Here’s an uncomfortable thought: if you’re paying someone to run your Google Ads, how would you actually know if they’re doing a good job? Most business owners can’t tell. The account’s ticking over, money’s going out, some leads come in, and the monthly report looks fine. Meanwhile the budget could be quietly haemorrhaging and you’d never spot it.
I’m Jamie, a Google Ads specialist based in Sydney. I’ve taken over plenty of accounts from other providers, and the same neglect shows up again and again. So here’s how to check whether your ads are being managed well or just being babysat, using signs you can see yourself without being an expert.
Short version: well-managed accounts get changed regularly, track real conversions, block waste, and come with a manager who’ll show you the raw numbers. Badly managed ones get set up, lightly touched, and dressed up in a vanity report. Here’s how to tell which you’ve got.
Sign 1: When was the account last actually changed?
This is the fastest tell. A well-run Google Ads account gets worked on constantly: keywords adjusted, ads tested, budgets shifted, negatives added. A neglected one gets set up and left to coast while the invoice keeps coming.
You can check this. Ask your manager what they’ve changed in the last fortnight, specifically. A good one will rattle off real adjustments. A babysitter will get vague: “monitoring performance”, “keeping an eye on things”. In the account itself there’s a change history, and if it’s been quiet for weeks, you’re paying a management fee for no management.
Sign 2: Are you actually tracking conversions?
This is the big one, and it’s shocking how many accounts fail it. If your campaigns aren’t tracking real conversions, calls, form fills, sales, then nobody can tell which keywords make you money and which just burn it. The whole thing is guesswork.
Ask a simple question: “which keywords are generating my leads?” If your manager can answer with specifics, tracking’s working. If you get a fuzzy non-answer or “we look at clicks”, that’s a red flag the size of a billboard. Clicks aren’t leads. Paying for clicks without tracking what they turn into is how businesses spend thousands and “get nothing from Google Ads”, when really they just never measured it.
Sign 3: Is anyone blocking the waste?
Every Google Ads account leaks money on irrelevant searches unless someone actively stops it. Negative keywords are the tool, they block your ads from showing on searches that’ll never convert, like people hunting for “free”, “jobs”, “courses” or “DIY” versions of what you sell.
A managed account has a growing negative keyword list. A neglected one has barely any, so you’re paying for clicks from people who were never going to buy. You can ask to see the negative keyword list and the search terms report. If the negatives are thin and the search terms are full of irrelevant junk you’re paying for, the account’s leaking.
Sign 4: Does the reporting actually mean anything?
A good report ties back to your business: leads, cost per lead, conversions, return on spend. A vanity report leans on numbers that look impressive but don’t pay the bills: impressions, clicks, click-through rate, “ad strength”. Those metrics can all be up while your actual leads are down.
Look at your last report and ask: does this tell me how many customers I got and what each cost? If it’s a wall of impressions and clicks with no line connecting to real business outcomes, it’s designed to look busy, not to inform you. Good managers report on what matters even when the news isn’t flattering, because that’s how you make decisions.
Sign 5: Will they show you the raw account?
The ultimate test of transparency. It’s your account and your money, so you should have full access to it and your manager should happily walk you through the raw numbers, not just a polished PDF.
Anyone cagey about giving you admin access, or who only ever shows you a summarised report and never the actual account, is waving a red flag. Usually it’s hiding one of two things: work that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, or a markup on your ad spend you weren’t told about. A specialist who’s doing good work has nothing to hide and will give you the logins without flinching.
What to do if you’re seeing red flags
If a few of these landed uncomfortably, don’t panic, but do act. None of it means you’re being deliberately ripped off; plenty of accounts are just neglected because they’re one of forty an overstretched generalist is juggling. But neglect costs you the same as malice does.
The fix is usually an audit: a proper look through the account by someone who’ll tell you straight what’s working, what’s wasting money, and what’s been ignored. A good audit shows you exactly where the budget’s leaking, and whether your current setup is salvageable or needs rebuilding.
That’s something I do regularly when businesses suspect their ads aren’t being run properly. If you want a straight assessment of whether your account’s being managed well or just babysat, take a look at how I work as a Google Ads specialist, or see the results of accounts run properly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Google Ads are being managed well?
Check five things: whether the account is changed regularly, whether real conversions (not just clicks) are tracked, whether negative keywords are actively blocking waste, whether reporting ties to real business outcomes, and whether your manager will show you the raw account. Well-managed accounts pass all five; neglected ones get set up and lightly babysat while the fee keeps coming.
What are the signs of a badly managed Google Ads account?
Key warning signs: no recent changes in the account’s history, no conversion tracking so nobody knows which keywords produce leads, a thin or missing negative keyword list letting waste through, vanity reports full of impressions and clicks instead of leads and cost per lead, and a manager reluctant to give you full account access. Any of these suggests neglect.
How often should a Google Ads account be worked on?
A well-managed account is touched regularly, with meaningful optimisation at least weekly: adjusting keywords, testing ads, adding negatives, shifting budget to what converts. If your account hasn’t been changed in weeks, you’re paying a management fee for little actual management. Ask your manager what they’ve changed recently and expect specific answers.
Should I have access to my own Google Ads account?
Yes, always. It’s your account and your money, so you should have full admin access and be able to see the raw numbers, not just a summarised report. A manager who’s cagey about access is a red flag, often hiding weak work or an undisclosed markup on your spend. A good specialist hands over the logins without hesitation.
What is a Google Ads audit?
A Google Ads audit is a thorough review of your account that identifies what’s working, what’s wasting money, and what’s been neglected. It checks account structure, conversion tracking, negative keywords, keyword and budget efficiency, and ad and landing-page quality. It tells you whether your current setup is salvageable or needs rebuilding, and where your budget is leaking.
Why am I spending money on Google Ads but not getting leads?
Usually it’s a management problem, not a Google problem. Common causes are no conversion tracking so nobody optimises toward leads, missing negative keywords so budget is wasted on irrelevant searches, weak landing pages, or an account that’s set up and then neglected. An audit typically reveals which of these is draining your budget, and the fixes often lower cost per lead sharply.