Google Ads Quality Score: What It Is & How to Improve It in 2025

Struggling with high CPCs and low ad performance? 🤔

Your Google Ads Quality Score could be the reason. This powerful metric determines how much you pay per click and how often your ads show. A low score means higher costs and fewer conversions, while a high score rewards you with better ad placements and lower expenses. 

Still, with the right strategies and PPC tools, you can boost your score, enhance ad relevance, and maximize your budget. 💰

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how Quality Score works, why it matters, and the exact steps to improve it. 

What is a Quality Score in Google Ads?

Google Ads Quality Score is a 1-10 diagnostic rating that reflects the quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It helps you understand how relevant and useful your ad experience is to users. A higher score means better ad placements and lower costs per click.

It’s also a key factor in determining Ad Rank, which decides whether your ad shows and where it appears on the search results page.

Google calculates Quality Score based on three main factors:

• Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR): The likelihood that users will click your ad.
• Ad Relevance: How closely your ad matches the search query.
• Landing Page Experience: The usefulness and relevance of your landing page.

While Quality Score doesn’t directly impact auctions, improving it leads to better performance. A high-quality ad strategy results in lower costs and stronger results. If your score is low, optimizing these three areas can help.

How to Check Your Google Quality Score

Checking your Quality Score in Google Ads is simple and helps you understand how your ads are performing. Follow these steps to find it:

1. Open Your Google Ads Account and Click the Campaigns icon.
2. Go to Keywords: Select Audiences, keywords, and content, then click Search keywords.
3. Modify Columns: In the keyword table, click the Columns icon in the upper right corner.
4. Find the Quality Score Section: Under Modify columns for keywords, expand the Quality Score section.
5. Add Relevant Columns and select Quality Score.

You can also see how each factor affects your score by selecting:

• Landing Page Experience
• Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
• Ad Relevance

If you want to track improvements over time, add historical data columns like Quality Score (hist.), Landing Page Experience (hist.), Expected CTR (hist.), and Ad Relevance (hist.). This helps identify trends and areas you may need to optimize.

What is a Good Quality Score?

A good Quality Score is typically 7 or higher. Higher scores mean lower costs per click (CPC), better ad placements, and stronger performance.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• 8–10: Excellent. Your ads are highly relevant, and you’re likely paying less per click.
• 5–7: Average. Your ads are competitive but could be optimized for better results.
• 1–4: Poor. Your ads may struggle to appear, and you’re probably overpaying.

However, the ideal score depends on your industry and competition.

How to Improve Your Google Ads Quality Score

Well, it is all about quality 😀

So focus on relevance, user experience, and engagement.

Here’s exactly what we mean by that. 👇

1. Optimize Ad Relevance

Ad relevance measures how well your ad copy matches the search intent behind a keyword. Google uses this to determine if your ad is useful to users. A high ad relevance score helps improve your Quality Score, leading to better placements and lower costs.

Here are three main ways to improve it:

• Use Specific Ad Copy: If you’re targeting “vegan protein powder,” make sure your ad specifically mentions vegan protein powder rather than just “protein powder.”
• Match Search Intent: If someone searches for “best budget laptops,” an ad for “Affordable Laptops Under $500” is more relevant than a generic “Buy Laptops Now.”
• Align Landing Page Content: If your ad highlights a “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” offer on sneakers, ensure the landing page promotes this exact deal instead of showing full-price items.

The more your ad aligns with user expectations, the better your relevance score:

• Don’t Do: “Shop Sportswear – Huge Sale!” ❌
• Do This Instead: “Get 50% Off Running Shoes – Limited Time Offer!” ✔️

2. Improve Landing Page Experience

Landing Page Experience is a key factor in your Quality Score. It measures how well your landing page meets user expectations after clicking your ad. A great landing page provides relevant, useful content that matches the ad, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate.

And this is how to improve it:

• Ensure Relevance: The content on your landing page should match the message in your ad. If your ad promotes a “30% off sale on running shoes,” your landing page should highlight this offer with relevant images and text.
• Mobile-Friendly Design: Many users will click on your ads via mobile, so make sure your landing page is responsive and easy to use on all devices.
• Fast Loading Speed: A slow-loading page can drive visitors away. Aim for a page that loads in under 3 seconds to keep users engaged.
• Clear Call to Action: Make sure the next steps are obvious. For example, a “Shop Now” button should be easy to find and click.

This can be tricky for ecommerce websites doing Google Ads, given the sheer number of landing pages they need to create and optimize.

In these cases, it may help to use smart landing page generators and speed up the process. 

3. Increase Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR) predicts how likely users are to click on your ad based on historical performance of similar ads. A higher CTR means your ad is engaging and relevant to users.

Google uses this as part of your Quality Score, and improving it can lower your cost per click and boost your ad’s visibility.

So how do you do it? 

While we will cover some of these aspects in more detail later, quality is a connected,  all-encompassing characteristic after all. 🤷

These are all important for improving your expected CTR: 

• Compelling Ad Copy
• Strong Calls to Action
• Ad Extensions
• Using the Right Keywords

4. Use High-Quality, Relevant Keywords

Choosing the right keywords for your Google Ads campaigns is key to getting your ads in front of the right people. Keywords are the search terms users type into Google when looking for what you offer. By selecting the best keywords, you increase the chances of your ads being seen by users who are likely to click and convert.

