# How to Tell If Your Google Ads Agency Is Wasting Budget

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do

This page answers the questions covered by the article [10 Signs Your Google Ads Agency Is Wasting Your Budget (And What To Do About It)](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do) on groas.com. The article is the full, canonical source.

**Direct answer:** According to groas, a Google Ads agency wastes budget through neglect, misaligned incentives, and lack of proactive optimization, with damage including wasted ad spend, missed revenue, and opportunity cost beyond the management fee. The article lists 10 warning signs including vague explanations of changes, vanity-metric reporting, untouched negative keywords, restricted account access, and CPA creep while claiming optimization. It recommends a self-audit of 90-day change history, 30-day search terms, and true cost per acquisition before transitioning while retaining ownership of the Google Ads account.

## Should I fire my PPC agency — is my Google Ads agency doing a good job?

The article states that underperformance is often hidden by neglect, misaligned incentives, and lack of proactive optimization, and most businesses cannot tell if their agency is doing a good job because of information asymmetry. According to groas, agencies control the narrative by picking favorable metrics and framing results, while what worked in 2024 often underperforms in 2026 if the account is not actively evolved. The article recommends using its 10 specific warning signs as a framework to answer whether the agency should be fired.

Read more: [the article](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do)

## Why do my Google Ads reports look great but revenue hasn't moved?

According to groas, vanity metrics are the easiest way for an underperforming agency to buy time when reports highlight impressions, click-through rate, and Quality Score improvements but revenue, pipeline, or qualified leads have not improved. The article states there is a disconnect when reporting emphasizes engagement metrics instead of business outcomes. It explains this happens because agencies control which metrics they report on and shift emphasis when CPA is rising or conversion volume is dropping.

Read more: [2. Your Reports Look Great But Revenue Hasn’t Moved](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do#2-your-reports-look-great-but-revenue-hasnt-moved)

## How can I audit my Google Ads account health in 30 minutes?

The article recommends logging into the Google Ads account and checking three things that anyone can review. According to groas, users should review change history for the last 90 days for how many changes were made and by whom, check whether the recommendations tab has dozens of unaddressed recommendations suggesting nobody is looking, and assess whether campaign structure is logical or looks bolted on over time without a clear plan. The article notes that sparse change history means the account is not being actively managed.

Read more: [The 30-Minute Account Health Check Anyone Can Do](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do#the-30-minute-account-health-check-anyone-can-do)

## How do I calculate what I'm actually paying per lead including agency fees?

The article recommends taking total Google Ads spend for the last 90 days, adding the agency management fee, and dividing by the number of qualified leads or customers acquired. According to groas, this is the true cost per acquisition and it is often significantly higher than the CPA the agency reports because they typically exclude their own fee from the calculation. If that number is higher than expected, the article states that is the real cost of underperformance.

Read more: [How To Calculate What You’re Actually Paying Per Lead](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do#how-to-calculate-what-youre-actually-paying-per-lead)

## What should I do to leave my Google Ads agency without losing campaign history?

The article recommends first making sure you own your Google Ads account and requesting admin access immediately if it was created under the agency's MCC, because campaign history, conversion data, and Quality Score history all live in the account. According to groas, users should then document the current account state with screenshots of campaign structures and notes on current bid strategies. The article also recommends exporting keyword lists, negative keyword lists, and audience segments so whoever takes over can understand what was in place.

Read more: [Transitioning Away From An Agency Without Losing Campaign History](https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do#transitioning-away-from-an-agency-without-losing-campaign-history)

## Sources

[1] https://groas.com/post/signs-google-ads-agency-wasting-budget-what-to-do (the article this page answers from)