Quality Score Scale
Core Components
Potential CPC Reduction
What Is 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 1-10 scale, where 10 is the highest possible score.
Google calculates Quality Score for each keyword in your account. It's not visible to users - only advertisers see it in their Google Ads dashboard.
Best Practice
Quality Score above 7 is considered good. Scores of 8-10 indicate excellent keyword-ad-landing page alignment. If your Quality Score is below 5, prioritize improvement - you're paying significantly more per click than competitors.
Why Quality Score Matters
Quality Score directly impacts two critical areas of your Google Ads performance:
1. Cost Per Click (CPC)
Higher Quality Score means lower cost per click. Google rewards advertisers who provide relevant, useful experiences by charging them less.
| Quality Score | Est. CPC Impact | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | -50% or more | $1.00 → $0.50 |
| 8-9 | -25% to -40% | $1.00 → $0.60-0.75 |
| 7 (Baseline) | ±0% | $1.00 |
| 5-6 | +25% to +50% | $1.00 → $1.25-1.50 |
| 1-4 | +100% or more | $1.00 → $2.00+ |
2. Ad Rank & Position
Google uses Quality Score (along with your bid) to calculate Ad Rank - which determines if and where your ads appear. Higher Quality Score means better ad positions even with lower bids.
Ad Rank Formula: Bid × Quality Score = Ad Rank
Pro Tip
You can outrank competitors who bid more than you by having a better Quality Score. A QS of 10 with a $1 bid beats a QS of 5 with a $1.50 bid.
The 3 Components of Quality Score
Google evaluates three factors to determine Quality Score. Each receives a rating of Below Average, Average, or Above Average.
Expected CTR
How likely users are to click your ad when it appears for this keyword. Based on historical performance.
Most important factor
Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the search intent behind the keyword.
Keyword-ad alignment
Landing Page Experience
How relevant and useful your landing page is to people who click your ad.
User experience quality
How to Check Your Quality Score
To view Quality Score in Google Ads:
- Go to Keywords tab in any campaign
- Click Columns icon
- Select Quality Score section
- Choose which metrics to display:
- Quality Score (overall 1-10 score)
- Expected CTR
- Ad Relevance
- Landing Page Experience
Common Mistake
Quality Score updates are delayed - it can take days or weeks for improvements to reflect. Don't make changes and expect immediate QS updates. Focus on improving the underlying metrics (CTR, relevance, page experience) and QS will follow.
Improving Expected CTR
Expected CTR is the most important Quality Score component. Here's how to improve it:
1. Write Compelling Ad Copy
- Include your keyword in the headline (improves relevance and CTR)
- Highlight unique benefits, not just features
- Use emotional triggers (save money, save time, avoid problems)
- Include numbers/stats for credibility
- Add urgency when appropriate (limited time, while supplies last)
2. Use Ad Extensions
Ad extensions increase your ad's visibility and CTR:
- Sitelinks: Additional links to specific pages
- Callouts: Short benefit statements
- Structured Snippets: Lists of features/services
- Call Extensions: Phone number for click-to-call
- Location Extensions: Physical address and map
Best Practice
Enable all relevant ad extensions. They make your ads larger and more prominent, which significantly improves CTR. Ads with extensions typically see 10-15% higher CTR.
3. Improve Ad Position
Higher ad positions get higher CTR. If you're consistently in positions 3-4, consider increasing bids to reach positions 1-2 where CTR is naturally higher.
4. Use Exact Match Keywords
Exact match keywords typically have higher Quality Scores because they ensure your ads only show for highly relevant searches, improving CTR.
Improving Ad Relevance
Ad Relevance measures how well your ad copy matches search intent. Here's how to improve it:
1. Include Keywords in Ad Copy
Google wants to see your target keywords in your ad text. Best practices:
- Include the exact keyword (or close variant) in at least one headline
- Use the keyword naturally in the description
- Don't keyword stuff - one mention per text element is sufficient
2. Tightly Themed Ad Groups
Create small, focused ad groups with 5-20 closely related keywords. This allows you to write highly specific ads.
Bad example (too broad):
Ad Group: "Running Shoes"
Keywords: running shoes, marathon shoes, trail running shoes, minimalist running shoes, kids running shoes
Good example (focused):
Ad Group: "Marathon Running Shoes"
Keywords: marathon running shoes, marathon shoes, best shoes for marathon, marathon running footwear
3. Match Ad Copy to Search Intent
Different keywords have different intent. Your ad copy should match:
- Informational: "Learn How to...", "Guide to..."
