Google Ads Quality Score: Types, Importance, and How to Improve It
- Agen Agrowth
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In the world of Google Ads, most marketers know that setting the right budget and choosing the right keywords are key to running successful campaigns. But what often gets overlooked is a powerful hidden metric that directly affects ad performance and cost: Google Ads Quality Score.
If you've ever wondered why your ads aren't ranking well—or why you're paying more than competitors for the same keywords—the answer may lie in your Quality Score. In this guide, we'll break down what Quality Score is, the different types, why it matters, and what you can do to optimize it.
What Is Google Ads Quality Score?
Google Ads Quality Score is a score ranging from 1 to 10 assigned by Google to each keyword in your account. It reflects how relevant and useful your ads, keywords, and landing pages are to people seeing your ads. A higher score means Google sees your ad as more helpful to users.
The score is based on three primary components:
Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR): How likely your ad is to be clicked when shown.
Ad Relevance: How closely your ad matches the searcher's intent.
Landing Page Experience: How useful and user-friendly your landing page is for visitors who click your ad.
Each of these components is rated as “Below Average,” “Average,” or “Above Average.” These ratings contribute to your keyword-level Quality Score and ultimately affect where your ad appears and what you pay per click.
Why Quality Score Matters
Improving your Quality Score doesn’t just improve your ad rank—it can also lower your cost-per-click (CPC), increase your return on investment (ROI), and improve your ad visibility.
Here’s how Quality Score benefits your campaign:
Lower CPC: A high score allows you to pay less than competitors for the same ad position.
Better Ad Positions: Higher scores contribute to a better Ad Rank, placing you higher in search results.
Increased ROI: Lower costs and higher conversion potential mean more return from your ad spend.
Level Playing Field: Even smaller advertisers with smaller budgets can compete if they focus on ad quality.
How to Check Quality Score in Your Google Ads Account
Google lets you see Quality Score at the keyword level. Here’s how to access it:
Sign in to your Google Ads account.
Go to Keywords under your selected campaign or ad group.
Click the Columns button above your table and choose Modify Columns.
Expand the Quality Score section and add:
Quality Score
Expected CTR
Ad Relevance
Landing Page Experience
Click Apply to update the table.
You’ll now see real-time Quality Score data, which you can use to guide your optimization strategy.
Types of Quality Score
Google doesn't just use one single Quality Score across your account. There are several layers, each influencing performance differently:
1. Keyword-Level Quality Score
This is the score you can view in your dashboard. It's specific to each keyword and is based on how well your ad and landing page match the intent behind that keyword.
How to improve:
Match ad copy to keyword intent
Use relevant landing pages
Improve CTR with better calls-to-action
2. Ad Group-Level Quality Score
This is the average Quality Score of all keywords in an ad group. If some keywords are pulling the average down, the whole group may perform poorly.
Tips:
Group similar keywords together
Align ad text with group themes
Remove low-performing keywords
3. Campaign-Level or Account-Level Quality Score
This is not visible in the interface, but Google uses your overall account performance as a signal when assigning scores to new keywords.
Improve it by:
Maintaining consistent performance
Avoiding large volumes of irrelevant keywords
Regularly cleaning up underperforming ads
4. Ad-Level Quality Score
This isn’t displayed as a number, but ads that are highly relevant and engaging contribute positively to the Quality Score of the associated keywords.
Optimization advice:
A/B test headlines and descriptions
Include keywords in the ad text
Use clear and benefit-focused messaging
5. Landing Page Experience Score
This component assesses how well your landing page answers the user’s query. It’s a big factor in the total score.
Improve it with:
Fast load times (under 3 seconds)
Mobile responsiveness
Relevant content that matches the ad
Easy-to-use navigation
6. Display Network Quality Score
For display campaigns, Google also evaluates ad relevance and performance across placements.
Optimize by:
Using responsive display ads
Targeting audiences precisely
Excluding poor-performing placements
How Google Calculates Quality Score
Although Google doesn’t reveal the exact formula, research suggests approximate weights:
Expected CTR: 39%
Landing Page Experience: 39%
Ad Relevance: 22%
Example: If a keyword has
Above-average CTR (3.9 points)
Average ad relevance (2.2 points)
Above-average landing page experience (3.9 points) → Total score: 1 (base) + 3.9 + 2.2 + 3.9 = 11 → rounded down to 10
That means focusing on CTR and landing page experience will often give you the highest return on optimization.
7 Proven Ways to Improve Your Google Ads Quality Score
1. Use Long-Tail Keywords
Specific, intent-rich keywords improve CTR and ad relevance. Example: Use “buy eco-friendly yoga mats USA” instead of “yoga mats.”
2. Match Ad Copy to Search Intent
Customize each ad group’s copy to match its keywords. Include the keyword in headlines and descriptions.
3. Optimize Your Landing Pages
Your landing page should reflect your ad promise. Ensure fast load speed, mobile responsiveness, and relevant content.
4. Add Negative Keywords
Prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant queries. Check the Search Terms report weekly.
5. A/B Test Ads Regularly
Test variations of ad headlines and CTAs to improve engagement.
6. Use Ad Extensions
Sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets enhance ad visibility and CTR.
7. Structure Campaigns Clearly
Group keywords by theme and ensure ad copy speaks directly to them.
Why Quality Score Helps Small Advertisers Compete
Quality Score isn’t just a tool for saving money—it’s a competitive equalizer.
If a smaller advertiser writes highly relevant ads and uses great landing pages, they can outperform bigger brands with higher budgets. That’s because Google prioritizes user experience—not just the size of your wallet.
How Quality Score Affects CPC and Ad Rank
Google calculates Ad Rank using this formula:
Ad Rank = Max CPC × Quality Score
If your competitor bids $4 with a Quality Score of 5, their Ad Rank is 20. If you bid $2 with a Quality Score of 10, your Ad Rank is also 20. But you pay less per click—and potentially rank higher.
That’s why improving your Quality Score is one of the best ways to stretch your budget without sacrificing performance.
Common Quality Score Issues (And Fixes)
Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
Low CTR | Generic ads | A/B test headlines, use stronger CTAs |
Low Ad Relevance | Keyword mismatch | Rewrite ads to reflect exact keyword theme |
Poor Landing Page Experience | Unclear or slow pages | Improve content clarity, speed, and mobile UX |
Low Quality Score on New Keywords | Account history | Focus on optimizing older campaigns and clean low-quality elements |
Final Thoughts: Make Quality Score a Priority
Your Google Ads Quality Score is more than a diagnostic—it’s a growth lever. Whether you’re just starting or managing high-budget campaigns, improving your Quality Score helps you:
✅ Spend less per click ✅ Achieve better ad rankings ✅ Attract more qualified traffic ✅ Get more from every advertising dollar
By focusing on relevance, user experience, and performance, you don’t need a massive budget to get great results—you just need to be better than your competitors at giving users what they’re looking for.
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