A Comprehensive Guide: How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively?

Running an effective ad audit can feel a bit daunting, but it’s essential for keeping your campaigns on track. Think of it as a regular check-up for your advertising efforts. Just like you wouldn’t skip a health check, you shouldn’t overlook the health of your ads. An audit helps you spot inefficiencies, maximise your budget, and ultimately improve your campaign performance. In this guide, we’ll break down how to conduct an ad audit effectively, making it easier for you to keep your campaigns in top shape.

Key Takeaways

• Regular audits help identify inefficiencies in ad performance.
• Review performance metrics, budget allocation, and keyword relevance.
• Create a structured approach to auditing, focusing on account structure and creatives.
• Use tools and resources to streamline the auditing process.
• Implement a plan for ongoing monitoring and adjustments post-audit.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Understanding The Importance Of An Ad Audit

Think of an ad audit as a health check for your online advertising. It’s not just about finding problems; it’s about making sure everything is working as it should. Even the most carefully planned campaigns can lose their way if they aren’t watched closely. You might be spending a lot and getting clicks, but not seeing any real return. That’s where an ad audit comes in. It helps you see what’s working, find what’s not, and get the most from your budget.

Identifying Inefficiencies

An ad audit helps you spot inefficiencies that might be costing you money. Are you paying too much for clicks that don’t lead to conversions? Are certain keywords underperforming? An audit digs into these questions, revealing areas where you can cut waste and improve your return on investment. It’s about making sure every pound you spend is working hard for you.

Maximising Budget Utilisation

A key benefit of an ad audit is ensuring your budget is used effectively. It’s easy for ad spend to drift towards underperforming areas if you’re not careful. An audit helps you reallocate resources to campaigns and keywords that are delivering results. This means more conversions, better ROI, and a budget that’s actually working for you. Think of it as fine-tuning your engine for maximum performance.

Enhancing Campaign Performance

Ultimately, an ad audit is about making your campaigns work better. By identifying and fixing problems, you can improve your click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall ROI. It’s about taking a step back, looking at the big picture, and making changes that will have a real impact. Regular audits can keep your campaigns on track and help you achieve your advertising goals. For a free PPC audit, consider checking out PPC Geeks.

An ad audit is not just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about identifying growth opportunities and making sure that your campaigns are working as intended.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Key Indicators To Review During An Audit

When you’re knee-deep in an ad audit, knowing what to focus on is half the battle. It’s easy to get lost in the data, but by concentrating on key indicators, you can quickly pinpoint areas that need attention. Let’s break down the main things to keep an eye on.

Performance Metrics

First up, the numbers. We’re talking about things like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA). These metrics give you a snapshot of how your ads are performing. If your CTR is low, it might mean your ad copy isn’t resonating with your audience. A high CPA could indicate that you’re spending too much to acquire a customer. Keep a close watch, and don’t be afraid to dig deeper to understand why these metrics are what they are.

Budget Allocation

Where is your money going? Are you spreading your budget evenly across all campaigns, or are you focusing on the ones that bring in the most revenue? It’s important to make sure your budget allocation aligns with your business goals. If a campaign isn’t performing well, consider reallocating those funds to a more successful one. It’s all about getting the most bang for your buck. You can get a free PPC audit from PPC Geeks to help you with this.

Keyword Relevance

Are your keywords still relevant to what you’re offering? Are they attracting the right kind of traffic? It’s easy for keywords to become outdated, especially if your business has evolved. Regularly review your keyword list to make sure it’s still aligned with your target audience and your offerings. Use negative keywords to philtre out irrelevant searches and improve the quality of your traffic.

An ad audit should be a comprehensive review of your digital marketing efforts, covering everything from website performance to SEO, ads, email campaigns, and content. This process helps identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats in your marketing strategy.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Steps To Conduct A Thorough Ad Audit

So, you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into an ad audit? Good on you. It’s not always the most thrilling task, but it’s vital for keeping your campaigns healthy and performing as they should. Let’s break down the steps.

Assessing Account Structure

First things first, take a good hard look at how your account is set up. Is it logical? Does it make sense? A well-structured account makes everything easier to manage and optimise. Think about how your campaigns and ad groups are organised. Are they aligned with your business goals? Are you using a clear naming convention? If not, now’s the time to sort it out. PPC Geeks offer a free Google Ads audit that can help identify structural issues.

Reviewing Ad Creatives

Next up, your ad creatives. Are they engaging? Are they relevant? Do they speak to your target audience? Your ads are often the first point of contact with potential customers, so they need to make a good impression. Check your ad copy for clarity, grammar, and spelling. Make sure your calls to action are clear and compelling. And don’t forget to test different ad variations to see what works best.

