In Google Ads campaigns, bidding high alone is not enough to get successful ad results. How closely the ad relates to the user’s search, how likely it is to be clicked and the quality of the page it sends people to also play an important part in campaign performance.
The platform formerly known as Google AdWords is now called Google Ads. But users still often search for the topic as “AdWords Quality Score”.
Google Ads Quality Score is a diagnostic indicator that helps you judge how well the keywords in Search Network campaigns match the ad and the landing page. The score is shown on a scale of 1 to 10.
A high Quality Score suggests the ad and landing page may be more relevant and useful for that keyword compared with other advertisers. A low score can point to areas of the campaign that need improvement.
What Is Google Ads Quality Score?
Quality Score is an indicator displayed at the keyword level that helps assess the quality of the ad experience.
The score can be interpreted like this:
| Quality Score | General assessment |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Major improvements may be needed |
| 4-6 | Average or improvable level |
| 7-8 | Good alignment and potential |
| 9-10 | Very strong alignment between keyword, ad and page |
What Is Quality Score Based On?
Quality Score is based on three core components:
- Expected click-through rate
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience
Each component can be shown as:
- Below average
- Average
- Above average
To raise a keyword’s Quality Score, look at these three components separately rather than only at the total score.
What Is Expected Click-Through Rate?
Expected click-through rate is an estimate of how likely the ad is to be clicked by a user if it is shown. The keyword’s past performance and behavior in similar auctions can be taken into account.
Factors that can affect it include how well the ad headline matches the search, the benefit offered to the user and the clarity of the call to action.
To improve it:
- Use more specific keywords
- Write ad headlines to match the search intent
- Offer a concrete benefit
- Use ad assets (sitelinks, callouts)
- Test several ad variations
What Is Ad Relevance?
Ad relevance shows how closely the ad copy relates to the targeted keyword and the user’s search intent.
For example, an ad targeting the keyword “corporate web design Ankara” that uses only a generic headline like “We Offer Digital Services” may not be seen as relevant enough.
To raise ad relevance:
- Group closely related keywords in the same ad group
- Avoid mixing too many different topics in one ad group
- Use the keyword naturally in the headline
- Make sure the ad copy and landing page tell the same story
What Is Landing Page Experience?
Landing page experience describes how relevant, usable and accessible the page is for users who click the ad.
On the landing page, evaluate:
- Fit between the ad and the content
- Page load speed
- Mobile usability
- Originality of the content
- Ease of navigation
- Contact details and trust elements
Are Quality Score and Ad Rank the Same Thing?
Quality Score and Ad Rank are not the same concept.
Quality Score is a diagnostic indicator that helps identify likely problems in the keyword, ad and landing page.
Ad Rank is a broader calculation that determines whether the ad will be shown in the auction and in which position.
Ad Rank takes into account factors such as the bid, ad quality, the expected impact of ad assets and the search context. So a high Quality Score alone does not guarantee a top position.
Does Quality Score Affect Cost Per Click?
Ad quality can affect an ad’s competitiveness in the auction and its costs. More relevant ads give users a better experience, so they can help use the same budget more efficiently.
But cost per click does not depend on Quality Score alone. Other factors that can affect cost per click include competitors’ bids, the competition level in the industry, the ad’s position, device and location, and the search context.
Where Can You See Quality Score?
Quality Score can be added as a column to the keyword report in the Google Ads dashboard.
The columns you can review include:
- Quality Score
- Expected click-through rate
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience
- The historical versions of each of these
Look at history to see the trend over time rather than reading a single day’s value.
How Do You Raise Quality Score?
To raise Quality Score, the ad, keyword and landing page must be optimized as a whole.
- Narrow your ad groups. Having many unrelated keywords in one ad group makes it hard to write ad copy that fits every query.
- Check keyword match types. Match types affect which searches the ad can appear for (broad, phrase and exact match).
- Add negative keywords. Negative keywords help prevent the ad from showing for unwanted searches; for example, a paid training provider can exclude “free”.
- Use the keyword in the ad headline. There should be a clear link between the phrase the user searched and the ad headline.
- Offer a concrete benefit in ads. Generic phrases everyone uses, such as “Quality Service” or “Professional Solutions”, make an ad hard to tell apart.
- Use a strong call to action. When users click the ad, they should understand what action they will take (get a quote, explore now).
- Use ad assets. Assets give users extra information and can help the ad look more comprehensive in search results.
- Make the landing page match the keyword. The keyword and the offer used in the ad should be clearly present on the landing page. If the ad says “web design prices”, the page should show pricing information.
