Google Ads Quality Score is a critical metric that measures how relevant your ads and landing pages are based on the keywords driving traffic. It assigns a score from 1 to 10 for each keyword that receives impressions, reflecting Google’s assessment of ad relevance and user experience.If you’ve ever used Google Ads to promote anything or hired a Google whiz to do the work for you, you’ve probably heard of a metric called, “Quality Score”. What exactly is a Quality Score? We’re here to give you the rundown.
A Quality Score measures how relevant Google thinks your ads and landing pages are based on the keywords that connect people to them. Quality Score creates a rank using a scale of 1 to 10 for each keyword that has accrued impressions (views of an ad triggered by a search for that keyword).
Years ago, a Quality Score was available for each keyword as soon as it was added to an account, representing the Google Ads system average for the keyword while adjusting for any campaign-level Quality Scores of campaigns that had existing click data. Today, Google Ads still immediately applies a Quality Score to each keyword as soon as it is entered into an account, but it no longer allows you to see these numbers until the keywords have started to earn a few impressions.
For anyone wondering about this campaign-level Quality Score — this isn’t viewable in the account, but it represents the amount of “authority” the campaign has based on:
- How many impressions it’s generated since being created.
- Whether the historical click-through rates of its associated keywords have performed better or worse than others bidding on those same terms.
- If the campaign has a good history of complying with Google Ads policies.
Why Does Google Use Quality Score?
Google wants ads and their hyperlinked websites to be relevant and useful so users will continue to return to Google and click on ads — and ultimately generate more revenue. After all, Google wouldn’t make much profit if you searched for a specific term and received ads for something completely different! The more relevant your ads, website, and ad landing page are, the more Google will reward your business, resulting in a higher Quality Score.
There are parallels to how Google ranks pages organically. The more relevant a page is to a particular search query; the more likely Google will want to list that page higher in the organic search results. This will apply if Google considers the page to be authoritative on a searched topic, based on how long a website has been known to be a credible source and whether other sites on relevant topics are linking to it.
In Google Ads, the age and past performance of a campaign (mainly based on click-through rate) represent that same authority. The Quality Score of each keyword represents relevancy and is also based on historical click-throughs the longer the keyword is active and earned impressions. While Google has expanded the number of Quality Score factors, it’s still mostly based on your historical click-through rate in comparison to the system average. Check out what Google has to say about Quality Score in their support article.
Quality Score Determines Your Ad Rank
So now you have a general idea of what Quality Score is. You may be wondering — “Why should I care?” We’ve got the answer!
Quality Score is one of two primary factors that determine Ad Rank, which controls the order in which ads appear in search results. The highest ad rank gets the top position on the page, and so on. Ad Rank is essentially the Quality Score for the keyword that matched a search query, multiplied by your maximum CPC (cost per click) bid. We say “essentially” because this used to be the actual definition of Ad Rank, but the formula is no longer available from Google, and they’ve now added a few other minor factors.
If your keyword has a Quality Score of 5 and your maximum bid is $5.00, your Ad Rank is 25. Another advertiser with a Quality Score of 10 could bid $2.50 and achieve the same Ad Rank of 25. Both examples show how Quality Score influences the bid needed for equivalent ranking. Higher Quality Scores allow lower bids to reach similar Ad Rank levels. So, you can see how higher Quality Scores amp up competition can without needing to bid as high.
One thing to keep in mind — what you bid doesn’t equate to what you spend; it’s the maximum amount you’ve indicated that you’re willing to spend for a click for that keyword. What you spend is based on your Quality Score.
When a search occurs on Google and Ad Ranks are calculated to determine the order of how all eligible ads are displayed, the ad that is clicked will get charged an amount equal to the Ad Rank of the next ad below it, divided by the Quality Score of the ad that got clicked, plus a penny.
Here’s that broken down:
Actual CPC = (Ad Rank of next ad down / your Quality Score) + $0.01)
This means that advertisers with higher Quality Scores can not only get higher Ad Ranks with lower bids, but they’ll also likely pay well under their maximum bid for any clicks they receive. Meanwhile, advertisers with poor Quality Scores will pay close to their maximum bid amount. In short, Quality Score impacts your ad visibility AND how much your clicks cost.
What should you take away from this? When managing your Google Ads, be sure to actively monitor and improve your Quality Score whenever possible to truly maximize your advertising budget. For more detailed information on ways to improve Quality Scores, take a look at this tutorial by Analysis.
Focus on Conversion Rate, not Quality Score
One word of caution. Quality Scores matter, but do not overreact to them. Pay attention to keywords that generate clicks and spend your budget. However, focus first on improving ad copy and click-through rates. Make landing pages relevant to user intent. This helps increase conversions. Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who take the desired action. ROI depends heavily on conversion rate. Prioritize conversions before chasing small Quality Score gains. Quality Score improvements can come later. A balanced approach delivers better results.
Using Keywords Without Sacrificing ROI
Here’s an example — Let’s say you sell umbrellas but not raincoats. You may use keyword phrases that include the word “raincoat.” People searching for raincoats might buy an umbrella. This could generate enough sales to justify bidding on the keyword. However, your Quality Score for “raincoat” keywords will likely remain lower. Advertisers who actually sell raincoats usually achieve higher Quality Scores. Their landing pages align more closely with user intent.
Google is smart enough to detect landing pages that mention rain gear but do not sell raincoats. Visitors searching for raincoats may click your ad, but they will not find what they want. This can lower conversions because the page does not match user intent. Better ad copy might increase clicks, but those clicks may not convert. As a result, ROI can decline even if Quality Score improves. Focus on attracting visitors who want what you actually sell. This approach supports better conversion rates and sustainable results.
So, what can we take away from all this? While Quality Score is an important Google Ads metric, monitor it without overemphasis. Conversion rates should be your first priority. Improve Quality Scores by keeping ad copy keyword-focused. Make landing pages highly relevant to user intent. Stick with strategies that convert visitors into customers and leads. Higher Quality Scores can lower CPC and reduce cost per acquisition. However, conversion rate improvements typically drive ROI gains first.
Best of luck with your Google Ads strategy! With these tips and the right amount of trial and error, you’ll be sure to succeed.
Need help vamping up your Google Ads performance? Our team of experts are here to help. Reach out to us at connect@thebelfortgroup.com to get in touch today!