Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about independent Google Ads Financial Governance Audits.
Many businesses never compare their Google Ads invoices against the advertising charges they receive from their agency. Hidden markups exist behind fancy looking portals, intransparent management fee structures, billing discrepancies, currency conversion differences and reporting inconsistencies can quietly erode your marketing budget year after year.
1. What is a Google Ads Financial Governance Audit?
A Google Ads Financial Governance Audit is an independent review of your Google Ads billing, agency invoices, management fees and financial reporting processes. Unlike a traditional Google Ads audit that focuses on campaign performance, our audit verifies that every advertising dollar is accurate, transparent and fully accountable.
2. How is PPC Audit Guy different from a traditional Google Ads agency?
Traditional agencies are engaged to create, manage and optimise Google Ads campaigns. PPC Audit Guy provides an independent financial governance service. We review the financial integrity of your Google Ads investment, identify billing discrepancies, assess governance processes and help businesses recover unnecessary advertising costs. We don’t replace your agency — we help ensure your advertising investment is being managed transparently.
3. What is Google Ads Financial Governance?
Google Ads Financial Governance is the process of ensuring your advertising investment is managed with strong financial controls, transparency and accountability. This includes verifying advertising charges, reconciling invoices, reviewing management fees, implementing governance processes and ensuring every advertising dollar can be independently verified.
4. Who should have a Google Ads Financial Governance Audit?
Our audits are ideal for businesses that spend more than $5,000 per month on Google Ads, work with one or more marketing agencies, have active or inactive campaigns, want greater transparency over advertising costs, have never independently reviewed their Google Ads billing, or need stronger financial controls over marketing expenditure.
5. Why should I audit my Google Ads spend?
Google Ads often represents one of a business’s largest discretionary expenses. Just as you reconcile payroll, supplier invoices and financial statements, your advertising investment should also be independently reviewed to ensure billing is accurate, transparent and aligned with your commercial expectations.
6. What types of discrepancies do you look for?
Every audit is different, however we commonly review Google Ads billing accuracy, agency invoice reconciliation, management fee transparency, billing methodologies, duplicate charges, currency conversion issues, GST treatment, budget allocation, financial reporting accuracy, governance processes, account ownership, and advertising waste or optimisation opportunities.
7. Can you recover money from our marketing agency?
Where we identify excessive charges, billing discrepancies or other recoverable financial opportunities, we’ll provide a comprehensive evidence-based report to support discussions with your current or previous marketing agency. While recovery outcomes depend on individual circumstances and commercial agreements, our objective is to maximise every legitimate opportunity available.
8. What happens if you don't find anything?
That’s where our 10X Value Guarantee applies. If we don’t identify at least 10 times the value of our audit fee through a combination of recoverable charges, billing discrepancies, unnecessary advertising costs or optimisation opportunities, you won’t pay for the audit. You’ll still receive our comprehensive audit report completely free of charge.
9. What is your 10X Value Guarantee?
Our guarantee is simple. If we cannot identify at least 10 times the value of our audit fee in financial opportunities, savings or optimisation recommendations, we waive our audit fee. We believe our service should create measurable commercial value — not simply deliver another report.
10. Will you replace our existing Google Ads agency?
No. In many cases, businesses continue working successfully with their existing agency. Our role is to independently review your Google Ads financial governance and strengthen transparency, accountability and financial oversight — not replace your marketing partner.
11. How long does the audit take?
The timeframe depends on the size and complexity of your Google Ads account. Most audits are completed within one to three weeks, after we’ve received the necessary billing records, account access and supporting documentation.
12. What information do you need to complete an audit?
Typically, we’ll request Google Ads billing records, agency invoices, advertising reports, Google Ads account access (read-only where appropriate), historical billing information, and agency agreements if available. We’ll explain exactly what’s required during your initial consultation.
13. Will my Google Ads campaigns be interrupted?
No. Our audit is designed to be non-disruptive. We generally require read-only access where appropriate and do not make changes to your campaigns unless separately engaged to do so. Your advertising can continue running as normal throughout the review.
14. Is my information kept confidential?
Absolutely. We understand your advertising data, commercial agreements and financial records are confidential. All information provided during the audit is treated with strict confidentiality and used solely for the purpose of conducting your independent review. Confidentiality agreements can also be executed where required.
15. What industries do you work with?
We’ve managed Google Ads campaigns across a wide range of industries over the past 20+ years, including professional services, legal, healthcare, construction, retail, e-commerce, property, financial services, manufacturing, technology, education and trades. Our financial governance methodology applies regardless of industry.
16. Why should I trust the PPC Audit Guy?
Our team brings together more than 20 years of combined Google Ads agency management, campaign optimisation and advertising financial governance experience. We’ve worked inside agencies, managed substantial advertising budgets and understand how billing, reporting and campaign management operate behind the scenes.
17. What happens after the audit is complete?
You’ll receive a comprehensive report outlining our findings, identified discrepancies, recovery opportunities, cost-saving recommendations, campaign optimisation opportunities, governance improvements, and practical processes, tools and financial controls to help prevent similar issues occurring in the future.
18. How often should a Google Ads Financial Governance Audit be conducted?
For businesses spending significant amounts on Google Ads, we generally recommend an independent review every 12 to 24 months, or whenever advertising budgets increase substantially, you appoint a new agency, billing arrangements change, your business acquires another company, or you have concerns about advertising transparency.
19. Why do you focus on financial governance rather than just campaign performance?
Campaign performance determines how effectively your advertising generates leads and sales. Financial governance determines whether your advertising investment is accurate, transparent and properly controlled. Businesses need both — we specialise in financial governance because it complements, not competes with, traditional Google Ads management.
20. How do I get started?
It starts with a confidential discussion about your Google Ads investment, current agency arrangements and business objectives. We’ll explain our audit methodology, outline the information required and determine whether your business is likely to benefit from an independent Google Ads Financial Governance Audit — backed by our 10X Value Guarantee.
Still have questions?
It starts with a confidential discussion about your Google Ads investment, current agency arrangements and business objectives.