MARKETING AUDITS
Marketing auditsthat tell you what is actually happening
A useful marketing audit should do more than produce a long list of issues. We review the strategy, channels, website, tracking and customer journey to understand what is working, what is holding performance back and which changes deserve attention first. This isn't an audit built to generate a forty-page report full of red flags — it's built to answer the questions business owners actually have: what's working, what isn't, what's missing, what's being misread, and what to do next. Whether you're working with an agency and want a second set of eyes, or you've been handling marketing yourself and need someone to tell you what's real, the goal is the same: clarity you can act on.
What we look for in
a marketing audit
A useful audit explains causes and priorities, not just a list of issues. Automated checklist audits spit out dozens of warnings that sound serious but don't explain why enquiries aren't coming in, and dashboard-style performance audits rarely connect the numbers back to real business outcomes. A proper audit cuts through both — separating tracking and data integrity, paid ads structure, SEO and website fundamentals, and the conversion and funnel experience, then focusing only on what will genuinely move the needle.
Commercial alignment
We start with how the business makes money: your margins, customer value, sales process and growth goals. Marketing is then judged against those realities rather than platform benchmarks. Many problems turn out to be a mismatch between what the marketing is optimised for, such as cheap leads or traffic, and what the business actually needs, such as profitable customers.
Channel performance
We review how each channel is really performing, including Google Ads, Meta and other social advertising, SEO, Google Business Profile, email and referral traffic. That means looking at structure, targeting, budget allocation, wasted spend, creative and lead quality, and whether each channel has a clear role or is simply running because it always has.
Tracking quality
Before judging performance, we check whether the data can be trusted. Are calls and forms tracked cleanly? Is spam being counted as leads? Are platforms claiming conversions that aren't qualified customers? Is attribution telling the truth or just flattering the platform? Tracking problems are among the most common findings, and fixing them changes how every other decision is made.
Website and conversion
Traffic is only valuable if the website turns it into enquiries or sales. We review landing pages, messaging, calls to action, forms, page speed, mobile experience, trust signals and the user journey, using analytics and behaviour data to show where people drop off and why.
Strategic gaps
Beyond what's being done badly, we look at what isn't being done at all: missed search demand, untapped channels, weak positioning against competitors, missing retargeting or follow-up, and opportunities in reviews and local visibility. These gaps often represent the biggest upside.
Case study
Insulation Company of 40+ Years
How a long-established insulation business halved its cost per lead, cut monthly ad spend and grew organic traffic fivefold in two months.
Case study
Water Filtration Company
How a water filtration company generated 53 enquiries worth $145,500 in lead value within 14 days of relaunching its Meta and Google Ads.
Case study
National Door Repair Company
How a national sliding door repair company broke into the Brisbane market, going from a handful of first-page keywords to 16 first-page rankings in just two months.
The four pillars of what we do
Digital
marketing strategy
Every channel should have a reason to exist. We build the strategy around your commercial goals first, then decide where SEO, advertising, content, creative and website improvements fit together.
Digital
Advertising
We plan, build and optimise paid campaigns across the platforms that make sense for your business, with the freedom to shift focus as performance and opportunities change.
Search engine
optimisation
SEO is treated as part of the wider marketing system, not a separate monthly checklist. We focus on site structure, search intent, useful content, local visibility and the work most likely to improve rankings and enquiries.
Marketing
audits
Sometimes the fastest way forward is to understand what is already happening. Our audits pull apart your marketing, tracking, website and campaigns so you can see what is working, what is wasting budget and what should happen next.
Next level
performance
Heat mapping
We use heat mapping and session recordings to see exactly how real visitors move through your most important pages, where they click, how far they scroll, and where attention drops off before they take action. That behavioural evidence replaces guesswork with a clear picture of what's actually happening on the page, not just what the numbers suggest might be happening. It's one of the fastest ways to spot friction on a landing page or website before it shows up as a drop in enquiries.
Creative testing
Ad creative, messaging and offers are tested systematically rather than swapped on instinct, so we can see which combinations of images, headlines and calls to action genuinely move the numbers. Every test runs against a clear hypothesis with enough data behind it to draw a real conclusion, not just a feeling about what 'looks better'. Over time this builds a picture of what actually resonates with your audience, so advertising keeps improving through evidence rather than personal preference.
12-month roadmaps
Every account gets a structured plan covering the next 12 months, so effort stays focused on the highest-impact work instead of whatever feels most urgent that week. That roadmap keeps the bigger picture clear and shows how individual campaigns and channels fit into the wider strategy. It's a living plan rather than a fixed one, though, as priorities shift the moment the data points to a better opportunity.
Reporting & analytics
Reporting is built around the numbers that actually matter to your business, leads, sales, cost per acquisition and revenue, rather than vanity metrics like impressions or clicks that look good but don't pay the bills. Performance across every channel is brought together in one place, so you can see the full picture of what's working and what isn't without having to piece it together yourself. Regular, honest reporting means decisions are always based on what the data is actually showing.
Strategy sessions
We regularly step outside the day-to-day execution to properly review performance, challenge our own assumptions and decide what genuinely deserves attention next. These sessions are where the bigger strategic questions get asked, whether a channel is still the right investment, whether the market has shifted, what should be tested next, rather than just fine-tuning what's already running. It keeps the account moving forward with intent instead of drifting on autopilot.
Dedicated account management
You work directly with people who know your business and understand the history behind your account and the decisions that led to where things stand today, rather than being passed between different points of contact. That continuity means less time re-explaining context and more time acting on it. Your account manager connects the dots across every channel we run, so strategy stays joined up instead of siloed.
Reviews
Real feedback from the businesses we work with, straight from Google.
