

Also, review how budgets are allocated and evaluate performance metrics to identify any inefficiencies.

Budget and Performance Analysis

Dive into performance data to uncover inefficiencies and areas for improvement:

ROAS Tracking: Keep an eye on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) across campaigns and ad groups.
Cost Analysis: Look at cost-per-click (CPC) trends and how efficiently budgets are being used.
Performance Metrics: Monitor key indicators like:
- Click-through rates (CTR)
- Conversion rates
- Average order value (AOV)
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)

Keyword Performance Review

Refine your targeting by analyzing keyword performance:

Search Term Analysis: Use search term reports to find top-performing queries and identify negative keywords to exclude.
Match Type Distribution: Review the mix of broad, phrase, and exact match keywords to ensure balance.
Quality Score Optimization: Work on improving expected CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience to boost Quality Scores.

Once you've analyzed keywords, shift your focus to the effectiveness of your ad messaging and creative elements.

Ad Copy Analysis

Strong ad copy can make a big difference in ROI. Here's what to check:

Ad Format Review: Ensure you're using all relevant ad formats, including:
- Responsive search ads (RSAs)
- Dynamic product ads
- Shopping campaign ads
Message Consistency: Confirm that your ad copy aligns with:
- Product offerings
- Audience needs
- Seasonal promotions
- Your brand's tone and style

Landing Page Review

Landing pages are where conversions happen, so they need to be optimized. Focus on:

Page Load Speed: Make sure pages load in under 3 seconds on all devices.
Mobile Optimization: Verify that pages are responsive and mobile-friendly.
Conversion Elements: Check for:
- Clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs)
- Accurate product details
- Trust signals (like reviews or security badges)
- Smooth shopping cart functionality

eCommerce-Specific Checks

eCommerce audits involve additional steps that go beyond standard campaign evaluations. These checks are crucial for improving your store's ad performance and driving revenue.

Product Feed Review

Your product feed is the backbone of your shopping campaigns. A thorough review should focus on both the quality of your data and the structure of your feed.

Key Data Quality Factors:

Product titles: Include relevant keywords and use a clear format like [Brand] + [Product Type] + [Key Features].
Descriptions: Ensure they are accurate, complete, and include important keywords.
Images: Use high-quality photos that meet Google's standards (minimum 800x800 pixels).
GTINs and MPNs: Make sure these identifiers are correctly implemented for precise product tracking.

Feed Structure Tips:

Custom labels: Group products strategically to simplify campaign management.
Product categories: Assign products according to Google's taxonomy.
Pricing details: Double-check for accuracy and competitiveness.
Inventory updates: Ensure stock levels are synced in real time.

A well-organized product feed is essential for success. For example, Senwired revamped McNeela Music's Google Ads by consolidating campaigns, using Performance Max setups, and tailoring optimizations for specific markets. This approach boosted revenue and ROI across multiple channels.

Once your feed is in shape, it's time to evaluate your customer targeting setup.

Customer Targeting Setup

Effective customer targeting is critical for eCommerce success. When auditing your account's targeting, focus on these areas:

Audience Segmentation:

Customer match lists: Check how often they’re updated and their match rates.
Similar audiences: Look for opportunities to expand your reach.
In-market audiences: Ensure they align with your product categories.
Remarketing segments:
- Target cart abandoners (30-60 day duration).
- Focus on past purchasers based on purchase value and frequency.
- Engage website visitors by behavior, such as page type and engagement level.

Smart Bidding Strategies:

Value-based bidding: Ensure transaction values are being tracked accurately.
Enhanced CPC settings: Compare performance against your target ROAS.
Audience bid adjustments: Analyze how well bid modifiers are performing.

Keeping your audience data up to date and fine-tuning segments can significantly improve your targeting efforts.

Audit Tools and Automation

Using automation alongside manual checks can ease your workload while keeping your monitoring consistent.

Tools You Need for Audits

To run effective audits, you need reliable tools and automation strategies. Here's a breakdown of the key tools:

Primary Tools:

Google Ads Editor: Manage campaigns in bulk and review historical data.
Google Analytics 4: Verify conversions and analyze user behavior.
Google Merchant Center: Keep an eye on product feeds.
Google Data Studio: Create dashboards and generate reports for audits.

These tools form the backbone of your audit process, making routine checks faster and easier.

