Marketing audit: a 30‑day audit and action plan that improves results

Why a marketing audit beats guesswork

When results wobble, most teams add more activity. A short audit does the opposite. It slows you down just enough to see where the leaks are, then directs effort to the fixes that matter. This 30 day audit focuses on the website, channels, data, and operating rhythm, so you can ship improvements within the next quarter.

Use it before a strategy reset, budget review, or agency change. Pair it with your one page marketing strategy and your quarterly marketing roadmap so findings turn into funded work.

What your marketing audit should deliver

• A one page summary of what is working, what is blocked, and what to change now.
• A prioritised action plan for the next 90 days with owners and budgets.
• A short list of tracking fixes and KPI definitions you trust.

For KPI structure, use build a marketing scorecard.

The 30 day marketing audit plan

Week 1. Goals, data, and website journey

• Clarify the commercial goal for the quarter and the primary KPIs.
• Check analytics and CRM tracking. Document attribution windows and known gaps.
• Review the website journey. Test the top three traffic paths and key conversion points, such as demo and checkout.

For measurement principles, review Think with Google on measurement.

Week 2. Channel performance and creative

• Analyse contribution by objective. Separate awareness, acquisition, and retention performance.
• Inspect paid search structure, audience settings, frequency, and creative freshness in paid social.
• Check landing page alignment to ad intent. Note speed, message match, and form friction.

For channel selection frameworks, see marketing channels: choose the right mix for your stage.

Week 3. CRM, lifecycle, and content

• Audit lifecycle programmes. Onboarding, nurture, and winback flows with their performance.
• Check lead routing, SLAs, and feedback loops with sales.
• Inventory content by job to be done and funnel stage. Identify gaps and best sellers.

For sales alignment practices, read marketing alignment: run a joint planning process with sales.

Week 4. Budget, governance, and rhythm

• Reconcile spend against objectives. Protect a minimum for brand and reserve a test fund.
• Confirm decision rights and approval paths by risk.
• Tighten the weekly and monthly cadence so findings turn into shipping work.

For budgeting ranges and rules, use marketing budget: how to split spend by objective, channel, and stage and governance in marketing governance for small teams.

Audit checklist: questions that find real issues

• Do KPIs map to commercial outcomes, and are definitions written.
• Which channels truly contribute to qualified pipeline or revenue, not just clicks.
• Where do people drop in the website journey, and why.
• Is creative anchored to one clear message with proof.
• Are CRM and tracking reliable, with UTMs and events healthy.
• Do SLAs and handoffs with sales exist and get met.
• Is budget split by objective, with a ring fenced test line and a brand minimum.

Turn findings into a 90 day action plan

1. Write five initiatives that address the highest leverage issues. Keep each to a short title and outcome.


2. Score with RICE, then layer Cost of Delay for seasonality or deadlines.


3. Assign owners, budgets, and two ship milestones per initiative.


4. Book weekly standups and a monthly review to track progress.

For prioritisation, see how to decide your marketing priorities and for cadence use build a simple marketing operating rhythm.

Lightweight tools and sources

• Analytics and CRM for truth, with documented assumptions.
• Page speed and accessibility checks on priority pages.
• Channel platform diagnostics and exportable reports.
• Market and audience inputs such as Ofcom’s Online Nation and practical audit tips from HubSpot’s marketing audit guide.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Collecting data without decisions. Each finding needs a fix or a rule.
• Trying to fix everything at once. Focus on five initiatives.
• Changing definitions mid audit. Capture gaps and keep methods stable for 30 days.
• Auditing in a vacuum. Involve sales, product, and finance for a full picture.

Final checklist

• One page summary with top findings.
• Five initiative action plan with owners and budgets.
• Updated KPI definitions and tracking fixes.
• Budget split confirmed with brand minimum and test fund.
• Cadence booked for weekly and monthly reviews.