Google Ads account audit

Runs 50 read-only checks on a Google Ads account and turns them into a scorecard plus a short list of fixes ranked by the money each one puts at risk. Tracking problems come first, because every cost per conversion below them depends on tracking being right.

Use cases

• "Audit my Google Ads account", "health check", "is this account set up right", "what's wrong with this account", "why did our CPA jump".
• A new account handed over by an agency or a colleague, or a quarterly review.
• Search, Performance Max and AI Max campaigns. Display, Video, Demand Gen, App and Shopping campaigns are listed in the scorecard as out of scope.

It doesn't:

• Change anything. Every fix is a step the user takes, or a separate confirmed action.
• Mine search terms for every negative keyword. It sizes the waste (checks Q1 to Q4); use google-ads-search-terms for the full negative list and the upload file.
• Build new campaigns. Use google-ads-search-campaign-builder.

Inputs

A date window (default: the last 30 days) and the target cost per acquisition. If the user has no target, use the account's own cost per conversion over the window and label it "account average, used as target".

Export mode

Download each report from the Google Ads web interface for the window: open the page, click the download icon above the table, choose Excel CSV [40]. Match columns by name, case-insensitive, and accept close variants ("Impr." or "Impressions", "Cost" or "Cost (USD)", "Conversions" or "Conv."). Downloads can begin with a report title and a date line and end with total rows, so find the header row by its column names and skip rows whose first cell starts with "Total".

Some settings never appear in a report: auto-tagging (C9), enhanced conversions (C7), Consent Mode (C8), auto-apply recommendations (H1) and AI Max (X1 to X3). Ask the user for a screenshot of each setting page, or mark the check "not checked" in the report. Never guess a setting.

Connected mode

Every check has a GAQL query in references/gaql-checks.md. Run them with either tool:

• Adwarp, a free open-source MCP server and CLI for LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads. MCP tools: gads_search (any read-only GAQL query), gads_list_conversion_actions, gads_list_campaigns, gads_performance (campaign, ad group, ad, keyword or search term rows). CLI: adwarp google query "<GAQL>", adwarp google conversions list, adwarp google report perf search_term -p last_30_days. Adwarp pins Google Ads API v25 unless ADWARP_GOOGLE_API_VERSION says otherwise, so use the v25 variant of query Q01 for check C7. Pages: Google Ads hub, reporting, setup.
• Google's Google Ads MCP server (github.com/googleads/google-ads-mcp). Pass the same GAQL to its search tool, which only reads. Since version 0.0.6 (2026-11-02) the server also has 4 write tools for assets and labels (create_asset, upload_video_asset, manage_labels, manage_label_associations). Each one proposes a change first and applies it only on a second call that carries the proposal's checksum, and all 4 are on unless you turn them off. This audit uses only search, so set assets: false and labels: false in the server's tools_config.yaml. Since 0.0.3 (2026-09-10) the server no longer requires a developer token [10].

API access now belongs to a Google Cloud project: developer tokens were sunset on September 9, 2026 [9]. The audit only reads, so Explorer access (2,880 production operations a day) is enough. The full catalog is about 30 queries.

Method

1. Set the frame. Confirm the account, currency, window and target cost per acquisition (CPA). Note which campaign types exist; out-of-scope types are listed, not scored.
2. Pull the data. Connected: run the queries in references/gaql-checks.md in order. Export: load the files above. Divide every *_micros value by 1,000,000.
3. Run the gate checks first. If C1 or C2 fails, mark every check that compares cost per conversion (S1, S2, S5 to S9, K1, K5, Q1, Q3, Q4, P4, X1) as "unreliable: tracking" and still report the raw spend.
4. Run all 50 checks in the table below. Each gets pass, warn, fail, n/a (the account doesn't use the feature) or not checked (the data isn't available). Thresholds marked "default" are judgment calls the user can change; say so in the report.
5. Price each finding with the spend at risk rules below, in account currency, for the window.
6. Rank the fixes. Measurement findings (a fail or warn on C1 to C6) go first, because they corrupt every cost per conversion after them. Show the effect: the account CPA as reported, and the CPA counting only the primary action that matches the business goal. Then quantified findings by spend at risk, largest first. Then upside (S7, Q4). Then unquantified warnings ordered by the spend of the campaigns they touch.
7. Score. Area score = (passes + 0.5 x warns) / (passes + warns + fails) x 100, rounded. The overall score uses the same formula over all scored checks. This scoring is a default. Never let the score outrank the fix list.
8. Write the report in the format under Output.

