A Google Ads audit should not feel like detective work with 47 tabs open.
The job is simple:
Find what is broken.
Find what is wasting money.
Find what needs a human judgment call.
The problem is that Google Ads hides those answers across settings, reports, keyword tables, search terms, ad assets, and change history.
That is where AI helps.
Not by “thinking for you.”
Please don’t outsource judgment to a chatbot wearing a tiny PPC hat.
AI helps by pulling the right data, in the right order, so you can review faster.
With HireOtto, you can run a structured Google Ads audit from Claude, ChatGPT, Make.com, or another MCP client. You ask in plain English. HireOtto pulls the data from Google Ads. You make the call.
Think of it as giving your audit checklist a very fast intern.
One that does not need coffee.
Or click the wrong campaign because the UI shifted again.
What is a Google Ads AI audit?
A Google Ads AI audit is a structured review of an account using an AI assistant connected to Google Ads.
Instead of manually digging through the Google Ads UI, you ask the assistant to check:
Account hygiene
Campaign settings
Keywords and match types
Negative keywords
Search term waste
Ad copy and RSA coverage
Geo, device, and campaign performance
Impression share
Recent account changes
The AI does not replace the PPC operator.
It removes the grunt work around pulling, filtering, exporting, and summarising data.
That distinction matters.
A good audit still needs taste.
Bad campaign structure is not always obvious from a table.
Weak ad copy is not always a policy issue.
A “bad” keyword may be strategic if the sales cycle is long.
AI gets the evidence on the table.
You decide what it means.
With HireOtto, the audit does not have to end at “here’s what’s broken.” Since it has read/write access, you can review the recommendation and then fix approved issues in the same conversation — budgets, settings, negatives, keywords, ads, and more.
Why audit Google Ads with AI?
Because most audits are slow for the wrong reason.
You are not spending two hours because the thinking takes two hours.
You are spending two hours because the work is scattered.
Open campaigns.
Check settings.
Export keywords.
Find search terms.
Sort by cost.
Check disapprovals.
Pull device data.
Pull geo data.
Check impression share.
Wonder who changed the budget last Tuesday.
That is not strategy.
That is admin wearing a fake moustache.
AI helps in three ways.
First, it makes the audit repeatable. You can use the same prompt sequence across accounts.
Second, it makes the audit faster. You spend less time navigating and more time reviewing.
Third, it makes the audit easier to explain. You can ask for flags, summaries, CSVs, and next actions.
For agencies, that matters even more.
One account audit is useful.
Twenty account audits become an operating system.
The Google Ads audit workflow
Here is the practical sequence I’d use.
Use a 30-day date range for most performance checks.
Use 60–90 days when conversion volume is low.
For new account takeovers, also check recent change history.
1. Start with account hygiene
Before looking at performance, check whether the account is structurally safe.
You want to know:
Is auto-tagging on?
Are auto-apply recommendations enabled?
Are there disapproved ads?
Are obvious negative keyword checks in place?
Auto-tagging should usually be on.
Auto-apply recommendations should usually be reviewed carefully.
Google’s defaults can be aggressive.
That is polite wording for: don’t let the robot redecorate your house unsupervised.
Prompt to use:
Audit account hygiene for [CUSTOMER_ID].
Check:
1. Whether auto-tagging is enabled.
2. Whether auto-apply recommendations are enabled.
3. Whether any active or recently active ads are disapproved.
4. Whether the account has negative keyword coverage at campaign or shared-list level.
For each issue, explain:
- What you found
- Why it matters
- Whether it needs immediate action
- The safest next stepWhat to look for:
Auto-tagging off
Auto-apply settings enabled without intent
Disapproved ads in active campaigns
Missing or thin negative keyword coverage
Branded terms accidentally blocked
Obvious irrelevant terms not blocked
This is where HireOtto works as more than a checklist. If it finds issues, you can move from “is this broken?” to “prepare the safe fixes” without leaving the chat.
2. Review campaign settings
Campaign settings are where a lot of money quietly disappears.
Not dramatically. No explosions. Just tiny leaks.
The usual suspects:
Search Partners enabled without intent
Display Network enabled on pure Search campaigns
Wrong location targeting
“Presence or interest” instead of “Presence”
Mixed languages
Old ad schedules
Default device settings
Prompt to use:
Audit campaign settings for all active Search campaigns in [CUSTOMER_ID].