Monitoring Landing Pages

Finally, let’s talk landing pages. Your ads might be brilliant, but if they’re sending people to a rubbish landing page, you’re wasting your time and money. Make sure your landing pages are relevant to your ads, easy to navigate, and optimised for conversions. Check the page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall user experience. If your landing page isn’t up to scratch, people will bounce, and you’ll miss out on potential sales. PPC Geeks also offer a free landing page assessment to help with this step.

An ad audit isn’t a one-off thing. It’s an ongoing process. The digital landscape is constantly changing, so you need to stay on top of your campaigns to make sure they’re still performing as they should. Set aside time each month to review your account, analyse your data, and make any necessary adjustments. It might seem like a chore, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Here’s a quick checklist to keep you on track:

• Check account structure
• Review ad creatives
• Monitor landing pages

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Common Scenarios For Performing An Audit

Ad audits aren’t just about fixing problems; they’re about spotting opportunities and ensuring your campaigns are working as intended. So, when should you actually perform one? Let’s look at some common scenarios.

Routine Health Checks

Think of these as your regular service for your car. A routine, systematic audit can catch hidden inefficiencies and ensure your budget is being spent wisely. It can also prevent major performance issues down the line. I like to schedule these checks depending on the account size and campaign complexity. For example, a large account might benefit from weekly quick checks, monthly performance reviews, and quarterly structural audits. It’s all about keeping things ticking over smoothly. During these checks, make sure you review basic performance metrics, budget allocation, search term relevance and negative keyword lists.

New Account Takeovers

Taking over a new account is like moving into a new house – you need to check everything. You don’t know what the previous owner did! An audit is crucial to understand the existing setup, identify potential issues, and establish a baseline for future performance. It’s about getting to grips with the account’s history and planning your next steps. You’ll want to look at the account structure, targeting settings, conversion tracking, and historical performance data. This helps you make informed decisions from the get-go. A Google Ads consultant can be invaluable during this process, providing an objective assessment and expert recommendations.

Performance Declines

This is the ‘something’s gone wrong’ scenario. If you notice a sudden drop in conversions, a spike in costs, or any other worrying trend, an audit is essential. It’s like a doctor diagnosing a patient – you need to find the root cause of the problem. During these emergency audits, you’ll need to review all recent account changes, landing pages, conversion tracking setup, and check for increased competition. It’s about quickly identifying what’s causing the decline and implementing corrective actions. Don’t ignore those warning signs!

An ad audit is not just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about identifying growth opportunities and making sure that your campaigns are working as intended.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Tools And Resources For Effective Auditing

Utilising PPC Audit Tools

Okay, so you’re ready to get serious about your ad audits. That’s great! But where do you even start? Well, there are loads of tools out there designed to make the process easier and more efficient. These tools can automatically analyse your accounts, highlighting potential issues and areas for improvement. Think of them as your digital assistant, sifting through mountains of data to find the nuggets of insight. Using these tools can save you a lot of time and effort, especially when dealing with large or complex accounts.

• Automated rule checks
• Performance alerts
• Competitor analysis

PPC audit tools can provide a structured approach to identifying problems, but remember that human insight is still needed to interpret the results and implement changes effectively.

Leveraging Analytics Platforms

Analytics platforms are your best friends when it comes to understanding how users interact with your ads and website. Google Analytics is the obvious choice, but don’t forget about other options like Adobe Analytics. These platforms provide a wealth of data on user behaviour, conversion rates, and other key metrics. By connecting your ad accounts to these platforms, you can gain a holistic view of your campaigns and identify areas where you can improve the user experience. It’s all about understanding the customer journey and making sure it’s as smooth as possible.

• Track user behaviour on landing pages
• Identify drop-off points in the conversion funnel
• Measure the impact of ad campaigns on website traffic

Incorporating Automation

Automation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a game-changer for ad auditing. By automating repetitive tasks, you can free up your time to focus on more strategic initiatives. For example, you can set up automated reports to track key metrics, or use scripts to automatically pause underperforming keywords. The key is to find the right balance between automation and human oversight. You don’t want to blindly trust the machines, but you also don’t want to waste your time on tasks that can be easily automated.

• Automated report generation
• Script-based optimisation
• Alerts for performance anomalies

For a free PPC audit to get you started, check out PPC Geeks. They offer audits for various platforms, including Google, Facebook, and Amazon.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Post-Audit Actions To Enhance Campaigns

So, you’ve done the audit. Great! But the real work starts now. It’s time to put those findings into action and actually improve your campaigns. Let’s break down what needs to happen after you’ve finished your audit.