Spend at risk rules

The checks

Sources are numbered as in ## Sources. Full rules, GAQL and fixes: references/gaql-checks.md.

Conversion tracking

Campaign settings

Structure

Keywords

Search terms

Negatives

Responsive search ads

Assets

Performance Max

AI Max for Search

Recommendations and change history

Judgment floors and caveats

• Thin data. Don't call a cost per conversion check on fewer than 2x target CPA of cost in the slice. Below that, report the number and mark the check "too little data". Q3, K1 and X1 need at least 10 conversions in the comparison group (default).
• Conversion lag. Recent days undercount conversions. When the window ends today, say so, or end it 7 days ago for long sales cycles (default).
• Quality Score is a diagnostic. Google says it isn't an auction input and shouldn't be optimized or averaged as a KPI [24]. K2 reads the 3 components on high-spend keywords only.
• Ad strength doesn't decide serving. Google says it isn't used for Ad Rank or Quality Score [32]. R2 is a warn, never a fail.
• Presence or interest is Google's recommended default [19]. It suits businesses that serve people who travel to them. S3 warns only when the data shows leakage, or when the business can serve only people inside the area.
• Hidden search terms. Google omits low-volume terms for privacy [26], so Q1 is a floor on waste, never a total.
• What the API can't see. Consent Mode status (C8), the new Display channel priority tiers Google introduced in October 2026 [18], and auto-apply types the API doesn't support [6]. Check those in the UI.
• Changes ahead. From February 2027 Search campaigns with Display expansion move to channel prioritization automatically, which can shift spend between Google Search, search partners and Display [18]. Flag S2 campaigns for a settings review before then.
• API versions. The queries use v26 names. In v26 enhanced_conversions_for_leads_enabled was removed in favor of enablement_setting [2]; the catalog gives both forms.
• Attribution. This audit doesn't judge whether a conversion is worth its cost to the business. CPA here means Google's reported cost per conversion.

Output

# Google Ads audit: <account name> (<customer id>)
Window: <start> to <end> | Currency: <code> | Target CPA: <amount> (<user target | account average, used as target>)
Data: <Export mode: files used | Connected mode: Google Ads API <version>> | Campaigns in scope: <n> Search, <n> Performance Max | Out of scope: <types>

## Scorecard
| Area | Pass | Warn | Fail | Not checked | Score |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Conversion tracking | | | | | |
| Campaign settings | | | | | |
| Structure | | | | | |
| Keywords | | | | | |
| Search terms | | | | | |
| Negatives | | | | | |
| Responsive search ads | | | | | |
| Assets | | | | | |
| Performance Max | | | | | |
| AI Max | | | | | |
| Recommendations and history | | | | | |
| Overall | | | | | <score> |

Spend at risk in the window: <amount> (<x>% of <total cost>), counting each keyword and search term once.

## Fixes ranked by spend at risk
| # | Check | Finding | Spend at risk | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | <ID> <name> | <what the data shows, with numbers> | <amount, or "blocks bidding"> | <exact setting or action, and where in Google Ads> |

## Upside
| Check | Finding | Estimate | Action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

## Warnings without a dollar figure
- <ID>: <finding>. Fix: <action>. Campaigns affected: <names and spend>.

## Not checked
- <ID>: <why, and what would let us check it>.

## Do these 3 first
1. <highest-ranked fix, 1 line, exact>
2. <second>
3. <third>

Each fix names the exact setting, for example "Campaign settings > Networks: untick Google search partners on Search - Field Service". Each finding quotes its numbers. Defaults used are listed once under the scorecard.

