Google Ads Quality Score: The Complete Guide to Improving Your QS

Quality Score is a diagnostic metric in Google Ads that rates the quality and relevance of your keywords on a scale of 1 to 10. It is calculated at the keyword level and is based on the combined performance of three components: Expected Click-Through Rate, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience.

You can find your Quality Score in the Google Ads interface by navigating to the Keywords tab and adding the Quality Score column (along with its three sub-component columns). Each keyword will show a score from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), along with "Below Average," "Average," or "Above Average" ratings for each component.

A score of 1-4 is considered poor and means you are significantly overpaying for clicks. A score of 5-6 is average. A score of 7-10 is good to excellent and means you are receiving a discount on your cost-per-click compared to advertisers with lower scores.

It is important to understand that Quality Score is a diagnostic tool, not a key performance indicator. It helps you identify where to focus your optimisation efforts, but your ultimate focus should remain on conversions and return on ad spend.

Quality Score directly impacts your Ad Rank — the formula Google uses to determine your ad position and actual cost-per-click. The formula is roughly: Ad Rank = Max Bid x Quality Score (plus other factors like ad extensions and thresholds).

This means a higher Quality Score allows you to achieve the same ad position at a lower cost, or a better position at the same cost. The financial impact is substantial:

Put simply, if you are looking to reduce your Google Ads costs, improving Quality Score is one of the most effective levers you can pull. It is the difference between paying £2 per click and £8 per click for the same keyword.

Each component is rated as "Below Average," "Average," or "Above Average." Understanding what drives each one is essential for targeted improvements.

1. Expected Click-Through Rate (Expected CTR)

Expected CTR is Google's prediction of how likely someone is to click your ad when it appears for that keyword. It is based on the historical click-through rate of your ads, adjusted for ad position, extensions, and other factors.

This component reflects how compelling your ad copy is to searchers. A "Below Average" rating means your ads are getting clicked less often than competitors for the same keyword. This is typically an ad copy problem — your headlines and descriptions are not resonating with the searcher's intent.

Expected CTR is arguably the most impactful component because it is directly tied to how well your ads perform in real auctions. Strong ad copy that speaks to the searcher's needs will naturally improve this metric.

2. Ad Relevance

Ad Relevance measures how closely your ad copy matches the intent behind the keyword. Google analyses whether your ad text is directly related to what the searcher is looking for.

A "Below Average" rating typically means your ad groups are too broad — you are grouping keywords with different intents together and serving them the same generic ad. For example, if your ad group contains both "accounting software" and "bookkeeping app," a single ad cannot be highly relevant to both queries.

Improving Ad Relevance is primarily about account structure. Tightly themed ad groups with closely related keywords allow you to write ads that speak directly to what the searcher typed.

3. Landing Page Experience

Landing Page Experience measures how relevant, useful, and easy to navigate your landing page is for someone who clicked your ad. Google considers factors including page load speed, mobile-friendliness, content relevance, transparency, and ease of navigation.

A "Below Average" rating means your landing page is not meeting the expectations set by your ad. Common issues include slow load times, poor mobile experience, thin or irrelevant content, intrusive pop-ups, and a lack of trust signals.

This component is the hardest to improve quickly because it often requires changes to your website rather than just your Google Ads account. However, the payoff extends beyond Quality Score — a better landing page improves conversion rates too.

Quality Score is not shown by default in the Google Ads interface. Here is how to find it:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account and navigate to the Keywords section under Search keywords.
2. Click the Columns icon (the three vertical lines) above your keyword table.
3. Select Modify columns.
4. Open the Quality Score section in the column list.
5. Add Quality Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance, and Landing page exp. to your columns.
6. Click Apply. You will now see a 1-10 score and the three component ratings for every keyword.

You can also add the Quality Score (hist.) column to view historical Quality Score data, which is useful for tracking improvements over time.

"Good" depends on the type of keyword. Not all keywords can realistically achieve a 10, and that is perfectly fine. Here are realistic benchmarks:

• Branded keywords (your own brand name): Aim for 8-10. You should have the most relevant ads and landing pages for your own brand. Anything below 7 for a branded term suggests a structural issue.
• High-intent commercial keywords: Aim for 6-7+. These are the money keywords where users are ready to buy or enquire. Getting above 7 gives you a meaningful cost advantage over competitors.
• Competitive generic keywords: 5-6 is often realistic. Broad industry terms attract many advertisers with different offerings, making it harder to be the most relevant result for every searcher.

The most important thing is context. A Quality Score of 5 on a highly competitive keyword in financial services may be perfectly acceptable, whilst the same score on a branded term would be a red flag. Focus your improvement efforts on keywords with the highest spend and the lowest scores — that is where the financial impact is greatest.

Expected CTR is driven by how compelling your ads are relative to competitors. Here is how to improve it:

Write ad copy that matches searcher intent. If someone searches "emergency plumber London," your headline should communicate urgency and location — not a generic "Professional Plumbing Services." Mirror the language and intent of the keyword in your ad.

Use all available ad extensions. Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call extensions, and location extensions make your ad larger and more informative, which increases click-through rate. Google has confirmed that extensions can improve Quality Score.

Include strong calls to action. Tell the searcher exactly what to do next: "Get a Free Quote," "Book Your Consultation," "Download the Guide." Vague ads without a clear next step get overlooked.

Test ad variations continuously. Run at least 2-3 responsive search ad variations per ad group. Test different headline approaches, benefit statements, and offers. Replace underperformers monthly. Even small CTR improvements compound over time. For more on this topic, read our guide on signs your Google Ads are wasting money.

