Free Google Ads Audit for Local Businesses
Already running ads? Add our manager account and we'll show you where your budget leaks and what to fix first. Haven't started yet? We'll send a free PPC proposal with projected cost per lead and ROAS at three ad spend levels.
- A scored review of 12 checks that decide what you pay per lead
- A prioritized fix list you can hand to anyone, or have us run
- No changes to your account without your OK
Free. No contract. No obligation to hire us.
A free audit or a free PPC proposal
Pick the one that fits where you are today. Both are free, and both come with real numbers you can act on.
Free Google Ads audit
Add our MCC (manager account) and we review your account against the 12 checks below.
- Score for each check, with what it's costing you
- Wasted spend from search terms and targeting
- Prioritized fix list, biggest impact first
Free PPC proposal
Tell us your services and service area. We map the searches worth paying for and project your numbers before you spend a dollar.
- Projected cost per lead at three ad spend levels
- Projected ROAS from your job value and close rate
- Recommended plan and starting budget
What we check in your Google Ads audit
These 12 settings decide most of what a local business pays per lead. Each one gets a pass or a fix in your report.
Location targeting
Set to people in or regularly in your service area, not people "interested in" it. The wrong setting sends ads to searchers who will never hire you.
Search terms
The actual searches your ads showed for. We flag the ones spending money with no calls or forms.
Negative keywords
A list that blocks job seekers, DIY searches, cheap-price shoppers and services you don't offer.
Match types
Whether broad match is pulling in loosely related searches your budget can't afford.
Conversion tracking
Whether calls and forms are counted correctly, with no duplicates and no page-view "conversions" inflating results.
Call tracking
Tracked numbers and call length, so you know which ad and keyword made the phone ring.
Ad assets
Call, location, sitelink and callout assets that make your ad bigger and easier to act on.
Landing pages
Does the click land on a matching service page with a call button and form above the fold?
Bidding strategy
Whether your bid strategy fits how much conversion data the account actually has.
Budget-limited campaigns
Campaigns hitting their cap by mid-morning, missing the calls that come later in the day.
Search Partners and Display
Opt-ins that spread a search budget onto sites and apps that rarely produce local leads.
Account structure
Campaigns and ad groups organized by service, so each search gets a matching ad and page.
Score your Google Ads account in 2 minutes
Answer 10 yes-or-no questions about your account. You'll get a score and the gaps worth fixing first.
- Is location targeting set to "Presence: people in or regularly in your locations"?
- Have you reviewed your search terms report in the last 30 days?
- Do you have a negative keyword list applied to your campaigns?
- Are your keywords mostly phrase or exact match?
- Is conversion tracking set up for both calls and form submissions?
- Are calls from your ads tracked with a tracking number or call reporting?
- Do your ads use call, location, sitelink and callout assets?
- Do your ads land on a service page with a call button and form above the fold, not your homepage?
- Are Search Partners and the Display Network turned off in your search campaigns?
- Do you know your cost per lead from last month?
Google Ads break-even and cost per lead calculator
Find out how many leads pay for your ads, or check what you're paying per lead and what you get back. Every number comes from what you enter.
The calculator needs JavaScript. Turn it on, or request a free PPC proposal and we'll run the numbers for you.
How many jobs pay for the month?
The defaults are examples; change them to match your business.
Uses only the numbers you enter. For a stricter break-even, use your profit per job instead of revenue. Setup fee not included.
What are you paying per lead, and what comes back?
Pull last month's numbers from your ad account and your sales records.
ROAS here is revenue from closed jobs divided by ad spend. Management fees aren't included; add them to spend for your full return.
Numbers make sense? Start now.
Skip the audit and pick a plan. Ads go live within 7 business days of onboarding. Compare every plan
What you get
Your Google Ads audit report
- A pass or fix on each of the 12 checks
- Search terms and targeting that are spending without leads
- A prioritized fix list, biggest impact first
- Delivered within [INSERT: X business days] of access
- Yours to keep, whether you fix it yourself or hire us
Your PPC proposal
- The searches worth paying for in your service area
- Projected cost per lead at three ad spend levels
- Projected ROAS from your job value and close rate
- Recommended plan and starting budget
- Delivered within [INSERT: X business days] of your form
How audit access works
We use a standard manager account (MCC) link. You keep full control of your account the whole time.
- Submit the formInclude your 10-digit Google Ads Customer ID, shown at the top of your account.
- We send a link requestIt comes from our MCC, ID
[INSERT: MCC ID]. - You accept itIn your account, go to Admin, then Access and security, then Managers.
- We deliver the auditYour report arrives within [INSERT: X business days].
Why get your audit from CELM
Local-only
We audit for service areas, map pack competition and calls, not national ecommerce metrics.
SEO and ads together
We flag keywords you're paying for that you could win organically.
No markup if you hire us
Flat monthly fee from $499/mo. Your ad spend goes straight to Google.
A guarantee in writing
Hire us and your first lead comes within 7 days of launch, or next month's fee is free.
[INSERT: proof point, e.g. client type, what the audit found and the verified result]
Google Ads audit FAQ
Is the Google Ads audit really free?
Yes. There's no fee and no obligation to hire us. You keep the report either way.
What access do you need for the audit?
Your 10-digit Google Ads Customer ID. We send a link request from our manager account (MCC), and you accept it under Admin, then Access and security, then Managers.
Will you change anything in my account?
No. We review only. Nothing changes without your OK, and you can unlink our account anytime from the same screen.
How long does the audit take?
Your report arrives within [INSERT: X business days] of accepting our link request.
I already work with an agency. Can I still get an audit?
Yes. Your account can be linked to more than one manager account, so you don't need to remove your current agency to get a second opinion.
What's a good cost per lead for Google Ads?
There's no universal number. It depends on your trade, your market and what a job is worth to you. Use the break-even calculator to find the cost per lead your business can afford, then compare it with what you're paying now.
How is ROAS calculated?
ROAS (return on ad spend) is the revenue from jobs your ads produced divided by what you spent on ads. $9,000 in jobs from $2,000 in ad spend is a 4.5x ROAS. Add management fees to spend if you want your full return.
Do I need an audit or a proposal?
If you're running Google Ads now, or ran them in the last year, get the audit. If you've never run ads, get the proposal; it projects your cost per lead before you spend anything.
Find Out What Your Ads Should Cost You
Get a free audit of the account you have, or a free proposal for the one you're planning.
Want to know how we run campaigns? See our local Google Ads management.