- Commercial: "Best [Product]", "Compare [Options]"
- Transactional: "Buy [Product]", "Get [Service] Today"
Improving Landing Page Experience
Landing Page Experience evaluates how relevant and useful your landing page is. Google considers:
- Relevance to the ad and keyword
- Transparency and trustworthiness
- Ease of navigation
- Page load speed
- Mobile-friendliness
Page Speed (Critical)
Fast loading pages significantly improve landing page experience:
- Goal: < 3 seconds ideal, < 5 seconds acceptable
- Compress images (use WebP format)
- Minimize JavaScript and CSS
- Use a CDN for faster content delivery
- Enable browser caching
Pro Tip
Use Google's PageSpeed Insights tool to test your landing page speed. Aim for a score of 80+ on mobile. Page speed is increasingly important for Quality Score.
Content Relevance
Your landing page content should closely match the ad and keyword:
- Include the keyword in the page headline
- Feature the advertised product/service prominently
- Match the message - if your ad says "50% Off", the landing page should show that offer immediately
- Don't send users to your homepage - use specific product/service pages
User Experience
- Clear call-to-action above the fold
- Easy navigation (but not too many exit options)
- Mobile-responsive design
- Minimal pop-ups (Google penalizes intrusive interstitials)
- Trust signals (security badges, customer reviews, contact info)
Common Mistakes That Hurt Quality Score
Mistake 1: Broad Match Keywords with Generic Ads
Broad match keywords show ads for many variations. If your ad copy is generic, it won't be relevant to all these variations, hurting Quality Score.
Solution: Use exact or phrase match for better control, or create multiple ad groups with specific ads for different keyword variations.
Mistake 2: Sending All Traffic to Homepage
Your homepage isn't specific enough for most keywords. Google wants to see landing pages that directly match the search.
Solution: Create or use specific product/service pages that match each keyword's intent. A user searching "blue running shoes" should land on a page featuring blue running shoes, not your homepage.
Mistake 3: Slow Loading Landing Pages
Pages that take > 5 seconds to load hurt Quality Score. Many users bounce before the page even loads.
Solution: Compress images, minimize code, use a CDN, and test with PageSpeed Insights. Aim for < 3 second load time.
Mistake 4: Not Using Ad Extensions
Ads without extensions are smaller and less prominent, resulting in lower CTR.
Solution: Enable sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and any other relevant extensions. This can increase CTR by 10-15%, which improves Quality Score.
Monitoring Quality Score
Quality Score isn't something you optimize once and forget. Here's how to maintain it:
Weekly Review
- Check for keywords with QS < 5 (prioritize improvement)
- Review the 3 components to identify which needs work
- Look for patterns (do all low QS keywords share characteristics?)
Monthly Optimization
- Pause keywords with consistently low QS (< 3 after 90 days)
- Refresh ad copy to prevent creative fatigue
- Test new landing pages for low-performing keywords
- Add negative keywords to improve CTR
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good Quality Score?
7+ is good, 8-10 is excellent, 5-6 needs improvement, and below 5 requires immediate attention. Average Quality Score across all accounts is around 5-6.
How long does it take to improve Quality Score?
Quality Score updates lag behind your changes. Expect 1-2 weeks minimum to see improvements after optimization. For significantly damaged scores, full recovery can take 30-90 days.
Does pausing keywords reset Quality Score?
No. Quality Score history is retained when you pause keywords. If you re-enable them, the old Quality Score will be remembered. To truly reset, delete the keyword and add it fresh (though this isn't usually recommended).
Can I improve Quality Score without changing my landing page?
Yes, but it's harder. Focus on improving Expected CTR (better ad copy, extensions) and Ad Relevance (keyword-ad alignment). However, if Landing Page Experience is "Below Average," you'll have limited success without fixing the page.
Should I delete low Quality Score keywords?
Not immediately. First try to improve them (better ad copy, specific landing page, tighter ad group). If after 60-90 days the QS remains below 4 despite optimization efforts, consider pausing them. They're too expensive to profitably run.
Monitor Quality Score with LYRA
LYRA automatically monitors your Quality Scores and alerts you when keywords drop below 5. Get AI-powered recommendations for improving CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience.