You’ve covered a lot already, match types, search terms, negative keywords, campaign structure. These foundational checks can significantly improve how your account performs.
But when things still don’t quite add up, it’s time to go deeper. This next section dives into more advanced areas where many campaigns lose efficiency, accuracy, and ultimately, ROI, without anyone realising.
Let’s continue the health check.
What we’re diving into next are often the silent killers of performance, areas that are less obvious but just as critical. These elements don’t always show up on your dashboard, but they can undermine even the best-structured campaigns if left unchecked.
Are You Tracking Conversions Correctly?
You can’t optimise what you can’t measure. Yet so many accounts are running on flawed or incomplete conversion data. Maybe you’re tracking page views instead of meaningful actions. Maybe your conversion tag is duplicated. Or maybe tracking broke months ago and no one noticed.
Before making bid or budget decisions, check that your conversion tracking is accurate and aligned with real business outcomes. A lead form submission, a phone call, a checkout, these are what matter. Not just button clicks or time on page.
Audit your account to make sure all conversions are firing correctly, and that you’re not double-counting or missing events entirely. What you measure sets the course for every smart bidding strategy you deploy.
Are Your Landing Pages Aligned With Intent?
Once the ad gets the click, the landing page has to do the heavy lifting. But how often do you check if your landing page actually delivers on what the ad promised?
If someone searches for “same-day boiler repair” and lands on a homepage with no mention of it, you’ve broken the experience. Even worse, a slow-loading or non-mobile-friendly page can bleed away hard-won clicks before the user even sees your message.
Start by reviewing page load speeds and checking that messaging, CTAs, and layout align tightly with your ad copy and keyword intent. A landing page that matches intent and delivers clarity will always convert more efficiently than a generic one.
Are You Using Audience Data Effectively?
PPC isn’t just about keywords anymore. Google Ads gives you tools to layer audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviours, and previous site activity.
But many campaigns still ignore this. Are you applying in-market or custom intent audiences? Are you using remarketing lists to refine performance? Even if you start in observation mode, you can unlock insights that drive better bid adjustments and targeting.
Audience signals are especially valuable when combined with automated bidding strategies. They help Google understand who’s most likely to convert, so your budget goes further.
Have You Looked at Quality Score Lately?
Google’s Quality Score may be hidden from everyday view, but it directly affects how much you pay per click. If your QS is low, you’re paying more than you should and are likely getting lower ad positions too.
Check your keywords for Quality Score data (available via columns in the interface). Focus on improving ad relevance, expected CTR, and landing page experience, these are the levers Google uses to assign your score.
A few small tweaks to copy and page content can lift QS across the board which translates directly into more efficient spend.
Wrapping Up (Part 2)
This second round of checks digs into the deeper mechanics of a high-performing PPC campaign. Conversion accuracy, page alignment, audience layers, and Quality Score are all areas that go unnoticed, but have outsized impact.
We’ll be shifting gears in the next blog to explore a different marketing channel entirely, but if any of this feels close to home, or you’d like a second opinion on how your campaigns are shaping up, I’m always happy to chat.
— Chris Chapman, Director at Finsbury Media
linkedin.com/in/chris-chapman