Managing a successful Google Ads campaign requires ongoing monitoring, optimization, and strategic adjustments. Without a structured approach, it’s easy to overlook critical tasks that can impact performance, waste ad spend, or limit growth potential. This Google Ads Optimization Checklist is designed to help you stay organized and ensure every aspect of your campaigns is running efficiently.
By following this checklist, you’ll be able to identify opportunities, eliminate waste, and improve ROI through regular performance reviews, bid adjustments, keyword management, A/B testing, and more. The tasks are broken down into weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly actions, making it easy to integrate into your workflow. Whether you’re a PPC expert managing multiple accounts or a business owner running your own ads, this checklist will keep your campaigns optimized and profitable. Stick to this schedule, and you’ll see better conversions, lower costs, and a stronger return on investment over time.
Weekly Tasks
✅ Search Ad Campaign Performance Review
- Analyze key metrics (CTR, CPC, Conversion Rate, ROAS, Cost per Lead).
- Identify any sudden changes or trends.
✅ Display Network & Retargeting Review (if applicable)
- Check for placements that may not be relevant or converting.
- Exclude low-performing placements.
- Monitor audience performance and adjust targeting if needed.
✅ Bid Adjustments
- Review historical bid performance.
- Adjust bids for keywords, audiences, and devices based on performance.
✅ Budget Check
- Ensure campaigns are pacing within budget.
- Reallocate budget to high-performing campaigns.
✅ Pause or Adjust Underperforming Keywords
- Identify keywords with high spend but no conversions.
- Consider lowering bids instead of pausing if they still show potential.
✅ Monitor Ad Disapprovals
- Check for policy violations and fix disapproved ads.
✅ Review Conversion Tracking
- Ensure all conversions are tracking correctly.
- Look for discrepancies in Google Ads vs. Google Analytics.
✅ Monitor Click Fraud & Invalid Clicks
- Use IP exclusions if necessary.
- Analyze sudden spikes in traffic with low engagement.
Bi-Weekly Tasks (Every 2 Weeks)
✅ Add Negative Keywords
- Review search terms and exclude irrelevant or low-intent queries.
✅ Search Terms Report Analysis
- Identify new keyword opportunities.
- Remove any unwanted search terms.
✅ Keyword Expansion
- Look for new long-tail and high-intent keywords.
- Test new variations of high-performing keywords.
✅ Ad Copy Review & A/B Testing
- Rotate new ad variations for continuous optimization.
- Test headlines, descriptions, and CTAs.
✅ Impression Share & Competitive Analysis
- Check impression share for high-performing campaigns.
- Analyze competitors’ ad strategies using the Auction Insights report.
✅ Quality Score Review
- Identify low-quality score keywords and make necessary improvements (e.g., improving ad relevance and landing page experience).
Monthly Tasks
✅ Campaign Settings Review
- Ensure all settings (location, devices, bidding strategy) align with goals.
✅ Landing Page Performance Review
- Identify pages with high bounce rates or low conversion rates.
- Run heatmaps or session recordings (Hotjar, Clarity) to analyze user behavior.
✅ Monthly Keyword Performance Comparison
- Track keyword performance month-over-month to spot trends.
✅ Audience Performance Review
- Assess how custom audiences, remarketing lists, and in-market segments are performing.
✅ Ad Extension Optimization
- Review and update sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and other extensions.
✅ Evaluate New Features & Beta Tests
- Stay updated with Google Ads changes and test new features that could improve performance.
Bi-Monthly Tasks (Every 2 Months)
✅ Geotargeting Review
- Analyze geographic performance and adjust targeting based on conversions.
✅ Day-Parting (Ad Scheduling) Adjustments
- Review which days and hours drive the best performance.
- Increase/decrease bids or pause ads during low-performing times.
✅ Historical Performance Review
- Compare past data trends and adjust strategy based on insights.
✅ Display & YouTube Campaign Deep-Dive
- Check placements and targeting efficiency for Display & YouTube Ads.
- Exclude low-performing placements and refine audience targeting.
✅ Device Performance Review
- Analyze conversion rates by device type and adjust bid modifiers.
✅ Review & Update Automated Rules
- Ensure automation rules are still aligned with goals.
Quarterly Tasks
✅ Full Account Audit
- Review all campaigns, ad groups, and settings for inefficiencies.
✅ Competitor Research & Strategy Adjustment
- Use tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, or Google Ads Auction Insights to analyze competitors.
✅ Landing Page A/B Testing Strategy
- Test different layouts, headlines, and CTAs for conversion optimization.
✅ Video & Image Ad Refresh
- Update creatives to prevent ad fatigue, especially for Display & YouTube.
✅ Review and Optimize Conversion Funnel
- Identify any friction points from ad click to conversion.
✅ Google Analytics & GA4 Insights
- Check user behavior data and align with campaign goals.
✅ Update PPC Strategy Based on Market Trends
- Adjust for seasonal shifts or new industry trends.