How Can I Improve My Google Ads Quality Score?

When it comes to running successful Google Ads campaigns, the Quality Score metric is a foundational metric that the Google Ads Auction is based off and is the basis as to how you can improve your overall CPC and spend. 

A higher Quality Score not only helps reduce your cost-per-click (CPC) but also improves your ad placement. But what exactly is the Quality Score, and how can you optimise it?

In this article, we’ll break down the components of the Quality Score, its weightings I have discovered through years of testing and observations, and lastly I will share actionable tips to help you enhance it.

How do we improve quality score?

What is Quality Score?

Google defines Quality Score as an estimate of the quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. The score is based on three key factors:

1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR): How likely your ad is to be clicked when shown.

2. Ad Relevance: How closely your ad matches the user’s intent.

3. Landing Page Experience: How relevant and user-friendly your landing page is.

The Quality Score metric acts as a multiplier to your maximum CPC to determine what your Ad Rank will be in determining if you win the Auction. 

Why is Google Ads Quality Score Important?

A high Quality Score is essential for two reasons:

• Lower Costs: Google rewards ads with higher Quality Scores by allowing the advertiser to bid less to win an auction. 

• Better Ad Rank: A high Quality Score improves the likelihood of your ad appearing in top positions on the search results page.

How to Improve Your Quality Score

Here are some strategies to help you boost your Quality Score and get the most out of your ad spend:

1. Optimise Your Keywords

• Conduct Comprehensive Keyword Research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify keywords that align with user intent.

• Group Keywords Strategically: Create tightly themed ad groups to ensure your ads are relevant to specific searches.

• Use Long-Tail Keywords: These often have less competition and better align with user intent, improving CTR. However, you may experience issues with search volumes on these longer tailed keywords. 

2. Write Compelling Ad Copy

• Incorporate Keywords: Include primary keywords in your headlines and descriptions to improve ad relevance.

• Focus on User Intent: Address the specific needs or problems your audience wants to solve.

• Add Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Encourage users to take action with clear and enticing CTAs like “Learn More” or “Get Started.”

3. Enhance Landing Page Experience

• Make It Relevant: Ensure your landing page content aligns with the ad and keyword.

• Optimise for Mobile: With the majority of searches happening on mobile devices, your landing page must be responsive.

• Improve Load Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to ensure your landing page loads quickly.

• Add Clear Navigation: Help users find information easily by organising content logically.

4. Monitor and Adjust CTR

• A/B Test Ads: Experiment with different headlines, descriptions, and CTAs to find what resonates best with your audience.

• Use Ad Extensions: Incorporate sitelinks, callouts, or structured snippets to provide additional information and increase clickability.

• Refine Targeting: Ensure your ads are being shown to the right audience by fine-tuning demographic and geographic targeting.

5. Leverage Negative Keywords

• Filter Irrelevant Traffic: Identify and exclude keywords that aren’t relevant to your business but might still trigger your ads.

• Optimise Budget Usage: Focus your budget on high-performing, relevant keywords.

What does the weightings of Quality Score look like?

Google Quality Score Weighting matrix

Looking at the table below. We can see a breakdown of weightings of Quality Score and where you will see the best results by addressing certain areas first. This will greatly impact your overall CPC and allow you to get more clicks within your budget and improve your overall performance. The below has been obtained through many years of testing and experimentation on analysing thousands of Quality Score metrics. 

As you can see, if you address your Landing Page experience and Expected CTR first you will have an overall higher Quality Score compared to focusing on Ad Relevance and another area first.

Measure and Iterate

Improving your Quality Score isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. Regularly review your campaigns, monitor your Quality Scores, and adjust strategies based on performance data. Tools like Google Analytics and Ads Reporting can provide valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not.

Final Thoughts

Improving your Quality Score requires a combination of keyword optimisation, compelling ad copy, and a great user experience. By focusing on these elements, you will not only enhance your ad performance but also reduce costs, ultimately driving better ROI.

Ready to take your Google Ads campaigns to the next level? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your Quality Score soar.

Have insights or tips to share about optimising Quality Score? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Disclaimer: these views are my own personal opinion.