Additional Tools:

Google Tag Assistant: Verify tracking setup.
Chrome Developer Tools: Dive into technical page issues.
Google Search Console: Monitor search performance metrics.

Tool Function	Monitoring Focus	Check Frequency
Campaign Tools	ROAS, CTR tracking	Daily
Feed Tools	Error monitoring	Weekly
Technical Tools	Site performance	Bi-weekly
Budget Tools	Spend tracking	Daily

Automating Your Audit Process

Once you've set up the right tools, automation can handle repetitive tasks, helping you maintain strong campaign performance.

Key Automation Rules:

Budget ManagementSet up automated alerts for:
- Spending hitting 80% of the daily budget by 6 PM.
- CPC increasing by more than 20% in a single day.
- ROAS dropping below your target for 48 hours.
Performance MonitoringAutomate checks to flag:
- Products with zero impressions after 7 days.
- Quality Scores that dip below 5.
- CTR falling under 1%.
Feed ManagementAutomate alerts for:
- More than 5% of products being disapproved.
- Errors related to missing GTINs.
- Price mismatches between feeds and product pages.

Automation Schedule:

Timeframe	Task	Trigger
Daily	Budget check	80% threshold
Weekly	Performance review	Below KPI
Monthly	Quality Score	Below 5
Quarterly	Trend analysis	Major changes

Report Creation and Action Steps

Audit Report Template

A well-structured audit report and action plan can help turn audit findings into better campaign results. Here's how to organize your report:

Executive Summary

Key performance metrics like ROAS, CTR, and CPC
Main issues identified
Estimated revenue impact
Top recommendations

Account Health Metrics

Metric Category	Current Status	Benchmark	Action Required
Campaign Structure	Optimal/Moderate/Suboptimal	Industry Standard	Yes/No
Budget Utilization	% of optimal	85-95%	Yes/No
Quality Score	Average score	7+	Yes/No
Feed Performance	% approved	95%+	Yes/No

Technical Review Findings

Tracking setup status
Integration problems
Data inconsistencies
Platform constraints

After completing technical checks, review overall performance metrics to spot trends and opportunities.

Performance Analysis

ROAS trends at the campaign level
Product group performance data
Insights into audience behavior
Seasonal performance patterns

Task Priority System

To address audit findings effectively, use a three-tier priority system based on the potential impact and effort required for implementation:

Priority Matrix

Priority Level	Impact Range	Implementation Time	Example Tasks
P1 (Critical)	>20% ROAS	<48 hours	Fix broken tracking
P2 (High)	10-20% ROAS	2-7 days	Optimize bidding
P3 (Medium)	5-10% ROAS	7-14 days	Update ad copy

Implementation Guidelines

Address revenue or tracking issues within 48 hours
Complete performance optimizations within a week
Plan and execute strategic updates over 2-4 weeks

Documentation Requirements

Add screenshots of identified issues
Record metrics before and after optimizations
Detail the steps taken for implementation
List required resources
Outline expected results

Leverage automated audit tools to keep track of these tasks using a clear workflow. Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and verify completion to ensure your campaigns are running at their best.

Conclusion

Results of Regular Audits

Regular audits can make a noticeable difference in key eCommerce metrics. They help uncover issues early, keeping them from impacting your results. By conducting thorough reviews, eCommerce businesses can achieve:

Better ROAS through smarter budget allocation
Lower CPCs thanks to improved quality scores
Stronger campaign performance through data-backed adjustments
Less wasted spend by identifying underperforming keywords
Improved product feed alignment with user search intent

The real power of audits lies in turning raw data into actionable insights. With a clear plan for implementing those insights, businesses can ensure consistent performance improvements.

Implementation Guide

To keep your account running at its best, stick to these key steps:

Monthly Audit Schedule

Audit Component	Timing	Focus Areas
Quick Health Check	Weekly	Budget pacing, ROAS trends
Performance Review	Monthly	Campaign structure, targeting
Deep Technical Audit	Quarterly	Feed quality, tracking setup

When to Bring in Experts

There are times when professional help is the smartest move. Consult Google Ads specialists if:

Your monthly ad spend is over $10,000
Campaign performance stalls, even after optimizations
You're entering new markets or launching new product lines
Tracking issues remain unresolved
You’re looking to implement advanced automation

Regular audits paired with swift action are the foundation of success. By staying consistent with reviews and following the steps above, you’ll be positioned to boost your eCommerce ad performance and achieve long-term growth.