Ethan has done a fantastic job with the SEO on our website. He took the time to properly work through the site, improve the structure, optimise the important pages and explain what he was doing along the way. Since the work commenced, I’ve already seen some very encouraging improvements in our Google visibility and rankings.
I’ve had an amazing experience working with Ethan. From day one, it’s been obvious that he genuinely cares about helping my business grow and always has my best interests at the centre of every recommendation he makes. His service is incredibly personalised, and his expertise across all areas of digital marketing is outstanding.
Ethan has been fantastic to work with. He’s currently helping us with our marketing, SEO and website landing pages, and the level of effort and knowledge he brings has been outstanding. Highly recommend Ethan and The Digital Marketing Consultants to any business looking for someone knowledgeable, reliable and committed to helping your business grow.
I have always been impressed with Ethan’s analysis and enthusiasm and thoroughness in his work for us. He has definitely made a big difference to our presence.
What makes an
audit useful
A useful audit is judged by what happens after it, not just what it finds. It looks at the entire chain — traffic, landing pages, trust, conversion, lead quality, revenue — because that's where performance is actually won or lost. You leave with a prioritised game plan rather than sixty-eight recommendations: what matters first, why it matters, and what to do next, whether that means staying with your current agency, bringing work in-house, or changing the approach entirely.
It explains why
Listing problems is easy. A useful audit explains the cause behind each one, such as why costs are rising, why leads have dropped or why rankings stalled, so you can fix the underlying issue rather than chasing symptoms.
It focuses on material issues
Not every issue deserves attention. We separate the handful of problems that genuinely affect results from the long tail of minor warnings that automated tools love to flag, so time and budget go where they will make a difference.
It considers dependencies
Marketing problems are connected. Poor tracking undermines ad optimisation, a weak landing page wastes good traffic, and an unclear offer limits every channel. We show how issues relate to each other and which need fixing first for everything else to work.
It gives you a path forward
You leave with a prioritised action plan: what to fix first, what to test, what to stop and what can wait. It can be implemented by your team, your current agency or by us, and it's written to be usable, not to sit in a drawer.
Next level performance starts with a clearer strategy.
Tell us where your marketing is at, what you are trying to achieve and what is getting in the way. We will help you work out the most sensible next step.
Book a strategy callOur process
Discovery
We start with a conversation about what's happening, what you've tried and what you're trying to achieve. That shapes the scope of the audit, so it focuses on the questions that matter most to your business rather than a generic checklist.
Access and data review
We outline exactly what we need access to, typically ad accounts, analytics, tag manager, Search Console, Google Business Profile, your website and CRM where relevant, then gather and verify the data before any analysis begins.
Audit and analysis
We work through tracking, channels, website, conversion and competitors, looking at the numbers alongside the real customer journey to understand what is working, what isn't and why.
Prioritisation
Findings are ranked by likely impact and effort, and grouped into a clear plan: quick wins, structural fixes, tests to run and things to stop doing. Every recommendation comes with the reasoning behind it.
Walkthrough
We sit down together and go through the findings, not as a data dump but as a clear explanation of what matters, what doesn't, where results are being lost and what to do next. You also receive the written report to refer back to or share with your team or agency.
Frequently asked
questions
How long does an audit take?
Most audits take one to three weeks from receiving access, depending on how many channels are involved and how much data there is. We'll confirm the timeline once we understand the scope.
Is this a paid ads audit or an SEO audit?
It can be either or both. Some businesses need a focused review of one channel, while others need a full view across paid ads, SEO, website, tracking and conversion. We scope the audit around the questions you need answered.
Do you look at lead quality, or just metrics?
Lead quality is central. A low cost per lead means little if those leads never become customers, so we look at what happens after the enquiry wherever the data allows, including CRM records and conversations with your team.
Do you need access to my accounts?
Yes, read-only or standard access to the relevant ad accounts, analytics, tag manager, Search Console and website is usually needed. We'll give you a clear list and help you set it up securely.
What if I'm already working with an agency?
That's very common. An independent audit gives you an objective view of how things are going and a clear basis for conversations with your agency. The recommendations can be handed straight to them.
Will you communicate with my agency?
If you'd like us to, yes. We can present findings to your agency and discuss the recommendations with them directly, keeping the focus on improving results.
Is this just a technical website audit?
No. Technical issues are included where they matter, but the audit focuses on the whole picture: strategy, channels, tracking, website, conversion and lead quality, connected to business outcomes.
Will you tell me what to do next, or just what's wrong?
Both, with far more emphasis on what to do next. Every finding comes with a clear recommendation, the reasoning behind it and where it sits in the order of priority.
Will you implement the recommendations?
We can if you'd like. You're free to implement them internally or with your current agency, but we can also handle specific fixes or ongoing management under our flexible retainer.
Can you audit if our marketing is new and we don't have much data yet?
Yes. With limited data, the audit focuses more on foundations such as tracking, website, positioning, competitors and channel choice, so you start with a solid setup rather than learning expensive lessons later.
What if the audit shows we should stop running ads?
Then we'll tell you. Because we're independent, there's no incentive to keep spend running if it isn't working. Sometimes the best recommendation is to pause, fix the foundations and reinvest when the conditions are right.
What if the problem is the offer or business model, not the marketing?
We'll say so. Marketing can only amplify what's already there. If pricing, positioning, capacity or follow-up is limiting results, we'll explain how and what might help.
Will you look at my competitors?
Yes. We review how competitors position themselves, what they advertise, where they rank and how your offer compares, to identify gaps and opportunities.
Do you do one-off audits only, or ongoing?
Audits are usually one-off projects. Some clients choose periodic reviews to track progress, and others move into ongoing work with us, but there's no obligation to continue.
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Let's talk about your marketing
Tell us a little about your business, what you are currently doing and where you want to get to. We will come back to you with a clear idea of what the next conversation should focus on.