Proof Asset
Sample Paid Media Verdict
This sample shows the structure and level of judgment inside a BUT DID YOU WIN verdict. It is anonymized and simplified. Real engagements use actual account, analytics, call tracking, and CRM evidence.
Executive Verdict
Overall Assessment
Reported platform performance does not reflect business reality. Conversion tracking is measuring activity, not outcomes. Approximately 38% of reported conversions are phantom events. The effective cost per qualified lead is 2.7x what the dashboard shows.
Conversion tracking fires on page load, not form submission. All reported conversion volume is overstated.
Three campaigns are running broad match with no negative keyword structure. Combined monthly waste: $6,200.
Attribution model gives 100% credit to last click. Assisted conversions from branded search are masking underperformance in prospecting campaigns.
Waste Summary
The following represents documented, recoverable waste identified during the verdict period. Figures are monthly estimates based on 90-day account data.
| Waste Category | Description | Est. Monthly Waste |
|---|---|---|
| Irrelevant traffic | Broad match terms generating unqualified clicks with no conversion history | $6,200 |
| Phantom conversions | Bid strategy optimizing toward events that are not real business outcomes | $4,800 |
| Overlap waste | Campaigns competing against each other on identical keyword sets | $2,100 |
| Audience mismatch | Retargeting pool includes users who never reached a meaningful page depth | $1,400 |
| Total | $14,500/mo |
Sample figures only. Actual waste varies by account, spend level, and platform configuration.
Tracking Integrity
Tracking integrity determines whether the data driving bidding decisions reflects real business events. In this account, it does not.
Primary Conversion Action: Form Submission
The conversion tag fires on page load of the confirmation URL, not on actual form submission. This means every visitor who reaches the thank-you page URL by any means is counted as a conversion. Verified against GA4 event data: actual form submissions are 62% lower than reported conversions.
Call Tracking: Partial
Dynamic number insertion is active on the homepage but not on landing pages. Calls originating from paid traffic on landing pages are not attributed to campaigns. Estimated missed attribution: 30 to 40 calls per month.
GA4 Configuration: Acceptable
GA4 is receiving data and session attribution is functioning. Cross-channel attribution in GA4 diverges significantly from platform-reported numbers, confirming the conversion tracking issue above.
Revenue Reality Check
This section compares platform-reported performance against downstream business data. The divergence is the central finding.
Platform Reports
CRM Reality
The gap between platform-reported and CRM-verified performance is the core problem. Bidding decisions are being made on phantom data.
Do / Stop / Fix First
Prioritized by business impact. Items marked Fix First address the tracking foundation. Nothing else improves reliably until these are corrected.
Fix First
- 1. Correct conversion tag to fire on form submission event, not page load. Verify against GA4 form_submit event.
- 2. Extend dynamic number insertion to all paid landing pages. Reconnect call attribution to campaign data.
- 3. Remove phantom conversion action from Smart Bidding target. Rebuild bid strategy on verified conversion data after 30-day observation window.
Stop
- 4. Pause Campaign Group C (broad match, no negatives, zero qualified leads in 90 days). Monthly savings: $6,200.
- 5. Stop retargeting audiences built from bounce-level page visits. Rebuild retargeting from confirmed form-start events.
Do
- 6. Consolidate duplicate keyword sets across Campaign Groups A and B. Eliminate internal auction competition.
- 7. Implement offline conversion import from CRM to give bidding algorithm access to qualified lead and close data.
What the Buyer Can Hand to a CFO, Partner, or Agency
This section summarizes the verdict in terms appropriate for a board presentation, agency remediation brief, or internal budget review.
The core finding
Reported platform performance overstates actual qualified lead volume by approximately 2.7x due to a misconfigured conversion tag. The business has been making budget and agency decisions based on inaccurate data for an estimated 8 months.
Quantified waste
$14,500 per month in recoverable waste identified across four categories. Immediate corrective action on the top three items would recover an estimated $11,000 per month within 60 days.
Required actions
Seven prioritized items. Three are tracking corrections that must precede any other optimization. The agency should be able to implement all seven within 30 days. A follow-up review is recommended at 60 days to confirm correction.
Independence note
This verdict was produced by an independent auditor with no financial relationship to the advertising platforms, the agency, or the ad spend. The auditor is paid a flat fee and has no incentive to recommend increased spending.
Ready for a real verdict on your account?
This sample shows the structure. Real engagements use your actual account data, analytics, call tracking, and CRM evidence. The findings are specific, documented, and defensible.