Running Google Ads for lead generation can drive high-quality prospects, but only if your campaign is structured, tracked, and optimized correctly.
At Search Engine People, we audit hundreds of paid search accounts every year to uncover what’s working and what’s wasting budget.
Here’s a practical framework you can use to audit your own Google Ads lead generation campaign.
1️⃣ Clarify Client Expectations and KPIs
Start by aligning on the money point, how the client actually makes money, and define technical, trackable KPIs that reflect those goals.
Every lead generation campaign should have a conversion goal that mirrors real business outcomes, not just form fills or clicks.
Ideally, that means a CRM-integrated lead (e.g., a sales-qualified lead) or an actual sale with accurate value tracking.
2️⃣ Verify Conversion Tracking
Once KPIs are confirmed, determine which platforms will track them, GA4, CRM, or pixels (often more than one).
Set up your goals, test them thoroughly, and ensure they’re connected to Google Ads as primary conversion actions.
Proper tracking ensures your campaign is optimizing for what truly matters. Smart bidding strategies rely on primary conversion goals when a target CPA is set, and all platform reporting will use those same primary goals.
3️⃣ Review Targeting: Networks, Locations, and Search Terms
- Network settings: Keep Search Partners and Display turned off unless you’re intentionally testing them.
- Location targeting: Match the client’s actual market. Use Presence only, not Presence or Interest.
- Search terms: Focus on bottom-of-funnel queries that show strong commercial or transactional intent. Exact or phrase match targeting is fine as long as it consistently triggers relevant search terms.
4️⃣ Review Bidding Strategy
Leverage AI-driven smart bidding with portfolio bid strategies such as Target CPA or Target ROAS.
Set sensible max CPC limits to avoid wild cost fluctuations and ensure campaigns have enough data to train the algorithms effectively.
Smart bidding works best with accurate conversion tracking and steady data flow.
5️⃣ Check Impression Share and Competitive Visibility
Your top-performing keywords should consistently dominate the auction.
- Search Impression Share: 60%+
- Absolute Top Impression Share: 30%+
If you’re below these thresholds, you may be losing visibility to competitors or bidding too low.
6️⃣ Check Campaign and Ad Group Structure
Each campaign should have enough ad groups and landing pages to match search intent precisely.
Think of this as the PPC version of SEO’s keyword-to-page mapping: each ad group should target a small, focused set of terms.
Too few ad groups = overly broad targeting and wasted spend.
The goal isn’t to satisfy the algorithm, it’s to deliver a relevant and seamless user experience.
7️⃣ Evaluate Click and Conversion Volume
Optimization requires data.
A 5% conversion rate means you’ll need roughly 20 relevant clicks per conversion.
If your campaign generates fewer than 20 qualified clicks per week, there isn’t enough data to draw statistically valid insights, and smart bidding won’t have sufficient data to optimize effectively.
In short, a campaign with too little relevant traffic isn’t worth analyzing until volume improves.
8️⃣ Audit the Landing Page Experience
1. Match Intent and Message Consistency
Ensure the offer aligns with the visitor’s search intent, keyword themes, and ad copy.
Above the fold, clearly communicate what you offer, who it’s for, and why it matters.
Use a benefit-driven headline that answers “what’s in it for me” and reinforces your USP.
2. Professional, Trustworthy Design
Maintain a visually balanced layout with consistent fonts, spacing, and high-quality imagery.
Use brand-aligned colours and visuals that reinforce credibility.
Keep the visual style clean, modern, and confidence-building.
3. Social Proof and Proof of Performance
Add client logos, testimonials, and star ratings to build immediate trust.
Showcase short case-study snippets highlighting real results (before/after metrics, ROI, conversions, revenue lift).
Use screenshots, badges, certifications, awards, or media mentions to validate your expertise.
Place proof elements near CTAs to reinforce credibility at key decision points.
4. High-Impact Above-the-Fold Structure
Ensure the primary CTA or form is immediately visible on both desktop and mobile.
Keep the top section clean and focused on the desired action.
Communicate the core value before the user scrolls.
5. Layout, Structure, and Readability
Use a scannable structure with headings, icons, bullets, and short copy blocks.
Highlight key benefits and differentiators with clear visual hierarchy.
Remove unnecessary links or distracting elements.
6. Technical Performance and Website Speed
Target a 1–2 second load time to minimize drop-offs.
Compress images, remove unused scripts, optimize fonts, and use caching/CDN.
Avoid layout shifts and ensure assets load smoothly.
7. Mobile and Browser Compatibility
Ensure the page renders properly on all devices and browsers.
Keep buttons thumb-friendly and forms simple on mobile.
Avoid fixed-width elements or oversized visuals that break on smaller screens.
8. Conversion-Focused Functionality
Make forms frictionless by only requesting essential fields.
Use visually distinct, action-oriented CTA buttons.
Track all interactions with GA4/GTM to guide optimization decisions.
9. Monitoring and A/B Testing
Track bounce rate, engagement rate, scroll depth, and form submissions in GA4.
Use Microsoft Clarity to review user-movement videos and heatmaps after making changes.
Maintain continuous A/B testing using tools like VWO or platform-native testing systems.
Use human surveys or on-page polls to gather qualitative insights.
Reassess performance regularly and iterate based on real user behaviour.
📱 Pay special attention to the mobile experience, limited screen space makes it harder to communicate value and capture leads. A mismatch between ad intent and landing page experience is one of the most common (and costly) lead-gen mistakes.
9️⃣ Evaluate Brand Trust and Social Proof
Trust drives conversion. Ensure the landing page includes:
- Verified reviews or testimonials
- Case studies or recognizable client logos
- Industry awards or media mentions
- Secure browsing indicators (SSL, privacy policy, etc.)
These credibility signals reduce friction and build confidence, especially in B2B or high-value service industries.
💡 Final Thoughts
A well-audited Google Ads campaign connects data, strategy, and creativity under one shared goal: profitable lead generation.
Whether you’re managing campaigns in-house or partnering with an agency, this framework helps ensure your budget drives real business results, not just clicks.
If your campaign checks all nine points above and still doesn’t meet your client’s ROAS expectations, it’s time to test another channel. Google Search doesn’t work 100% of the time.
About the Author: Wisam Abdulaziz
