● The short answer
Quality Score is a 1 to 10 diagnostic Google Ads gives each keyword, based on three components: expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience, each rated above average, average or below average versus competitors. Google says it is not a direct auction input, but the quality signals behind it affect your costs. Improve it with tighter ad groups, matching ad copy and better landing pages.
Key takeaways
- Quality Score is a 1 to 10 keyword-level diagnostic in Google Ads.
- It has three components: expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience.
- Google says Quality Score is not an auction input or a KPI, but its components point to real problems.
What Quality Score measures
Google's documentation describes Quality Score as a diagnostic tool, measured at the keyword level on a scale of 1 to 10. It compares your ads with other advertisers whose ads showed for the same exact search over the last 90 days. It has three components:
| Component | What it means | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Expected click-through rate | How likely your ad is to be clicked when shown | Specific, relevant headlines; strong assets; good match between keyword and ad |
| Ad relevance | How closely the ad matches the intent behind the search | Tight ad groups; using the searcher's language in the ad |
| Landing page experience | How relevant and useful the page is to people who click | Matching page content, fast loading, clear next step |
Each component is rated above average, average or below average. A dash means there are not enough exact-match searches to calculate a score.
The how is where we come in.
What we walk through with you, for your business:
- What Quality Score is not
- How to improve it
- Our take
Every business is different, so the plan is too. Tell us where you want to show up and we will show you what it takes.
Talk to usMore questions
Does a higher Quality Score lower my cost per click?
Not directly, since Quality Score itself is not used in the auction. But the real-time quality signals Google does use are closely related to its components. Ads and pages that are more relevant and useful tend to win better positions at a given bid. Improving the components usually helps costs over time.
What is a good Quality Score?
Google does not define a target, and advises against treating it as a KPI. As a rule of thumb, keywords with average or above-average components are fine. Investigate any high-spend keyword with a below-average component, since it points to a specific fix in the ad, ad group structure or landing page.
Sources
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