Before You Spend Another Dollar on Google or Meta Ads: A 9-Point Check

If your business runs Google or Meta ads, this 9-point audit is the fastest way to find where your money’s leaking before you increase the budget.

If you’re not running ads — skip this one, give yourself 0, and read the Google Business Profile audit instead. Most WA service businesses get more from a finished Google Business Profile than from paid traffic.

📥 Grab the Ad Budget Audit PDF →

Quick answer

Most WA small businesses running ads can name their cost per click — but not their cost per qualified lead. That’s the gap that matters. The 9 checks below are grouped into three areas — tracking, targeting, and maintenance — so you can tackle them one section at a time.

What we keep finding

We audited a Rockingham service business spending $4,000/month on Google Ads. The owner said leads were “steady.” We set up proper tracking — so the ad reports stopped counting clicks and started counting actual enquiries — and found out 60% of the budget was going to clicks that never even filled a form. Three months later, same lead volume, $1,800/month spend. The leak was how things were being counted, not the traffic.

1. Tracking

1a. Google Ads is set up to count real results, not just clicks. A click is not a result. A real result is a form filled, a call made, a booking made. If Google Ads can only show you “people clicked,” it doesn’t know which ads are actually winning you customers, and neither do you.

1b. Facebook and Instagram have your tracking code installed. If you run ads on Facebook or Instagram, you need to install Meta’s small piece of tracking code on your website (called the “Pixel”) plus the backend version (called the “Conversions API”). Without both, Facebook can only optimise your ads against clicks, not against customers.

1c. Phone calls from your ads are counted separately. If people see your ad and tap to call, that call needs to show up in your ad reports. Without call tracking switched on, you can’t tell which ad — or which keyword — paid for that $2,000 job.

1d. You can name your cost per real prospect (not per click). Not per click. Not per form submitted. Per real prospect who could actually become a customer. If you can’t say it in 5 seconds, your reporting isn’t set up.

2. Targeting

2a. Ads point to a dedicated landing page (not your homepage). A landing page is just a single page on your website that matches the service and suburb you advertised. Sending ad traffic to your homepage is the most common waste of budget. A focused landing page turns 2–3 times more visitors into customers.

2b. You’ve added a list of blocked search terms. Google calls these “negative keywords.” If someone searches “plumber jobs” because they want to be hired, you don’t want your ad showing. Same for “plumber wages” or “do-it-yourself plumbing.” Without that block list, Google will happily spend your budget on people who’ll never become customers.

2c. Your ads only run where you actually work. This is called location targeting in the ad settings. If you serve Perth metro only, your ads shouldn’t be running in Albany. The default settings are usually too wide — check yours every month.

3. Maintenance

3a. At least 2 different versions of each ad are running. If you’ve only got one ad, you can’t tell what’s working. Always have 2–3 versions for Google, or 3–5 different images/videos for Facebook and Instagram.

3b. You’ve checked the “search terms report” in the last 30 days. This is the Google Ads report that shows exactly what people typed into Google when your ad appeared. Without monthly review, you’ll keep paying for searches that have nothing to do with what you sell.

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Score yourself

Count your ticks: ___/9

Most WA businesses running ads we audit tick 2 or 3. Anything above 6 puts you in the top 20% of advertiser hygiene.

📥 Get the Ad Budget Audit PDF →

What to fix first

If you scored under 5, in this order:

1. Set up proper tracking so Google and Facebook count real enquiries, not just clicks. Half a day, max.
2. Build one dedicated landing page for your top-spending campaign.
3. Spend 30 minutes adding negative keywords.
4. Check geo-targeting on every campaign.

Don’t increase your budget until tracking is in. You’re scaling the leak.

Want a fresh pair of eyes?

The Look-See Audit covers the bits above plus a look at what your competitors are running, how well your landing page actually turns clicks into customers, and what your return on ad spend should be for your kind of service in WA. $400 one-off, 50% credited if you continue with Swan Ops within 60 days.

👉 Book a free 15-min yarn

FAQ

Should I do Google Ads or Meta Ads first?

Google Ads if you’re a service business (people search when they need you). Facebook or Instagram ads if you’re hospitality, retail, or building a brand. Most WA tradies see better returns on Google.

What’s a realistic cost per lead in WA?

Trades: $40–$80 per qualified lead from Google. Professional services: $80–$200. Healthcare: $30–$70. Outside those bands, something needs auditing.

Can I run ads without a landing page?

You can, but conversion rates are typically 30–50% lower than with a dedicated page. The maths usually favours building the page.

📥 Grab the Ad Budget Audit PDF →