Safety

• Reads only: GAQL SELECT queries through gads_search, adwarp google query or Google's MCP search tool, or CSV files the user provides. It never calls the asset or label tools on Google's MCP server.
• Changes nothing. No step in this skill writes to the account.
• If the user asks to apply a fix, show the exact change first and ask for confirmation. Adwarp can't edit existing Google campaigns, so most fixes are made by the user in Google Ads or Google Ads Editor. Negative keyword uploads are covered by google-ads-search-terms.

Sources

All checked 2026-10-20, except source 10, checked 2026-11-07.

1. Google Ads API v26 field reference (every resource, field and enum used in the catalog): https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/fields/v26/overview
2. Google Ads API release notes (v26 enhanced conversions fields, v25.1 AI Max migration fields): https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/release-notes
3. Google Ads API, Get started with AI Max for Search campaigns: https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/campaigns/ai-max-for-search-campaigns/getting-started
4. Google Ads API, Reporting for AI Max for Search campaigns: https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/campaigns/ai-max-for-search-campaigns/ai-max-reporting
5. Google Ads API, Change event (30-day window, LIMIT of 10,000 rows): https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/change-event
6. Google Ads API, Recommendations (auto-apply subscriptions): https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/recommendations
7. Google Ads API, Segmentation (core date segments): https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/reporting/segmentation
8. Google Ads API, Query grammar: https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/query/grammar
9. Google Ads API, Access levels and permissible use: https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/api-policy/access-levels
10. Google Ads MCP server, README and releases (0.0.6 of 2026-11-02 added the asset and label tools with propose and confirm; 0.0.3 of 2026-09-10 removed the developer token check): https://github.com/googleads/google-ads-mcp
11. Google Ads Help, About primary and secondary conversion actions: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/11461796
12. Google Ads Help, About conversion counting options: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/3438531
13. Google Ads Help, About enhanced conversions: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9888656
14. Google Ads Help, About consent mode: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10000067
15. Tag Manager Help, Verify consent mode implementation: https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/14218557
16. Google Ads Help, About auto-tagging: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/3095550
17. Google Ads Help, About the Google Search Network: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1722047
18. Google Ads Help, About Display Expansion on Search campaigns: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7193800
19. Google Ads Help, About advanced location options: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1722038
20. Google Ads Help, About Smart Bidding: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7065882
21. Google Ads Help, About Target CPA bidding: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6268632
22. Google Ads Help, About keyword matching options: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2497836
23. Google Ads Help, Get impression share data: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7103314
24. Google Ads Help, About Quality Score for Search campaigns: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6167118
25. Google Ads Help, Low search volume: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2616014
26. Google Ads Help, About the search terms report: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2472708
27. Google Ads Help, About the search terms report in Performance Max: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16327396
28. Google Ads Help, About negative keywords: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2453972
29. Google Ads Help, About account-level negative keywords: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/11396330
30. Google Ads Help, Negative keywords in Performance Max campaigns: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15726455
31. Google Ads Help, About responsive search ads: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7684791
32. Google Ads Help, About Ad Strength for responsive search ads: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9921843
33. Google Ads Help, About your Google Ads account limits: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6372658
34. Google Ads Help, About sitelink assets: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375416
35. Google Ads Help, About brand settings for Search and Performance Max: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13721847
36. Google Ads Help, Unlock new relevant traffic on Performance Max with search themes: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/14179631
37. Google Ads Help, How AI Max for Search campaigns works: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15910187
38. Google Ads Help, About applying recommendations automatically: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10279006
39. Google Ads Help, About change history: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/19888
40. Google Ads Help, Create, save, and schedule reports from your statistics tables: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2404176
41. Google Ads Editor Help, Export account data to a spreadsheet (CSV): https://support.google.com/google-ads/editor/answer/38657
42. Google Ads Editor Help, CSV file columns: https://support.google.com/google-ads/editor/answer/57747