Check:
1. Campaign status and budget.
2. Bidding strategy.
3. Whether Search Partners is enabled.
4. Whether Display Network is enabled.
5. Target locations.
6. Location targeting option, especially whether it uses “Presence” or “Presence or interest”.
7. Language targeting.
8. Ad schedule.
9. Device performance or device-level settings, where available.
Flag settings that look risky, unusual, or likely to waste spend.
For each flag, explain:
- The campaign affected
- What the current setting is
- Why it may be a problem
- What you would recommend changingWhat to look for:
Setting | Audit question |
|---|---|
Networks | Is Search Partners or Display enabled intentionally? |
Location | Are campaigns targeting the right areas? |
Location option | Is it set to Presence where needed? |
Language | Is each campaign cleanly targeted? |
Ad schedule | Does it match actual buying behaviour? |
Device | Are device settings intentional? |
Bidding | Does the strategy fit campaign maturity? |
Budget | Are high-priority campaigns constrained? |
If a setting is clearly wrong, HireOtto can help update it after you approve the change. That is useful for boring-but-expensive fixes like networks, budgets, status, bidding, locations, and EU political advertising declarations.
3. Audit keywords and ad group structure
Next, check the account’s keyword logic.
You are looking for two things:
Are ad groups tightly themed?
Is spend going to the right search intent?
Start by pulling active keywords.
Prompt to use:
Audit active keywords and ad group structure for [CUSTOMER_ID].
Check:
1. Active keywords by campaign and ad group.
2. Match types.
3. Whether ad groups are tightly themed.
4. Keywords with high cost and no conversions.
5. Keywords with low CTR.
6. Keywords with poor Quality Score signals, where available.
7. Keywords that may be too broad or ambiguous.
8. Keywords that should potentially be split into separate ad groups.
Return:
- The biggest structural issues
- Keywords that deserve review
- Ad groups that look too broad
- Keywords that may need pausing, moving, or tighter match types
Do not make changes.What to look for:
Ad groups with too many keywords
Broad match overuse
High-cost keywords with no conversions
Exact match terms carrying high intent
Low Quality Score keywords
Weak expected CTR
Poor ad relevance
Poor landing page experience
Once you’ve reviewed the findings, HireOtto can help pause weak keywords, add new keywords, update statuses, or build cleaner ad groups. The audit becomes the starting point, not the handoff document.
4. Review negative keywords
Negative keywords are one of the fastest ways to stop obvious waste.
They are also easy to mess up.
Too few negatives, and you buy junk traffic.
Too many negatives, and you block useful demand.
The audit job is balance.
Prompts to use:
Audit negative keyword coverage for [CUSTOMER_ID].
Check:
1. Existing shared negative keyword lists.
2. Which campaigns those lists are attached to.
3. Campaign-level negative keywords.
4. Whether obvious irrelevant themes are missing.
5. Whether any negatives may accidentally block useful traffic.
6. Whether branded, competitor, location, or product terms are being blocked unintentionally.
Return:
- Missing negative coverage
- Risky negatives to review
- Negative lists that may need cleanup
- Campaigns that should have shared lists attached
- Suggested new negatives, grouped by theme
Do not add or remove negatives yet.What to look for:
Missing shared negative lists
Negative lists not attached to the right campaigns
Branded terms blocked accidentally
Competitor terms blocked unintentionally
Obvious irrelevant terms missing
Old negatives from previous strategy still active
This is one of the clearest audit-to-action workflows. HireOtto can help add approved negatives to a campaign or shared negative list, then attach that list to the right campaigns.
Especially important during account takeovers.
Inherited negative lists are like mystery leftovers in the fridge. Some are fine. Some should have been removed months ago.
5. Review ads and RSA coverage
Now check the ads.
For Search campaigns, you want to know:
Does each ad group have enough RSAs?
Are headlines specific?
Are keywords reflected naturally?
Are benefits clear?
Are CTAs present?
Is pinning used carefully?
Are display paths filled properly?
Prompt to use:
Audit ads and RSA coverage for [CUSTOMER_ID].
