Paid advertising should drive growth, but too often it drains budget without clear returns. Businesses invest heavily in Google Ads and Facebook Ads, yet campaigns underperform because of inefficiencies, poor targeting, or neglected optimisation. Recognising when it is time for a paid ads audit is key to protecting your spend and improving results.
An audit acts as a health check. It identifies wasted budget, pinpoints ineffective campaigns, and highlights opportunities for stronger returns. If your paid ads are under review less often than your monthly reports, you risk leaking money without realising it.
Below are the common signs you need an audit to prevent wasted spend.
When performance metrics show a downward trend, an audit becomes essential. Paid ads are designed for measurable impact. If the numbers do not support your spend, something is wrong.
Key red flags include:
Google’s own Ads Help Centre confirms that regular performance reviews are required to align spend with ROI (Google, Ads Help, 2025). If you see these metrics dropping, it signals wasted budget and poor targeting.
Targeting is the backbone of effective paid advertising. Without it, ads reach users unlikely to convert, causing wasted impressions and spend. Campaigns with broad reach but few conversions often signal targeting gaps, such as budget going to irrelevant locations, demographics, or users with no buying intent. Low engagement from repeatedly exposed audiences is another red flag.
Automation in platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads offers efficiency, but relying on default settings often leads to wasted budget. Automation only works effectively when it’s monitored and fine-tuned. Key areas that need regular review include:
An audit helps ensure automation is working in line with your overall strategy, instead of running unchecked and eroding performance.
Even with precise targeting, ads lose effectiveness when creatives become stale. Repetitive messaging reduces engagement, with high frequency and low conversions signalling fatigue. Competitors gain an advantage by running fresh creatives that better meet audience expectations. Research shows ads refreshed every six to eight weeks perform significantly better, while outdated creatives often mean higher spend for weaker returns.
Without accurate tracking, you cannot measure true performance. Many campaigns fail not because of poor ads, but because conversions are not being measured properly.
An audit often reveals:
Google Analytics documentation emphasises correct event tracking as critical for campaign optimisation (Google Analytics Help, 2025). Without accurate measurement, you are spending blind.
A structured paid ads audit highlights gaps and missed opportunities across performance, targeting, creative, and tracking. It prevents money from flowing into ineffective strategies and redirects spend to areas with stronger ROI. By identifying underperforming campaigns, eliminating irrelevant clicks, and improving conversion tracking, an audit ensures that each pound or peso spent is accountable. It also realigns targeting with your highest-value customers and introduces new creative strategies that maintain engagement.
Audits are not a one-time task. They should be part of your quarterly routine to ensure campaigns remain aligned with goals and budget.
Paid ads audits require expertise, time, and accurate analysis. Be Seen specialises in helping businesses identify wasted spend, refine targeting, and increase ad performance across Google and Meta platforms. Our audits deliver actionable recommendations that save money and strengthen ROI.
If you suspect your paid ads are draining budget, now is the time to take control. Let Be Seen provide the clarity your campaigns need.
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