Google Ads doesn't run the way it used to. AI now shapes which queries you enter, which creative shows, and which landing page gets the click, while consumers increasingly research and compare products through AI-generated answers before they ever reach your site. The checklist that defined a "good" Paid Search audit five years ago, keyword coverage, Quality Score, CTR, only captures part of what's actually driving performance today. The Modern Paid Search Audit breaks down what a Paid Search audit needs to evaluate in this new environment, and why the answer goes well beyond the account itself.

What a Modern Paid Search Audit Covers

This guide walks through the shifts reshaping Paid Search, from how consumers search to how Google's automation responds, and translates each one into a set of audit questions senior marketing leaders should be asking. You'll come away with a clearer view of where to look beyond traditional account metrics, how to evaluate the signals feeding Google's automation, and how to connect Paid Search performance to real investment decisions.

Who Should Use This Paid Search Audit Guide

This guide is built for CMOs, VPs of Marketing, and performance marketing directors at retail and DTC brands who need to know whether their Paid Search investment is still working as hard as it should, and who want an audit framework built for how Search actually works today, not five years ago.