Prioritising Improvements

Okay, you’ve got a list of things to fix. Where do you even start? Not everything is created equal, so you need to figure out what’s going to give you the biggest bang for your buck. Prioritisation is key. Think about impact, how confident you are that the change will work, and how easy it is to implement. This helps you sort out the quick wins from the long-haul projects. For example, fixing a broken link on a landing page is a quick win, while completely restructuring your keyword strategy is a bigger project. If a recommendation doesn’t seem meaningful, dismiss it, especially if they don’t fit your targeting strategy. You can always get a free PPC audit to help you identify the best opportunities.

Creating An Action Plan

Right, you know what to do, now how are you going to do it? An action plan is your roadmap. It’s not enough to just say “improve ad copy”. You need to break it down. Who’s writing the new ads? When will they be ready? What’s the approval process? Include timelines, specific tasks, who’s responsible for each task, and key milestones. This keeps everyone on the same page and makes sure things actually get done.

Think of your action plan as a project management tool. It’s there to keep you organised and accountable. Without it, your audit findings are just a list of good intentions.

Monitoring Progress

Did those changes actually work? You need to keep an eye on things. Set up dashboards to track key metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and cost per acquisition. Share regular reports with your team and clients. If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to tweak your approach. And remember, it’s not just about the numbers. Keep an eye on the overall health of your account and be ready to adapt to changes in the market. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Create dashboards to track the impact of changes on key metrics.
• Share your insights with stakeholders and clients using reports.
• Identify areas that are working well and the ones that need improvement.

How Do I Run an Ad Audit Effectively? Best Practises For Ongoing Ad Audits

Establishing Regular Checkpoints

Think of ad audits like servicing your car; you wouldn’t wait until it breaks down completely, would you? Regular checkpoints are vital. I’m talking about scheduling routine audits, not just when things go south. For smaller accounts, a monthly check might do the trick. Larger, more complex accounts? You might want to consider weekly health checks, monthly performance reviews, and quarterly structural audits. This proactive approach helps catch minor issues before they snowball into major problems.

Staying Updated With Trends

The digital advertising landscape is like a toddler – constantly changing. What worked last year might be as useful as a chocolate teapot now. Keep your finger on the pulse. Read industry blogs, attend webinars, and follow thought leaders. Algorithm updates, new ad formats, and evolving consumer behaviour all impact your campaigns. Adapt or get left behind. For example, you might want to check out the latest on media auditing to stay ahead of the curve.

Engaging Stakeholders

Ad audits shouldn’t be a solo mission. Get everyone involved. Talk to your marketing team, sales team, and even customer service. They might have insights you’ve missed. For instance, sales might notice a drop in leads from a specific campaign, or customer service might hear complaints about a particular landing page. This collaborative approach ensures a more thorough and well-rounded audit.

It’s a good idea to have someone who isn’t directly involved in the day-to-day running of the account conduct the audit. Fresh eyes can spot things you might have missed. It’s like getting a second opinion from a doctor – it can’t hurt, and it might just save your campaign.

Here are some things to consider:

• Review custom scripts regularly, especially after platform changes.
• Validate automation rule logic to avoid conflicts.
• Assess recommendations cautiously, ensuring they align with your goals.

Final Thoughts on Conducting an Effective Ad Audit

In conclusion, running an effective ad audit is essential for any business looking to maximise their advertising efforts. It’s not just about spotting problems; it’s about finding ways to improve and make your campaigns work harder for you. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can identify what’s working, what’s not, and where you can make changes for better results. Remember, regular audits can save you money and help you achieve your goals more efficiently. So, don’t wait too long—get started on your ad audit today and see the difference it can make.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ad audit?

An ad audit is a thorough review of your advertising campaigns to find out what is working well and what needs improvement.

Why should I perform an ad audit?

Performing an ad audit helps you identify problems, improve your ad performance, and make sure you are using your budget wisely.

How often should I conduct an ad audit?

It’s a good idea to do an ad audit regularly, like every few months, or whenever you notice a drop in performance.

What should I look for during an ad audit?

During an ad audit, check your ad performance metrics, budget spending, and the relevance of your keywords.

What tools can I use for an ad audit?

You can use various tools like Google Analytics, PPC audit tools, and reporting software to help with your ad audit.

What should I do after completing an ad audit?

After the audit, create an action plan to address the issues found and monitor your campaigns to see if the changes improve performance.