Quality Score, explained properly.
Quick answer
Quality Score is Google's rating of how relevant and useful your keywords, ads, and landing pages are to the people searching. It is scored 1 to 10 per keyword and directly affects what you pay per click and how often your ads show. A higher Quality Score means lower CPC and better ad position.
What is Quality Score?
Quality Score is Google's 1 to 10 rating of the overall quality and relevance of your keyword, ad, and landing page in combination. It is one of the two core inputs into [Ad Rank](/ppc-glossary/ad-rank), which determines your ad position and what you pay per click. Think of Quality Score like a customer service rating. Google rewards advertisers who provide a relevant, coherent journey from search to landing page, and it penalises those who do not by making them pay more for the same positions.
The three components of Quality Score
- **Expected click-through rate.** How likely Google thinks people are to click your ad relative to others in the same auction, and how likely your ad is to be clicked when shown for this keyword. - **Ad relevance.** How closely your ad copy matches the keyword's search intent. - **Landing page experience.** Whether your landing page genuinely matches what the ad promises, whether it is relevant, useful, and navigable, and whether it loads quickly with useful content. Each component is rated below average, average, or above average. The overall Quality Score combines them into the 1 to 10 number.
Why Quality Score matters
A higher Quality Score means a lower [cost per click](/ppc-glossary/cost-per-click) for the same position, better Ad Rank, and greater eligibility for top positions and ad extensions. Moving from a Quality Score of 5 to 8 on a competitive keyword can reduce your CPC by 30 to 40 per cent. A keyword with Quality Score 8 can pay 30 to 50 per cent less per click than a competitor with Quality Score 4 for the same ad position. Over a campaign with thousands of clicks, the savings are substantial. A high Quality Score also means your ads are eligible to show in higher positions and on more auctions.
How to improve Quality Score
1. **Tightly themed ad groups.** Each ad group should hold a small set of closely related keywords, all answerable by the same ad copy and landing page. 2. **Specific ad copy.** Use the keyword, or a close variation, in headlines and descriptions, and match the user's search intent in the call to action. 3. **Dedicated landing pages.** Send each ad group to a landing page that mirrors the ad copy. Generic homepages typically score lower than focused landing pages. 4. **Mobile-friendly, fast pages.** Slow or broken mobile experiences damage Quality Score directly. Quality Score improvement is a core focus of our [PPC management service](/services/ppc-packages).
Take this further
Ready to apply this to your own account? [Book a free discovery call](/discovery-call), or explore our [PPC packages](/services/ppc-packages).
Quality Score: common questions.
How is Quality Score calculated?
Google combines three signals (expected CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience) and produces a 1 to 10 score per keyword. The exact algorithm is opaque, but tightly themed ad groups with relevant ad copy and matching landing pages reliably produce higher scores.
Where do I see my Quality Score?
In the Google Ads keyword view, add the Quality Score column. You will also see the three component diagnostics. Below 7 is a warning sign worth investigating, and below 5 is usually costing you significantly.
Does pausing low Quality Score keywords help?
Sometimes. Pausing keywords that consistently score 3 or below stops them dragging your average down. But the better fix is usually restructuring, moving low-scoring keywords into a tighter ad group with relevant ad copy, rather than abandoning them.
Is Quality Score relevant for Performance Max campaigns?
Indirectly. Performance Max does not expose Quality Score per keyword, but the same underlying signals (asset relevance and landing page quality) drive performance. The fundamentals translate even when the metric is not visible.
What clients say about working with us.
“I've had the pleasure of working with Chris on several SEO projects for my websites in the health field. He was definitely been able to demystify things so that I felt able to make decisions with him and feel confident they were the right ones. For a non-techie, that is worth gold! I look forward to working with Chris again and warmly recommend him to anyone who - like me - is unsure about all things SEO.”
“I was recommended by my branding partner to use Chris and his team last year. I can’t recommend them highly enough. They are very responsive , easy to communicate with and great at translating techy stuff when needed. They are now an essential part of my business model”
“We've been working closely with Chris, Hannah and the team for over 12 months now. As a small company with ambitious growth plans, it was incredibly important that we made the right choice on who to trust with our SEO. 18 months later, we're totally thrilled with our experience so far and our growing online presence within our market. We'd happily recommend BTT and their services to other SMEs. Drop them an enquiry!”
Real people on your account, not a faceless agency.
You work directly with the senior people who do the work, a small Bristol team you will actually get to know, not a call centre or an account manager relaying messages.
Meet the team →