- Speed up the landing page. Slow pages can make users leave the ad immediately. Compress images, remove unnecessary code and review server performance.
- Improve the mobile experience. A significant part of ad traffic can come from mobile devices. On the mobile landing page, the headline should be easy to read, the page fast and the form simple.
- Keep page content useful and original. A few sales sentences and a form may not be enough for every industry. Give users the information they need to decide.
- Use trust elements on the page. Users may hesitate to share personal information or pay a business they do not know. Use references, reviews, contact details and company information.
- Simplify forms. Very long forms can make users leave before completing the action. At first, ask only for the necessary information in the quote form.
- Run A/B tests. Different ad and landing page variations can be tested: headline, description, call to action and page layout.
Should Keywords with a Low Quality Score Be Deleted?
Not every keyword with a low Quality Score needs to be deleted right away. First, answer these questions:
- Does the keyword bring sales or applications?
- Is the ad group relevant enough?
- Is the landing page suitable?
- Are the search terms right?
- Has enough data accumulated?
- Is the keyword too broad?
- Is the cost per conversion acceptable?
Why Does Quality Score Not Show for New Keywords?
Quality Score may not be shown for newly added keywords or keywords that have not received enough impressions. The system may need a certain amount of data before it can evaluate.
During this time, keep checking the structure of the ad group, the ad copy, the relationship between the keyword and ad, the landing page and the search terms.
Why Does Quality Score Suddenly Drop?
Possible reasons for a drop in Quality Score are:
- Changing the ad copy
- Widening the keyword match type
- Getting impressions on irrelevant searches
- Changing the landing page
- A drop in page speed
- Mobile problems appearing
- A change in the competitive environment
- Adding unrelated keywords to the ad group
The Relationship Between Quality Score and Conversion Rate
Quality Score helps evaluate the relevance of the ad experience. Conversion rate shows what share of the users who click the ad complete the target action.
If the conversion rate is low despite a high Quality Score, these problems may exist:
- The product price is not competitive.
- The offer is not strong enough.
- The form is too long.
- The page does not build trust.
- Customer service responds late.
Quality Score Optimization Checklist
When improving Quality Score, you can check these items:
- Are the keywords related to each other?
- Are the ad groups narrow enough?
- Does the ad headline answer the search phrase?
- Does the ad offer a concrete benefit?
- Are negative keywords being used?
- Are search terms checked regularly?
- Are A/B tests being run?
- Does the landing page match the keyword?
- Is the page fast and mobile-friendly?
- Is the form simple?
Frequently Asked Questions
What should the Google Ads Quality Score be?
Scores of 7 and above can generally be considered good. But campaign success should not be judged by this score alone.
Does the Quality Score have to be 10?
No. Not every keyword needs to reach 10. For the business, conversions and profitability matter more.
Does Quality Score lower ad costs?
Better ad quality can support competitiveness in the auction. But costs also depend on other factors such as bids, competition and search context.
Why is Quality Score low?
A low expected click-through rate, an ad that is not related enough to the keyword, or a weak landing page experience can cause a low score.
How long does it take for Quality Score to rise?
After changes are made, enough new performance data needs to build up. The result can vary with the campaign’s impression volume.
Is it mandatory to use the keyword in the ad headline?
It is not mandatory, but using it naturally can help show the ad’s relationship to the search clearly.
Does a high Quality Score guarantee sales?
No. Quality Score is an indicator that evaluates the relevance of the ad experience. Sales also depend on price, product, offer and the conversion process.
Is Quality Score visible in Performance Max campaigns?
Quality Score is a diagnostic indicator used mainly for keywords in Search campaigns. Performance Max campaigns have a different reporting and automation structure.
Does Quality Score change every day?
The score and its components can change as new performance data builds up. Look at long-term trends rather than small daily movements.
Conclusion
Quality Score is a diagnostic indicator that helps assess the match between keyword, ad and landing page in Google Ads Search campaigns. Its three core components are expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience.
To improve the score: narrow ad groups, classify keywords correctly, use negative keywords, write ad headlines to match search intent, speed up landing pages, improve the mobile experience, simplify forms and test ad and page variations.
But campaign management should not focus on Quality Score alone. Conversions, customer acquisition cost, sales value and return on ad spend should be evaluated together. For professional setup of your Google Ads campaigns, you can use our Google Ads and digital ad management services. To manage your advertising, SEO and web design processes as a whole, you can get in touch with Soft Ajans.
