Growth · Paid-media governance · 01
Account audit and waste removal
An account audit and waste removal examines a Google Ads account the way an auditor examines a control environment: structure, targeting, search terms, bids, budgets, conversion tracking, landing pages and settings, to find where spend produces nothing a buyer would recognize as an inquiry and to remove it. It is needed when spend has grown without evidence of what it buys, when an agency paid on a percentage has never recommended spending less, when conversion counts do not match the inquiries the business actually receives, or when a flat-fee governance engagement begins and needs a baseline. The audit produces a documented account assessment, the waste identified with its cost, the changes made and their effect, and the baseline against which governance is measured afterward.
Scope
What the review covers.
- Account structure, campaign settings and targeting
- Search term analysis against actual inquiry intent
- Bid, budget and automation settings
- Conversion tracking validity against real inquiries
- Landing page alignment and experience
- Waste identification, removal and effect measurement
Deliverables
What you receive.
| Deliverable | Form |
|---|---|
| Account assessment | Findings by area with evidence |
| Waste report | What was spent on what, and its cost |
| Change record | What was changed and the observed effect |
| Baseline | For measuring governance from here |
Prerequisites
What we need from you.
- Administrative access to the advertising account and its conversion sources
- Access to the inquiries the business actually received over the period
- The business’s definition of a qualified inquiry
Related
Where this sits.
By David Selakovic · Published 2026-10-16 · Revised 2026-10-16 · Reviewed every 180 days
Questions
Asked before engaging.
How much waste is typical?
We do not publish averages. Accounts managed on a percentage of spend rarely minimize spend. The audit shows your number with evidence.
Will removing waste reduce inquiries?
Waste, by definition, was not producing inquiries. Changes are measured against inquiry volume, and anything that reduces it is reversed.
Do you take over the account?
Governance can be delivered alongside an existing agency or in place of one. Either way the account stays in your name.