Check:
1. Active ads by campaign and ad group.
2. Whether each active ad group has enough responsive search ads.
3. Whether headlines are specific and varied.
4. Whether descriptions clearly explain the offer.
5. Whether calls to action are present.
6. Whether display paths are filled.
7. Whether assets are pinned.
8. Whether any ads are disapproved, limited, or weak.
9. Whether ad copy matches the keyword theme and landing page intent.
Return:
- Ad groups with weak RSA coverage
- Ads that need rewriting
- Repeated or generic headline patterns
- Disapproved or limited ads
- Suggested copy improvements
Do not update ads yet.What to look for:
Ad groups with only one RSA
Generic headlines
Weak or missing calls to action
Repeated headline ideas
Over-pinned assets
Missing display paths
Poor ad strength
Disapproved or limited ads
AI can surface the ad copy.
But you still need to judge the message.
“Best solution for your business” is technically an ad headline.
It is also a small cry for help.
Strong ad copy should say something specific.
Who is it for?
What pain does it solve?
Why should someone click now?
If the ad could work for any company, it probably works for none.
If an ad group needs stronger copy, your AI tool can help draft new RSA assets and HireOtto can create or update ads once you approve them.
6. Check performance by campaign, geo, and device
Once the structure is clear, review performance.
Start broad. Then narrow.
Prompts to use:
Audit campaign, geo, and device performance for [CUSTOMER_ID] over the last [DATE_RANGE].
Check:
1. Campaigns with high spend and low conversions.
2. Campaigns with strong conversion volume but limited budget.
3. Daily performance changes or sudden drops.
4. Locations with high spend and poor results.
5. Locations with strong performance.
6. Devices with poor conversion rate or high CPA.
7. Devices with strong conversion performance.
8. Any patterns that suggest budget, targeting, landing page, or tracking issues.
Return:
- Top performance risks
- Best scaling opportunities
- Geo exclusions or bid adjustment candidates
- Device-level recommendations
- Questions I should answer before making changesWhat to look for:
Campaigns spending without conversions
Sudden day-level performance drops
Regions burning budget
Devices with poor conversion rates
High spend with low impression share
Budget constraints on strong campaigns
Weak performance after recent changes
This is where the audit starts becoming strategic.
A bad device segment might mean bid adjustments.
A bad region might mean exclusion.
A bad campaign might mean landing page mismatch.
A bad day might mean tracking broke.
Do not stop at “CPA is high.” Ask why.
7. Pull search terms for wasted spend
Search terms show what people actually typed.
Keywords show intent you tried to buy.
Search terms report show intent you actually bought.
Prompt to use:
Audit search terms for [CUSTOMER_ID] over the last [DATE_RANGE].
Find:
1. High-cost search terms with no conversions.
2. Irrelevant informational queries.
3. Job-seeker, student, support, free, DIY, or research queries.
4. Search terms that suggest poor keyword matching.
5. Useful search terms that should be added as exact or phrase match keywords.
6. Search terms that should be added as negatives.
7. Patterns of wasted spend by campaign or ad group.
Return:
- Wasted spend themes
- Negative keyword suggestions
- New keyword opportunities
- Campaigns or ad groups causing the most irrelevant traffic
- Any terms that need human review before actionWhat to look for:
High-cost terms with no conversions
Irrelevant informational queries
Job-seeker queries
Support queries
Student/research queries
Competitor terms, if not part of strategy
Good terms that should become exact match keywords
This is usually one of the highest-value audit sections.
Not because it is fancy. Because wasted spend is wonderfully direct.
Money went there. Should it go there again?
That is the whole question.
HireOtto can also turn approved search term findings into action: add negatives, add strong queries as keywords, or export the report for review. This is where the audit saves real money, not just time.
Impression share helps you understand visibility.
Are strong campaigns limited by budget?
Are weak campaigns losing because rank is poor?
Are core terms barely showing?
Prompt to use:
Audit impression share for [CUSTOMER_ID] over the last [DATE_RANGE].
Check:
1. Search impression share by campaign.
2. Lost impression share due to budget.
3. Lost impression share due to rank.
4. Campaigns with strong conversion performance but limited visibility.
5. Campaigns losing visibility because of weak rank.
6. Whether the issue looks like a budget problem, bid problem, Quality Score problem, or relevance problem.
Return:
- Campaigns worth scaling
- Campaigns constrained by budget
- Campaigns constrained by rank
- Recommended next action for each campaign
- What not to change yetWhat to look for:
Low Search Impression Share on core campaigns
High Lost IS due to budget
High Lost IS due to rank
Strong conversion campaigns capped by budget
Poor Quality Scores hurting visibility
Budget-lost impression share is often a scaling clue.
