Quality Score is a 1 to 10 rating Google gives your keywords to show how good your ads are compared to other advertisers. It is based on three components: Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience. This article explains what it is, how to improve each component, where to check it, and the common myths, so your ads get better quality and cost less.
You see a Quality Score in your Google Ads account but are not sure whether the number is good or bad, and how to raise it?
This is something many people overlook, even though Quality Score directly affects both your click cost and your ad position. A low score means paying more and competing harder against rivals. The good news is it can be improved if you know what to fix.
At Yangdee Group, we have improved Quality Score across many client accounts, and we find that understanding its components is the starting point for cutting ad costs. This article explains what Quality Score is, how to improve it, and how to read it. If you are not sure of the Google Ads big picture, read what Google Ads is first.
What Is Quality Score?
Quality Score is a rating from 1 to 10 that Google gives each keyword, showing how good your ad and page are compared to other advertisers competing for the same term. The higher the score, the more your ad matches what searchers want.
Put simply, Quality Score is a quality grade Google uses to reflect how well your ad helps searchers find what they want. Google calculates this score by comparing you to other advertisers whose ads showed for the same search over the last 90 days.
Importantly, Quality Score directly affects your click cost and ad position. A good score helps you pay less for the same spot, a mechanism we explain in detail in our article on CPC and the Google Ads auction.
What Is Quality Score Based On?
Quality Score is based on three main components: Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience. Each component shows a status of “Above average,” “Average,” or “Below average,” which tells you where your score is being dragged down.
Understanding all three helps you know what to fix. Here is each one.
Expected CTR
Expected CTR is the prediction of how often your ad will be clicked when it shows for that search. If your ad is compelling and matches what people search for, the chance of a click is high, and this component scores well.
Ad Relevance
Ad Relevance measures how closely your ad text matches what people search. If someone searches “running shoes” and your ad speaks directly about running shoes, this component scores well. If your ad is broad or off-topic, the score drops.
Landing Page Experience
Landing Page Experience measures how well the page people click through to answers their search. A page that loads fast, works on mobile, and has content matching what the ad promised scores well. This part connects directly to technical and on-page SEO.
How to Improve Your Quality Score
Effective improvement means fixing one weak component at a time, not changing everything at once. Start by seeing which component shows “Below average,” then focus there first.
For Expected CTR, Google recommends editing your ad text to be compelling and match the intent of your keywords, such as highlighting a benefit like free shipping and testing different calls to action. For Ad Relevance, organize keywords tightly so every ad in an ad group matches its keywords, and include the keywords you bid on in the ad text. Finding the right keywords starts with keyword research.
For Landing Page Experience, make sure the page matches what the ad promised. If someone clicks an ad for running shoes, the page should show running shoes, not a generic homepage. Make the page load fast and work well on mobile. Using ad extensions like sitelinks and callouts also helps your ad stand out and raises CTR.
Where Do You Check Quality Score and How to Read It?
You can view Quality Score in your Google Ads account by going to the Keywords menu and adding columns through the Columns button. Add Quality Score, Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience, and the table will show the 1 to 10 score plus the status of each component.
This view makes it clear which component is dragging down each keyword’s score, because each column shows “Below average,” “Average,” or “Above average,” so you know what to fix first.
If you want past data, choose the columns marked “(hist.).” Looking at the historical trend tells you whether the changes you made worked, rather than judging by a single day’s score.
Common Myths About Quality Score
The most common myth is thinking the 1 to 10 number you see is the exact value Google feeds into the auction. In reality, Quality Score is a diagnostic tool to assess quality, not the value used in the actual auction. The auction uses more detailed quality signals than this number.
Another myth is thinking a low score always means a broken campaign. In fact, a low score is a warning that something can be improved, not a verdict that the campaign does not work. Some highly competitive keywords may score lower yet still turn a profit.
What you should focus on is using Quality Score as a tool that points the way to improvements, not a number you must chase to 10 on every keyword. The real goal is business results, not just a pretty score.
Conclusion
Quality Score is a 1 to 10 ad quality rating based on three components. Three things to remember: it is measured by Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience, you improve it by fixing one weak component at a time, and the 1 to 10 number is a diagnostic, not the value used directly in the auction.
Improving Quality Score helps you pay less per click and compete better. If you want your business’s Google Ads campaigns to have high quality and controlled costs, our team is ready to tune them the data-driven way. Explore Yangdee’s Google Ads services and start raising your ad quality together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a good Quality Score?
Generally a score of 7 to 10 is good, while below 5 is a sign to improve. But this number is a diagnostic tool, not a goal in itself. Highly competitive keywords may score lower yet still be worth it. What you should watch is the score against your actual results.
Why is my Quality Score low?
It usually comes from one weak component, such as an ad that does not match the search, a low click-through rate, or a landing page that is slow and off-topic. To find the cause, look at each component’s status in the columns and fix the one marked “Below average” first.
How long does it take to see Quality Score improve?
Not instantly, because Google updates the score as new data comes in. After changing your ad or page, you have to wait for the system to gather enough click and behavior data before the score moves. Adjusting and then tracking over time matters more than expecting results in a single day.
Does Quality Score affect every campaign type?
Quality Score is mainly for Search campaigns, which are based on keywords and searches. Other types like Display or Performance Max use a different set of quality signals. But the same principle still applies: ads that match people and good pages lead to better results.
How important is the landing page to Quality Score?
Very important, because it is one of the three main components. A page that loads slowly, is not mobile-friendly, or has content that does not match the ad will drag the score down. Making the landing page fast and on-topic helps both Quality Score and conversion rate at the same time.