Quality Score in Google Ads: How to Improve It (with a Diagnostic Tool)
Expected CTR, ad relevance and landing-page experience — the three signals behind your score, how to read the diagnostic labels, and exactly what to fix first to win cheaper clicks.
Quality Score is Google’s 1–10 rating of how relevant your keyword, ad and landing page are. It’s built from three parts: expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience, each shown as below, average or above average. A higher score raises your Ad Rank and lowers your cost per click — lifting a keyword from 5 to 8 can cut its CPC by roughly 30%. Fix whichever component is flagged below average first.
Quality Score is Google’s relevance grade — and a price control
Quality Score is a 1–10 rating of how relevant and useful your keyword, ad and landing page are to a searcher. It isn’t a vanity metric: it feeds directly into Ad Rank, which decides both your position and what you pay per click. Better quality literally costs less.
What each part measures
Quality Score is built from three signals, each shown next to your keyword as Below average, Average or Above average — so Google tells you exactly which lever to pull.
| Component | Measures | Lift it by |
|---|---|---|
| Expected CTR | How likely people are to click your ad | Sharper headlines, the keyword in the ad, stronger offers |
| Ad relevance | How well the ad matches the keyword | Tighter ad groups so the ad mirrors the search |
| Landing page experience | How useful and fast the page is after the click | Message match, speed, mobile, one clear next step |
Quality Score diagnoser
Google shows each Quality Score component as Below average, Average or Above average next to your keyword. Set yours below to get a prioritised fix list and an estimated score band.
Quality Score is a discount on every click
Because Ad Rank multiplies your bid by Quality Score, relevance lets you win better positions for less money. Lifting a keyword from 5 to 8 can cut its cost-per-click by around 30%, and the gap between the best and worst scores can mean paying a small fraction of what a low-quality competitor pays for the same position.
Fix the weakest component first
Don’t chase the number for its own sake — fix the component flagged below average, because that’s where the cost penalty lives.
- Below-average expected CTR? Rewrite the ad: put the keyword in a headline, lead with a benefit or offer, add a clear call to action.
- Below-average ad relevance? Your ad group is too broad. Split unrelated keywords into their own groups so each ad mirrors its keywords.
- Below-average landing page? Match the page to the ad’s promise, speed it up, make it mobile-first, and give it one clear action.
- Quality Score (1–10) grades how relevant your keyword, ad and landing page are.
- Its three parts are expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience.
- Each shows as below, average or above average, so you know what to fix.
- A higher score raises Ad Rank and lowers CPC — 5 to 8 can cut cost per click ~30%.
- Fix the below-average component first; judge the account on conversions, not the score.
Quality Score FAQs
What are the three Quality Score components?
How do I improve my Quality Score?
What is a good Quality Score?
Does Quality Score affect my cost?
Where do I see Quality Score in Google Ads?
Why is my Quality Score low?
Related lessons
Paying too much per click?
Low Quality Score is usually the culprit behind high CPCs. I can help you find where relevance is leaking and fix it.
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