What Is Quality Score in Google Ads and Why Is It Important?

If you're running Google Ads or planning to, one term you’ll often come across is Quality Score. It's one of the most important — and sometimes misunderstood — factors that directly affect your ad visibility, cost, and performance.

So, what exactly is Quality Score, and why should you care?

Let’s break it down in simple terms.

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 What Is Quality Score?

Quality Score is a rating between 1 and 10 that Google assigns to each of your keywords in a Search campaign. It reflects how relevant and useful your ad, keywords, and landing page are to the person seeing your ad.

The higher the score (closer to 10), the better Google thinks your ad is — and the less you’ll pay for better placement.

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 Why Does Quality Score Matter?

Google wants to show the most relevant ads to users. So instead of only rewarding the highest bidder, it uses Quality Score to promote ads that offer a better experience.

A higher Quality Score means:

• Better ad positions (top of search results)

• Lower cost per click (CPC)

• Higher return on ad spend (ROAS)

Even if you're not the highest bidder, Google may show your ad above competitors if your Quality Score is better.

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 How Is Quality Score Calculated?

Google uses 3 main factors to calculate Quality Score:

1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)

How likely it is that your ad will be clicked compared to others.
 Tip: Write compelling, specific ad copy that matches search intent.

2. Ad Relevance

How closely your ad matches the keyword and the search query.
 Tip: Use the keyword in your headline and description.

3. Landing Page Experience

How relevant, useful, and user-friendly your landing page is.
 Tip: Make sure the page loads fast, is mobile-friendly, and matches the ad’s message.

Each of these is rated as:
Below Average
Average
Above Average

Google combines these scores to assign a number from 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent).

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 Real-Life Example

Let’s say two advertisers are bidding on the keyword: “Buy running shoes online”

• Advertiser A has a relevant ad, great landing page, and expected CTR. Quality Score: 9

• Advertiser B has a generic ad and slow website. Quality Score: 5

Even if Advertiser B bids more, Google may show Advertiser A higher and charge them less per click — because of a better Quality Score.

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 How to Improve Your Quality Score

Here are actionable tips:

 Use tightly themed ad groups

Group related keywords together and write specific ads for each group.

 Optimize ad copy

Include keywords in headlines and descriptions. Use clear CTAs (e.g., “Shop Now”, “Free Shipping”).

 Create a smooth landing page

Match the page to the ad. Keep it fast, mobile-optimized, and easy to navigate.

 Add ad extensions

Use sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets to give more value and increase CTR.

 Test and tweak regularly

Run A/B tests on ads and landing pages to improve performance over time.

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 Final Thoughts

Quality Score is not just a number — it’s a reflection of how helpful and relevant your Google Ads are.

By improving your Quality Score, you can:

• Spend less per click

• Show your ads more often

• Get better results for the same budget

So instead of just increasing your ad spend, optimize for Quality Score — because in the world of Google Ads, smart beats rich.