How to Improve Quality Score in Google Ads
Practice4 minInnovialabs editorial team
In short
Quality Score is a 1-10 rating built from expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience. Tight keyword groups, ads written for the search and a fast page that answers it raise all three and usually lower your cost per click.
The short answer
Quality Score is a diagnostic rating of a keyword on a scale from 1 to 10. Google shows it at keyword level and breaks it into three components, each rated "above average", "average" or "below average":
- Expected CTR — how likely your ad is to be clicked when shown for this keyword.
- Ad relevance — how closely your ad matches the intent behind the search.
- Landing page experience — how useful and easy to use the page is for the person who clicked.
One nuance matters: the score itself is not used in the auction. At auction time Google assesses quality in real time for each specific search. Quality Score is an aggregated reflection of that assessment and a handy way to find weak spots. Higher quality ads usually win better positions at a lower cost per click.
Where to find it
Open Keywords and add the columns Quality Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance and Landing page exp. A dash instead of a number means the keyword does not have enough impressions yet.
Start with the keywords that drive most of your spend. Improving the score of a keyword with no impressions changes nothing.
Expected CTR: how to raise it
This component reflects how compelling your ad is for this search compared with competitors.
- Use the keyword in headlines. People click more readily when they see their own search.
- Be specific: what exactly you offer, terms, timing, what sets you apart.
- Add assets: sitelinks, callouts, call assets. The ad becomes larger and more informative.
- Block irrelevant searches with negatives. Impressions on the wrong searches rarely get clicks and drag CTR down.
- Separate brand and generic searches into different campaigns so you judge them separately.
Ad relevance: how to raise it
"Below average" here almost always means the ad group mixes unrelated keywords and the ad is written "about everything".
- Narrow your ad groups. One group, one theme: "iPhone repair" and "laptop repair" should not share a group.
- Write ads for the group, using its main wording in several headlines and a description.
- Check the search terms report. If a keyword triggers searches that are not about your product, the problem is the match type, not the copy.
- Avoid unnecessary pinning, so Google can tailor combinations to each search.
Landing page experience: how to raise it
The page should immediately confirm: "you are where you wanted to be".
- A dedicated page for the group's theme, not the home page. Its heading echoes the search and the ad.
- Load speed, especially on mobile. Test the page in PageSpeed Insights and remove heavy images, extra scripts and widgets.
- Mobile usability: readable text, easy-to-tap buttons, a form without unnecessary fields.
- Clear information: prices or how they are calculated, contacts, terms, answers to common questions.
- Transparency: do not hide key details or hit visitors with aggressive pop-ups on arrival.
What to fix first
| Component "below average" | Main cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Expected CTR | Ad does not stand out, or shows on wrong searches | Rewrite headlines, add assets, add negatives |
| Ad relevance | Unrelated keywords in one group | Split into themed ad groups |
| Landing page | Page does not answer the search or is slow | Dedicated page, faster loading |
After changes, the rating needs fresh impressions to update. Track not only the score but also cost per click, cost per conversion and impression share.