If you've spent any time managing Google Ads campaigns, you've likely heard that Quality Score is important. But what exactly is it, and why should you care? In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about Google Ads Quality Score—from how it's calculated to proven strategies for improvement.
What Is Google Ads Quality Score?
Quality Score is Google's rating of the quality and relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing pages. It's measured on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. Google uses Quality Score to determine both your ad position and how much you pay per click.
Think of Quality Score as Google's way of ensuring users see relevant, high-quality ads. Advertisers who create relevant ads and useful landing pages are rewarded with lower costs and better positions. Those who don't are penalized with higher costs and lower visibility.
Key Point
Quality Score is not just a vanity metric—it directly impacts your bottom line. A higher Quality Score means lower CPCs and better ad positions, while a lower Quality Score means you pay more for worse placement.
It's important to note that the Quality Score you see in your Google Ads interface is a diagnostic tool, not the actual score used in the ad auction. Google uses a more nuanced, real-time calculation during each auction. The 1-10 score you see is a simplified indicator to help you identify areas for improvement.
Why Quality Score Matters
Quality Score matters because it directly affects two critical aspects of your Google Ads performance: how much you pay and where your ads appear.
The Ad Rank Formula
Google determines ad position using Ad Rank, which is calculated as:
Ad Rank = Max CPC Bid × Quality Score
This means a higher Quality Score can compensate for a lower bid. For example:
| Advertiser | Max CPC Bid | Quality Score | Ad Rank | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertiser A | $2.00 | 10 | 20 | 1st |
| Advertiser B | $4.00 | 4 | 16 | 2nd |
| Advertiser C | $3.00 | 3 | 9 | 3rd |
Notice how Advertiser A wins the top position despite bidding less than half what Advertiser B bids. Their superior Quality Score (10 vs. 4) more than compensates for the lower bid.
CPC Impact
The actual CPC you pay is determined by the Ad Rank of the advertiser below you, divided by your Quality Score, plus $0.01. This means:
- Higher Quality Score = Lower actual CPC
- A Quality Score of 10 can result in CPCs 50% lower than a Quality Score of 5
- Low Quality Scores (1-3) can increase your CPCs by 400% or more
Real-World Impact
If you're spending $10,000/month on Google Ads with an average Quality Score of 5, improving to an average of 8 could save you $3,000-$4,000/month while maintaining the same traffic and conversions.
The Three Components of Quality Score
Quality Score is calculated based on three distinct components. Each component is rated as "Below Average," "Average," or "Above Average." Understanding each component is key to improving your scores.
1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Expected CTR is Google's prediction of how likely your ad is to be clicked when shown for a specific keyword. It's based on historical performance data, normalized for position effects.
What Affects Expected CTR:
- Historical click-through rates for the keyword
- Your account's overall CTR performance
- The match type being used
- The device being searched on
To Improve Expected CTR:
- • Write compelling, benefit-focused headlines
- • Include strong calls-to-action
- • Use ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts, etc.)
- • Test multiple ad variations
- • Ensure tight keyword-ad alignment
What Hurts Expected CTR:
- • Generic, non-specific ad copy
- • Missing or weak calls-to-action
- • No ad extensions
- • Broad keywords with irrelevant ad copy
- • Poor historical account performance
2. Ad Relevance
Ad Relevance measures how closely your ad matches the intent behind a user's search. Google analyzes the language in your ad and compares it to the keyword being triggered.
What Affects Ad Relevance:
- Presence of the keyword in ad headlines and descriptions
- Semantic relationship between keyword and ad copy
- Ad group structure and keyword grouping
- Overall message alignment with search intent
To Improve Ad Relevance:
- • Include keywords naturally in headlines
- • Create tightly themed ad groups (10-20 keywords max)
- • Write specific ads for each keyword theme
- • Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion strategically
- • Align ad messaging with search intent
What Hurts Ad Relevance:
- • Large ad groups with diverse keywords
- • Generic ads used across many keywords
- • Keyword not appearing in ad copy
- • Mismatched search intent and ad message
- • Over-reliance on broad match without tailored ads
3. Landing Page Experience
Landing Page Experience evaluates how relevant, transparent, and easy-to-navigate your landing page is for users who click your ad. Google's bots analyze your landing pages to assess this component.
What Affects Landing Page Experience:
- Relevance of landing page content to the ad and keyword
- Page load speed (especially on mobile)
- Mobile-friendliness and responsive design
- Easy navigation and clear information
- Transparency about business practices
- Original, useful content
To Improve Landing Page Experience:
- • Match landing page content to ad promise
- • Optimize page speed (under 3 seconds)
- • Ensure mobile responsiveness
- • Include clear contact information
- • Create keyword-specific landing pages
- • Remove intrusive pop-ups
What Hurts Landing Page Experience:
- • Slow loading pages
- • Poor mobile experience
- • Content that doesn't match the ad
- • Excessive pop-ups or interstitials
- • Hard-to-find information
- • Thin or duplicate content
Quality Score Benchmarks by Industry
What's considered a "good" Quality Score varies by industry. Highly competitive industries with expensive clicks often have lower average Quality Scores due to the fierce competition for ad relevance.
| Industry | Avg. Quality Score | Good Score | Excellent Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce | 6-7 | 7-8 | 9-10 |
| SaaS / Software | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 |
| Finance / Insurance | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8-10 |
| Legal Services | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8-10 |
| Healthcare | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 |
| Local Services | 6-7 | 8 | 9-10 |
| B2B Services | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 |
Important Note
Don't obsess over hitting a specific number. Focus on improving your weakest components and ensuring profitability. A keyword with a Quality Score of 5 that converts profitably is better than a keyword with a Quality Score of 10 that doesn't convert.