Here’s how to pick keywords that will boost your performance and attract clicks:

• Do Some Research: Use keyword research tools to find keywords that match what your audience is searching for. Look for terms with decent search volume and low competition.
• Try Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases (e.g., “best running shoes for flat feet”) that can help you reach more targeted traffic. They’re less competitive and often have a higher chance of conversion.
• Think About User Intent: Keywords are all about intent. Are they ready to make a purchase, looking for more information, or searching for a nearby service? Make sure your keywords align with what the user is expecting.

Choosing the right keywords helps make sure your ads show up for people who are actually interested in your product or service. When you target the right keywords, your ads are more relevant, which leads to better performance and a higher Quality Score. Plus, it helps reduce wasted ad spend.

Tip: Regularly check your Search Terms Report in Google Ads to find new keywords that are performing well and weed out the ones that aren’t.

5. Refine Ad Copy for Engagement

Your ad copy is a crucial part of your Google Ads campaign—it’s the first thing users see, and it needs to grab their attention and encourage them to click. When done right, it can significantly increase your click-through rate (CTR) and improve the effectiveness of your ads. Let’s break down how you can refine it.

Focus on benefits, not just features

Users care more about how your product or service will help them, so highlight the benefits. Instead of simply listing features like “Durable running shoes,” focus on how your product enhances the user’s experience.

For example, “Run Longer, Feel Stronger with Our Comfortable Running Shoes” speaks directly to the benefits and solves a user pain point. Always remember, what’s in it for them?

Create a sense of urgency

Urgency prompts action. By using phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only a Few Left,” you encourage users to act fast and not put off their decision.

When you make the user feel like they might miss out, they’re more likely to click. Try using language that triggers excitement, like “Shop Now and Save 20% Today” to give them a reason to act right away.

Use strong calls to action (CTA)

Your CTA is the guiding hand that tells users exactly what you want them to do next. Make it clear and action-oriented. Phrases like “Shop Now,” “Get Started,” or “Claim Your Offer” guide users and set expectations.

A good CTA should feel like an invitation to take the next step. Make the process as easy and tempting as possible.

Personalize your message

Personalizing your ad copy helps it resonate with your audience. Tailor your messaging to match the user’s needs or desires.

If you’re targeting people looking for running shoes, your ad should mention that specifically: “Find the Perfect Pair of Running Shoes for Your Next Race” is more engaging than a generic “Buy Shoes.”

6. Test and Adjust Regularly

Testing and adjusting your Google Ads campaigns is crucial to maintaining and improving performance. Google Ads is not a “set it and forget it” platform. What works today might not work tomorrow, and changes in user behavior, competition, or market trends can all impact your campaign’s success.

How to test effectively

The simplest way to test is through A/B testing (also called split testing). For example, test two versions of an ad with different headlines, calls to action, or even offers. Then, compare the performance of both ads to see which one performs better. 

Some key areas to test include:

• Ad Copy: Try different headlines, descriptions, and CTAs. For example, test “Shop Now for Free Delivery” versus “Order Today and Save 10%.”
• Keywords: Test broad match versus exact match keywords or adjust negative keywords to fine-tune your targeting.
• Bidding Strategies: Test manual CPC against automated bidding options like Target CPA or ROAS.

After testing, use the data you’ve gathered to adjust your campaigns. If an ad variation performs better, make it your default. If a certain keyword isn’t delivering, pause it and focus on better-performing ones. 

Improve Your Quality Score With AI: OTTO Google Ads

Looking to improve your Google Ads? OTTO by Search Atlas can help. It’s a tool that automates your campaigns, with a strong focus on boosting your Quality Score.

Here’s how OTTO Google Ads can help you improve your ad performance:

• Automated Optimization: OTTO uses AI to automatically create and adjust your campaigns. It analyzes performance and tweaks bids, targeting, and ad copy, keeping your ads relevant to what people are searching for.
• Improved Ad Relevance: OTTO creates your ad copy to match your target keywords closely. This helps you reach the right audience and improve your CTR.
• Smart Keyword Focus: The AI identifies your best-performing keywords and removes underperforming ones. This ensures your ads are shown to people who are most likely to be interested.
• Continuous Monitoring: OTTO constantly monitors your campaigns and makes data-driven adjustments. This ongoing optimization keeps your ads and keywords aligned with user searches.

In short, OTTO is the first tool to do everything completely automatically.

Plus, it comes as a part of an all-in-one platform that automates SEO, PPC, content, and digital PR. That means all your marketing data is in one easy-to-access place, with reporting, optimization, and automation—goodbye, chaos! 🌟

PPC is Now (More) Worth It With OTTO Google Ads

Your Google Ads Quality Score isn’t just a number—it’s a key indicator of how well your ads align with user intent. A higher score means better ad placements, lower costs, and more conversions. By focusing on ad relevance, landing page experience, and expected CTR, you can improve your Quality Score and maximize your campaign’s success.

Investing in better keyword targeting, compelling ad copy, and a seamless user experience pays off in the long run. Plus, with AI-powered tools like OTTO Google Ads, optimizing your campaigns has never been easier. 

Experience effortless PPC—start your free trial of OTTO Google Ads today! No strings attached. 🚀