February 19, 2025
Imagine running a Google Ads campaign where your costs are low, your ads appear in top positions and users are actively clicking on them. What’s the secret? Well, it all comes down to your Quality Score. Having an understanding about this score can be the difference between a successful campaign and one that struggles to gain traction.
What is Google Ads Quality Score?
Quality Score is a rating system used exclusively by Google Ads to measure the quality and relevance of your ads, keywords and landing pages. It is scored on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest possible score. This score influences both the ad placement and the cost-per-click (CPC) being paid in Google Ads auctions.
Factors that Affect Google Quality Score
Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The likelihood that users will click on your ad based on historical data. A higher CTR indicates strong ad performance and can have a positive impact on your Quality Score.
Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the search query of the user.
Landing Page Experience
The quality and relevance of the landing page that users reach after clicking on your ad. Factors such as page load speed, mobile-friendliness and content relevance play a role.
Why Does Google Ads Quality Score Matter?
Advertisers can benefit from having a high Quality Score in several ways such as:
- Lower Costs – Higher scores lead to lower CPCs which means that you pay less for each click.
- Better Ad Placement – Ads with high Quality Scores are more likely to appear in top positions on Google search results.
- Improved ROI – More relevant ads lead to better user engagement and conversion rates which increases the return on investment (ROI).
How to Improve your Google Ads Quality Score?
Here are some best practices to achieve a better Quality Score in Google Ads:
Use highly relevant keywords and group them appropriately in your campaigns
Make sure your ad text aligns with search queries and provides clear and compelling messaging
Ensure your landing pages load quickly, provide valuable content and match user intent
Use strong calls-to-action (CTAs) and compelling offers to encourage users to click on your ads and increase CTR
Common Mistakes that Lowers Google Ads Quality Score
- Keyword Stuffing – Overloading ads or landing pages with keywords can reduce readability and user engagement.
- Irrelevant Landing Pages – Having a landing page that doesn’t match the user’s search intent would often impact the Quality Score negatively.
- Slow Page Load Times – A slow-loading page leads to higher bounce rates and can lower Quality Scores.
- Ignoring Mobile Optimisation – Due to the increasing number of mobile users, offering poor mobile experience can significantly lower Quality Scores.
Tools to Track & Analyse Google Ads Quality Score
Google Ads Quality Score Report
Provides insights on keyword performance and score components.
Google Analytics
Helps analyse user behavior and landing page effectiveness.
Third-Party PPC Tools
There are many platforms such as SEMrush, Ahrefs and WordStream that can help to provide deeper insights into Quality Score and ad performance.
Content marketing intern
David Awatara is a Content Marketing Intern at Seeders Zwolle. With a passion for storytelling and a keen interest in digital marketing, David is focused on creating engaging and impactful content. Eager to learn and grow in the evolving world of online marketing, David contributes to developing strategies that enhance brand visibility and strengthen online presence. With a creative and detail-oriented approach, David is dedicated to delivering high-quality content that supports the company's marketing goals.
