Google Ads Quality Score can make or break the performance of your campaigns. It’s a metric that directly impacts how much you pay for each click, where your ads appear, and ultimately, how effective your advertising budget is. In this article, we’ll explore some of the reasons why your Google Ads Quality Score might be tanking, and more importantly, how to turn things around.
Understanding Google Ads Quality Score
What is Google Ads Quality Score?
Google Ads Quality Score is a rating that Google assigns to each of your keywords, based on the quality and relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It’s essentially Google’s way of determining whether your ads are useful and relevant to users. A higher Quality Score means your ads are likely to perform better, resulting in lower costs per click (CPC) and improved ad placement.
How is Quality Score Calculated?
Google determines Quality Score based on three main factors:
- Ad Relevance: How closely your ad copy matches the intent behind the keyword.
- Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR): The likelihood that users will click on your ad.
- Landing Page Experience: How relevant and user-friendly your landing page is to those clicking your ad.
These factors help Google understand if your ad is a good fit for the user’s search intent. A better Quality Score means lower CPC—you could be paying up to 50% less for a 10/10 Quality Score compared to a mediocre 5/10.
Impact of Quality Score on Ad Performance
The Quality Score directly impacts your CPC and ad positioning. For example, a Quality Score of 10/10 could cut your CPC by up to half, while a low score could result in paying double what you would at an average score of 5/10. Improving Quality Score is key to reducing ad costs while achieving higher visibility.
5 Common Reasons Your Quality Score is Low
1. Ignoring Ad Relevance
Ad relevance is critical for Google Ads. If your ad copy doesn’t closely match the keywords you’re targeting, your Quality Score will suffer. Make sure to always include your main keywords in your headlines and ad descriptions. For instance, if you’re targeting “Red Running Shoes,” ensure your ad explicitly mentions “Red Running Shoes” rather than a generic reference to footwear.
2. Targeting Broad, Low-Intent Keywords
Targeting overly broad keywords like “shoes” means you’re competing against a massive range of search intents. This can lead to low CTR and irrelevant traffic, resulting in a low Quality Score. Focus on keywords that are more specific and high-intent, such as “Men’s Red Running Shoes”—this specificity helps your ads resonate better with your target audience.
3. Poor Landing Page Experience
A landing page that takes too long to load or isn’t mobile-friendly can tank your Quality Score. Google wants to ensure that users have a good experience, and that starts after they click on your ad. Make sure your landing page is fast, mobile-optimized, and has relevant content that aligns with your ad copy and keywords.
4. Low Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Your ad’s expected CTR is a prediction of how likely users are to click on it. If your CTR is low, it means your ad might not be compelling enough. One way to improve this is by crafting copy that directly addresses the user’s needs, includes a strong call to action (CTA), and leverages unique selling points. If your ads aren’t getting clicks, it’s time to take a closer look at what your competitors are doing—sometimes seeing what works for others can help inspire better copy.
5. Disorganized Ad Groups
Ad groups that contain too many loosely related keywords can hurt your ad relevance. Instead, organize your campaigns by grouping similar keywords together. For example, create separate ad groups for “Men’s Shoes” and “Women’s Shoes” so that you can craft highly tailored ads for each, which can boost both ad relevance and CTR.
Strategies to Improve Your Quality Score
1. Monitor Quality Score Metrics Regularly and Focus on the Three Pillars
Quality Score is a rolling metric, meaning it changes over time based on the performance of your ads. Make sure you’re checking your Quality Score at least once a month. Remember, Quality Score is determined by ad relevance, expected CTR, and landing page experience. Regularly review each of these metrics to identify where improvements can be made. Google makes this easier by offering ratings of “Below Average,” “Average,” and “Above Average” for each metric—use these as guides to pinpoint which areas need attention.
2. Evaluate Branded Keywords for High Quality Score
If you aren’t hitting at least a 9/10 Quality Score on your Branded keywords, you need to reevaluate your whole Search strategy. Are you highlighting what Search users are actually looking for in your copy? Does your landing page include relevant information? Use your Branded terms as a baseline for determining what may be wrong.