Rank-lost impression share is usually a quality or bid clue.
Treat them differently.
Once you know whether the issue is budget, rank, or relevance, HireOtto can help with the next operational step. Budget changes are easy to apply. Rank and relevance issues usually need more judgment.
9. Check recent change history
This is optional for routine audits.
It is essential for takeovers.
If performance changed suddenly, recent account edits often explain why.
Prompt to use:
Review change history for [CUSTOMER_ID] over the last 30 days.
Summarize:
- The most important changes
- Who or what made the change, where available
- When the change happened
- Which campaigns or ad groups were affected
- Whether any change may explain a performance shiftWhat to look for:
Budget changes
Bid strategy changes
Paused campaigns
Paused keywords
Ad edits
Negative keyword additions
Targeting changes
Conversion-related changes
Change history gives context.
Without it, you may spend an hour diagnosing a “performance issue” that was actually a budget cut.
PPC has enough mysteries already.
If a bad change caused the issue, HireOtto can help prepare the reversal or next edit. I’d still review these carefully, especially on bidding, targeting, and negatives.
What should an AI audit report include?
A useful audit report should not be a data dump.
It should separate issues by urgency.
Use this structure:
Priority | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Critical | Fix immediately | Disapproved ads, broken tracking, wrong geo |
High | Likely wasting spend | Irrelevant search terms, bad settings |
Medium | Needs review | Bloated ad groups, weak ad copy |
Low | Optimisation opportunity | Device bid modifiers, ad schedule tweaks |
The best audit output is not “here are 100 observations.”
It is:
What is broken?
What is wasting money?
What should we test?
What should we leave alone?
That last one matters. Not every finding deserves action.
Sometimes the most useful audit note is: “Looks weird, but leave it for now.”
Very underrated sentence.
Where HireOtto fits
HireOtto is a remote Google Ads MCP server.
That means it connects Google Ads to AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Make.com, and other MCP clients.
For audits, HireOtto can help you pull:
Account hygiene checks
Campaign settings
Keywords
Ads
Negative keyword lists
Campaign performance
Keyword performance
Search terms
Geo performance
Device performance
Impression share
Change history
CSV exports where needed
But the bigger point is what happens after the audit.
HireOtto is not just a read-only reporting layer. It has read/write access.
So when you find an issue, you can move straight into action:
Pause weak keywords
Add negative keywords
Update budgets
Adjust campaign settings
Fix campaign networks
Create new ad groups
Update ads
Export reports
You still approve the work. But you do not need to click through the entire dashboard to do it.
That is the operating model: AI gathers the evidence, recommends the fix, and handles the clicks after you approve.
Think, so you can click less.
When should you run this audit?
Use this workflow when:
Taking over a new account
Reviewing a struggling account
Preparing a client QBR
Checking accounts before scaling spend
Auditing multiple agency accounts
Investigating a sudden performance drop
Creating a baseline before major changes
For active accounts, I’d treat this as a monthly deep audit.
For daily work, use a lighter daily ops check.
Deep audits find structural issues.
Daily checks catch fires before they become “client call” fires.
Different tools. Same kitchen.
Final thought
AI will not make you a better PPC operator by magic.
It will make the boring parts faster.
That is enough.
Because the boring parts are often what stop good operators from doing the real work: thinking clearly, spotting patterns, and deciding what to do next.
A good Google Ads audit is not about checking every box.
It is about finding the few issues that actually matter.
AI helps you get there faster.
The judgment is still yours.
Try HireOtto
Want to audit a Google Ads account from Claude, ChatGPT, or Make.com?
Connect HireOtto to your AI tool, authenticate Google Ads, and run the audit prompt sequence above.
No Google Cloud setup.
No JSON files.
No terminal.
Just your AI assistant, your Google Ads account, and fewer dashboard tabs than medically recommended.
Get started here: https://docs.hireotto.com/setup/connect-ai-tool
About Me
I’m Suyash – badminton junkie, ex‑GroupM ad‑ops grunt, first marketer at a B2B SaaS startup, and creator of Hiretto: Google Ads MCP Server.
My mission: less clicking, more thinking for marketers.
Let’s build leverage together.