Ad Relevance is fundamentally about account structure. If your ad cannot closely match the keyword, it is because your ad group is too broad.

Use tightly themed ad groups. Group keywords that share the same intent together so you can write ads that directly address that intent. An ad group for "PPC agency Manchester" should not also contain "SEO services London" — those need separate ad groups with separate ads.

Consider Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) or Single Theme Ad Groups (STAGs). For your highest-spend keywords, creating dedicated ad groups with one keyword (or a small cluster of very similar keywords) allows you to craft hyper-relevant ads. SKAGs are less common now with responsive search ads, but the principle of tight theming still applies.

Align match types with your structure. If you use phrase or exact match, your ad can more precisely match the search query. Broad match keywords in tightly themed ad groups can still trigger for loosely related queries, reducing relevance. Use match types deliberately as part of your account structure strategy.

Include the keyword in your ad copy. This sounds obvious, but it is frequently neglected. Ensure your primary keyword (or a close variant) appears in at least one headline and ideally in a description line. Responsive search ads make this easier by allowing multiple headline options.

Landing Page Experience requires effort beyond the Google Ads interface, but it has the dual benefit of improving both Quality Score and conversion rates.

Page speed is critical. Google measures how quickly your page loads, and slow pages are penalised. Aim for a Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds. Compress images, minimise JavaScript, use a CDN, and ensure your hosting is performant. Test with Google PageSpeed Insights.

Content must match the ad promise. If your ad mentions "free consultation," the landing page must prominently feature a free consultation offer. If the keyword is "PPC agency pricing," the page should contain pricing information. Mismatches between ad and page destroy both Quality Score and conversion rates.

Mobile experience is non-negotiable. With over 60% of searches happening on mobile, your landing page must work flawlessly on smaller screens. Use responsive design, ensure buttons are large enough to tap, simplify forms, and avoid intrusive interstitials.

Include trust signals. Testimonials, reviews, security badges, industry certifications, and clear contact information all signal legitimacy to both Google and your visitors. Transparency about pricing, terms, and what happens after a user fills in a form also contributes to a positive experience.

Make navigation intuitive. Users should be able to find what they need without confusion. A clear hierarchy, logical layout, and prominent call-to-action all contribute. Avoid hiding important information behind tabs or accordions.

There is a lot of misinformation about Quality Score. Here are the most common myths and the reality behind them:

Myth 1: "Quality Score affects Display and Performance Max campaigns"

Reality: The visible Quality Score (1-10) only applies to Search campaigns. Display, Shopping, Video, and Performance Max campaigns use different quality signals that are not represented as a numbered score. While ad quality still matters across all campaign types, the specific Quality Score metric is Search-only.

Myth 2: "Pausing and re-enabling a keyword resets its Quality Score"

Reality: Quality Score history is tied to the keyword-ad combination. Pausing a keyword does not erase its history. When you re-enable it, Google uses the existing historical data. The only way to truly start fresh is to use a completely new keyword in a new ad group — and even then, Google uses account-level historical performance as a starting point.

Myth 3: "You should delete low Quality Score keywords immediately"

Reality: A low Quality Score does not necessarily mean a keyword is unprofitable. If a keyword converts well despite a low QS, it may still be worth keeping. Quality Score is a cost efficiency metric, not a profitability metric. Focus on improving QS for high-spend keywords rather than deleting everything below a 7.

Myth 4: "Quality Score updates in real time"

Reality: The Quality Score shown in your account is a snapshot that updates periodically, not in real time. Google uses a different, real-time quality calculation for actual auction-time decisions. The visible score is primarily a diagnostic tool, not the exact number used in every auction.

Myth 5: "Higher bids improve Quality Score"

Reality: Your bid amount has no direct effect on Quality Score. Google explicitly separates bid from quality in the Ad Rank calculation. Increasing your bid may improve your ad position, but it will not change your Quality Score. Only improvements to CTR, relevance, and landing page experience affect QS.

Average Quality Scores vary significantly by industry. Some sectors are inherently more competitive, making higher scores harder to achieve. Here are approximate benchmarks:

If your scores are significantly below your industry average, there is likely room for improvement. A professional audit can identify exactly where you are falling behind competitors.

Here are the most impactful actions you can take right now, ordered by typical ease of implementation:

1. Add all available ad extensions — sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call extensions, and location extensions. This is the simplest change that improves CTR immediately.
2. Ensure your primary keyword appears in at least one headline — check every ad group and pin your keyword-containing headline to Position 1 or 2 if needed.
3. Split large ad groups into tighter themes — if an ad group has more than 15-20 keywords, it is almost certainly too broad. Break it into smaller, more focused groups.
4. Improve your page speed — run Google PageSpeed Insights and fix the top recommendations. Compress images, enable lazy loading, and minimise render-blocking resources.
5. Create dedicated landing pages for top-spend keywords — stop sending traffic to your homepage. Build pages that directly match the keyword intent with relevant content and a clear call to action.
6. Write at least three responsive search ad variations per ad group — test different headline angles and descriptions. Replace underperformers monthly.
7. Review and add negative keywords from your search term report — irrelevant clicks lower your CTR, which drags down Expected CTR. Weekly negative keyword reviews protect your Quality Score.
8. Ensure mobile landing pages are fully optimised — test your pages on actual mobile devices. Check form usability, tap targets, and load speed on 4G connections.
9. Add trust signals to landing pages — testimonials, review badges, certifications, and clear contact details improve Landing Page Experience.
10. Align your ad copy with your landing page content — if your ad promises something specific, ensure the landing page delivers on that promise prominently and above the fold.