3. Optimize Landing Pages
Landing pages are just as important as your ads themselves. Google looks at whether the page is relevant, mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate. A poor landing page can drag down your score, so make sure it aligns with the ad copy, has clear CTAs, and loads quickly.
4. Use Competitive Analysis
If your expected CTR or ad relevance is falling behind, it may be time to check out your competition. Look at what ads your competitors are running for similar keywords. How are they positioning themselves? This competitive research can provide insights to help adjust your messaging and stand out.
5. Organize Your Ad Groups Better
Well-structured ad groups are key for increasing both ad relevance and CTR. By grouping your keywords into tightly themed ad groups, you’re able to write more specific ad copy, leading to better user engagement. The more specific your ad is to the user’s query, the higher your Quality Score will be.
The Role of Ad Extensions in Quality Score
Why Ad Extensions Matter
Ad extensions are an underutilized aspect of Google Ads that can have a significant impact on your Quality Score. They make your ad more informative and more clickable by providing additional information, such as location, contact details, or direct links to parts of your site. This helps boost your ad’s expected CTR, directly improving Quality Score.
Types of Ad Extensions
Some popular ad extensions include:
- Sitelink Extensions: Add additional links to your ad, such as specific products or services.
- Callout Extensions: Highlight specific features of your product or service.
- Location Extensions: Provide your business’s location to increase foot traffic.
By incorporating the right ad extensions, you can enhance the visibility of your ad and make it more appealing to users, ultimately boosting CTR and Quality Score.
How We Transformed a Low-Quality Score
At Strikepoint, we helped a client struggling with a low Quality Score by implementing dynamic location insertion for their ads. This approach highlighted the nearest event location, making the ad highly relevant to users and significantly improving ad relevance and expected CTR. These strategic adjustments led to a noticeable increase in Quality Score, driving down CPC and increasing campaign efficiency.
It’s not rocket science. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and look at your strategy to evaluate what is missing or can be improved. Often, the solution lies in simplifying your approach—make sure your ad groups are tightly themed, your keywords are highly relevant, and your landing pages provide the right user experience. By taking the time to assess each component of your campaign, you can identify areas for improvement and make targeted changes that drive better results.
Final Thoughts
Your Google Ads Quality Score is crucial to running effective and cost-efficient PPC campaigns. By understanding the factors that impact your Quality Score—ad relevance, expected CTR, and landing page experience—you can make targeted improvements to boost performance. Monitor your Quality Scores, refine your keyword strategy, and ensure that your landing pages and ad groups are optimized. With these actionable steps, you can elevate your ad performance, reduce costs, and ultimately maximize your ROI.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
If your Google Ads account isn’t fully optimized, you’re losing money—plain and simple. Sometimes it’s best to call in the experts. At Strikepoint, our team of Google Ads professionals has the experience needed to turn your campaigns around. We offer a free account audit for businesses spending over $10,000 per month on Google Ads. Let us help you identify what’s holding your campaigns back and create a strategy to boost your Quality Score and performance. Click here to get your free Google Ads audit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is Google Ads Quality Score?
Google Ads Quality Score is a metric used by Google to rate the quality and relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It impacts your cost-per-click (CPC) and your ad positioning.
2. How can I improve my Quality Score?
Focus on improving ad relevance, expected click-through rate (CTR), and landing page experience. Regularly review your campaign metrics and make targeted improvements based on what Google identifies as below average.
3. Why is my Quality Score important?
A high Quality Score leads to lower CPC and better ad positioning. Essentially, the better your Quality Score, the more efficient and cost-effective your Google Ads campaign will be.
4. How often should I check my Quality Score?
Quality Score is a rolling metric, meaning it changes over time based on performance. You should check your Quality Score at least once a month to track improvements or identify issues.
5. What are some common reasons for a low Quality Score?
Common reasons for a low Quality Score include ignoring ad relevance, targeting broad or low-intent keywords, poor landing page experience, low expected CTR, and disorganized ad groups.