How to Improve Quality Score: A Step-by-Step Process
Improving Quality Score requires a systematic approach. Here's a proven process for identifying and fixing Quality Score issues:
Audit Your Current Quality Scores
Start by exporting your keyword data with Quality Score columns. In Google Ads, add columns for:
- Quality Score
- Quality Score (hist.)
- Expected CTR
- Ad Relevance
- Landing Page Experience
Sort by Quality Score ascending to identify your worst performers. Focus on keywords with significant spend first.
Identify the Weak Component
For each low Quality Score keyword, determine which component is causing the issue:
- Below Average CTR: Focus on ad copy and extensions
- Below Average Ad Relevance: Restructure ad groups and write keyword-specific ads
- Below Average Landing Page: Optimize page speed, relevance, and mobile experience
Restructure Ad Groups for Relevance
One of the most effective Quality Score improvements comes from better ad group structure. Use the SKAG (Single Keyword Ad Group) or STAG (Single Theme Ad Group) approach:
Before (Poor Structure)
Ad Group: "Running Shoes"
- • running shoes
- • buy running shoes online
- • best running shoes
- • running shoes for women
- • trail running shoes
- • marathon running shoes
After (Good Structure)
Ad Group: "Trail Running Shoes"
- • trail running shoes
- • best trail running shoes
- • trail running shoes for men
+ Separate ad groups for other themes
Write Keyword-Aligned Ad Copy
With tighter ad groups, you can write more specific, relevant ads:
- Include the keyword (or close variant) in Headline 1
- Mirror the search intent in your ad messaging
- Use specific benefits, not generic claims
- Include a clear, compelling call-to-action
- Test at least 3 ad variations per ad group
Optimize Landing Pages
Landing page optimization often provides the biggest Quality Score gains:
- Speed: Aim for <3 second load time (use Google PageSpeed Insights)
- Relevance: Match headline and content to ad messaging
- Mobile: Ensure responsive design and easy tap targets
- Trust: Include contact info, privacy policy, testimonials
- Navigation: Make it easy to find information and convert
Monitor and Iterate
Quality Score improvements take time. After making changes:
- Wait 2-4 weeks for scores to update (longer for low-volume keywords)
- Track Quality Score trends over time
- Continue testing ad variations
- Monitor competitor changes that may affect relative performance
- Use automated rules or scripts to flag Quality Score declines
Common Quality Score Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Ignoring Quality Score for "Good Enough" Keywords
Even profitable keywords with low Quality Scores are leaving money on the table. A keyword with a QS of 4 that converts profitably would be even more profitable with a QS of 7-8.
Mistake #2: Keyword Stuffing in Ad Copy
Cramming keywords into ads unnaturally hurts CTR and user experience. Include keywords naturally in headlines, but prioritize compelling, benefit-focused messaging.
Mistake #3: Using the Same Landing Page for All Keywords
Generic landing pages hurt relevance scores. Create dedicated landing pages for your most important keyword themes, matching the messaging to user intent.
Mistake #4: Overusing Broad Match Without Negative Keywords
Broad match keywords can match irrelevant searches, tanking your CTR. Use negative keywords aggressively, or switch to phrase/exact match for better control.
Mistake #5: Not Using Ad Extensions
Ad extensions increase ad real estate and CTR. Use all relevant extensions: sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call extensions, and location extensions where applicable.
Monitoring Quality Score Over Time
Effective Quality Score management requires ongoing monitoring. Here's how to stay on top of changes:
Key Metrics to Track
| Metric | What to Monitor | Alert Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Account-Level Avg. QS | Impression-weighted average Quality Score | Drop of 0.5+ points |
| Campaign-Level Avg. QS | QS by campaign for budget allocation | Below 5 average |
| Keyword-Level QS Changes | Individual keyword score changes | Drop of 2+ points |
| Component Ratings | CTR, Relevance, Landing Page status | Any "Below Average" |
| Historical QS Trend | Week-over-week and month-over-month | Consistent decline |
Tools for Quality Score Monitoring
Google Ads Native
- • Add QS columns to keyword reports
- • Use segmentation by date for trends
- • Create custom columns for weighted averages
- • Set up automated rules for alerts
Third-Party Tools
- • marketingOS: Cross-channel QS monitoring
- • Optmyzr: QS tracking and alerts
- • Adalysis: Automated QS analysis
- • Google Ads Scripts: Custom QS tracking
Frequently Asked Questions
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