AI Audits, Free Audits, and Paid Audits (Episode 513)

The episode examines how different kinds of audits can help or mislead Google Ads managers and business owners. Joey Bidner and host Chris focus on the growing use of AI-driven account reviews while also outlining what free and paid audits should actually deliver. Their discussion stresses that each format answers different questions and carries distinct risks when expectations are mismatched.

Problems with broad AI audits

AI tools that pull Google Ads data and generate open-ended reviews often produce recommendations that ignore business priorities. One audit highlighted higher value from repeat customers and urged heavier remarketing and brand focus, overlooking that new-customer acquisition sustains the repeat pipeline. Another flagged higher spend on one device type while conversions appeared stronger on another; the analysis treated all conversions equally and missed that store visits carried far lower assigned value than appointments or purchases. Because the AI lacked context on bidding strategies and conversion values, it suggested segmentation that would have fragmented data and strained automated bidding.