---
title: The Cordwainer Google Ads Audit & Pause
type: article
created: '2026-04-05'
updated: '2026-04-05'
source_docs:
- raw/2025-11-11-the-cordwainer-marketing-call-100743594.md
tags:
- google-ads
- the-cordwainer
- audit
- ppc
- memory-care
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# The Cordwainer Google Ads Audit & Pause

## Overview

During the November 2025 onboarding call, The Cordwainer's Google Ads campaign was identified as a significant budget drain with poor return on investment. The account was paused by the client prior to engagement, and a full audit was queued as an early deliverable for [[clients/the-cordwainer/index|The Cordwainer]] account.

## Current Status

- **Campaign status:** Paused (client-initiated, prior to Asymmetric engagement)
- **Monthly spend:** $2,000–$2,500/mo
- **Reported ROI:** Poor — client felt they were "getting very little" from the spend
- **Primary symptom:** Abnormally high cost-per-click (CPC)
- **Account ownership:** Believed to be owned by The Cordwainer, managed by previous agency (Sixth City); to be confirmed during access handoff

## Key Issues Identified

### High CPC / Low Efficiency
The client reported that cost-per-click was high relative to results. Likely causes to investigate during audit:
- Overbidding on broad or highly competitive keywords
- Poor Quality Scores driving up effective CPC
- Lack of negative keyword lists allowing irrelevant traffic
- Bidding strategy misaligned with conversion goals

### Keyword Targeting
No visibility into current keyword set prior to audit. Suspected issues:
- Targeting overly generic terms (e.g., "memory care" without geographic modifiers) where large national aggregators dominate
- Missing long-tail, intent-rich queries (e.g., "memory care near Norwell MA," "dementia care facility South Shore")

### Landing Page Quality
The site's technical health at time of audit — security score 0/100, speed score 45/100 — would have negatively impacted Quality Scores and conversion rates, compounding poor ad performance. See [[knowledge/seo/cordwainer-technical-seo-issues|Cordwainer Technical SEO Issues]].

### CallRail / Attribution
Dynamic number insertion (DNI) via CallRail was active on the site, but the system was capturing fewer than 5 leads/month, with most calls being internal staff. This means lead attribution from ads was likely unreliable. DNI is flagged for disabling. See [[knowledge/analytics/callrail-dynamic-number-insertion|CallRail Dynamic Number Insertion]].

## Competitive Context

A live search performed during the onboarding call showed **no paid ads** appearing for relevant memory care queries in the target market (search conducted from Wisconsin; results may differ with a Boston-area VPN). This suggests:
- Competitors may have also pulled back on paid search
- Organic and Map Pack visibility may offer better ROI in this market
- If ads are reactivated, reduced competition could mean lower CPCs than historically experienced

The Cordwainer was ranking **4th in the Map Pack** at time of call, behind one aggregator (sponsored) and two organic competitors. Improving Map Pack position is a higher-priority near-term lever than paid search. See [[knowledge/seo/local-seo-map-pack|Local SEO & Map Pack Strategy]].

## Audit Plan

Once Google Ads manager access is granted (via manager link sent to Erica Lathrop), the audit should cover:

1. **Campaign structure** — number of campaigns, ad groups, match types in use
2. **Keyword analysis** — search term report, wasted spend on irrelevant queries, missing negatives
3. **Bidding strategy** — manual vs. smart bidding, target CPA/ROAS settings if any
4. **Quality Scores** — by keyword, with attention to landing page experience scores
5. **Ad copy** — relevance, CTAs, use of ad extensions (call, sitelink, location)
6. **Conversion tracking** — whether goals are properly configured; CallRail interference
7. **Geographic targeting** — radius and location bid adjustments
8. **Impression share** — lost IS due to budget vs. rank

## Recommendation (Preliminary)

Do not reactivate spend until:
- Website technical issues are resolved (speed, security) to improve landing page Quality Scores
- Conversion tracking is confirmed clean (CallRail DNI disabled or properly scoped)
- Audit findings are reviewed and a revised campaign structure is proposed

If the audit reveals the account is structurally sound but simply underfunded or mis-targeted, a revised campaign with tighter geo-targeting, stronger negative keyword lists, and a lower initial test budget ($500–$1,000/mo) may be worth piloting. If the competitive CPC environment makes paid search uneconomical, budget should be redirected to local SEO and Meta paid social.

## Access Requirements

- [ ] Client sends Google Ads manager invite link to Asymmetric (Mark Hope / Melissa Cusumano)
- [ ] Confirm account ownership (The Cordwainer vs. Sixth City)
- [ ] Confirm CallRail account access for DNI review

## Related

- [[clients/the-cordwainer/index|The Cordwainer — Client Index]]
- [[clients/the-cordwainer/meetings/2025-11-11-marketing-onboarding|Marketing Onboarding Call — Nov 11, 2025]]
- [[knowledge/seo/cordwainer-technical-seo-issues|Cordwainer Technical SEO Issues]]
- [[knowledge/analytics/callrail-dynamic-number-insertion|CallRail Dynamic Number Insertion]]
- [[knowledge/seo/local-seo-map-pack|Local SEO & Map Pack Strategy]]