You’ve put time and money into your advertising campaigns, so it’s incredibly annoying when your ads don’t show up where you expect them to. ☹️
And where your ad appears in search results is determined by your Ad Rank.
So in this guide, we will cover everything you need to do to improve Ad Rank, from using PPC tools to boosting your Quality score.
And you can do this without increasing your bids, so it will save up some cash, too. 💰
What is Ad Rank?
Ad Rank determines where your ad appears on the search results page. In Google Ads, it’s calculated using your maximum bid and Quality Score, which measures how relevant your ad, keywords, and landing page are.
A higher Ad Rank means better ad placement and that leads to:
- More impressions 👀
- More clicks 🖱️
- More potential conversions 💲
Why Does Ad Rank Matter?
Ad Rank matters because it directly affects whether your ad gets seen and how much you pay per click.
Even if you don’t bid the highest, a strong Quality Score can push your ad to the top while keeping costs lower.
But if your Ad Rank is too low, your ad might not show at all, or it could get buried beneath competitors.
How to Improve Your Ad Rank in 8 Steps
As we’ve said, improving your Ad Rank doesn’t have to mean increasing your bids. 🎉
If you use these strategies, you can still boost visibility, lower costs, and get better results from your ads. Here they are.
1. Enhance Quality Score to Boost Ad Position and Lower Costs
Quality Score is a key factor in improving your ad ranking and lowering costs.
It’s made up of three main components:
- Ad relevance
- Expected click-through rate (CTR)
- Landing page experience
Essentially, Google rewards ads that are highly relevant and provide a positive user experience.
We’ll go into more detail on how to improve each part of your Quality Score below. 👇
2. Optimize Ad Relevance to Increase Click-Through Rates
Improving ad relevance is simply about ensuring your ads directly address what users are searching for. When your ad copy closely matches the search terms people use, it’s more likely to be clicked. This has a direct impact on your click-through rate.
This directly impacts your click-through rate (CTR).
Start by using keywords in your ad text that directly reflect the search intent of your target audience. If someone searches for “best budget running shoes,” your ad should clearly highlight budget-friendly options. This makes your ad more relevant, increasing the chances it will get clicked.
Also, make sure your headline is catchy and aligned with the user’s needs, and always include a clear call to action (CTA). Consider using dynamic keyword insertion (carefully) to tailor the ad more closely to each user’s search.
3. Improve Landing Page Experience to Strengthen Quality Score
A great landing page experience is key to both a higher Quality Score and more conversions.
Begin by making sure your landing page content directly reflects what your ad promises. For instance, if your ad is about “discounted running shoes,” the landing page should immediately display those shoes, along with clear pricing and product information.
Page load speed is also critical. Slow pages can negatively impact your Quality Score and cause visitors to leave before they even see your content. Tools like Site Audit can help you pinpoint and resolve any speed-related problems.
Then, you need to ensure your landing page is fully optimized for mobile devices. Since so many people browse on their phones and tablets, you must have responsive design that works well on all screen sizes. 📱
Finally, include a strong call to action (CTA), whether it’s for making a purchase or signing up. It’s really a huge part of landing page optimization.
These are your CTA best practices:
- Make It Clear and Direct: Use action-oriented language that tells visitors exactly what to do, such as “Buy Now” or “Get Started.” Keep it simple and straightforward.
- Use Contrasting Colors: Ensure your CTA button stands out by using a color that contrasts with the rest of your page.
- Place It Above the Fold: Put your primary CTA in a visible spot without needing to scroll, so visitors can take action right away.
- Create Urgency: Add phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Act Now” to encourage users to take immediate action.
- Make It Mobile-Friendly: Ensure your CTA button is large enough and easy to tap on mobile devices.
4. Utilize Negative Keywords to Filter Irrelevant Traffic
Let’s talk about negative keywords, as they’re a really helpful tool in Google Ads. Think of them as a way to filter out searches that aren’t a good fit for what you’re offering.
For example, if you sell high-quality running shoes, you probably don’t want your ad showing up when someone searches for “cheap running shoes” or “free running shoes.” Adding “cheap” and “free” as negative keywords tells Google not to show your ad for those searches.
This keeps your ad traffic focused on people who are actually looking for what you sell.
A great way to find them is to check your search terms report. This report shows you exactly what people were searching for when they saw your ad. If you see any irrelevant searches, just add the terms as negative keywords.
Rinse and repeat. As your campaign runs, you might discover new terms that aren’t a good match, so throw a glance at the search report from time to time.
5. Leverage Ad Extensions to Improve Visibility and Engagement
Ad extensions are little bonus features you can add to your ads to make them more helpful and eye-catching. They give people extra information and more reasons to click. Think of things like your phone number, your address, links to specific pages on your website, or even special offers.
Here’s a list of ad extensions to consider::
- Sitelink Extensions: Direct users to specific pages like “Shop Now” or “Learn More.”
- Callout Extensions: Highlight benefits or features like “Free Shipping” or “24/7 Support.”
- Structured Snippet Extensions: Provide additional details in a structured format, like product categories or services.
- Call Extensions: Let users click to call you directly.
- Location Extensions: Show your business address and phone number for local customers.
- Price Extensions: Display pricing information for products or services.
- App Extensions: Encourage app downloads by linking to app stores.
- Promotion Extensions: Highlight special discounts or offers.
- Lead Form Extensions: Collect user info directly from your ad.
- Image Extensions: Add visuals to make your ads more appealing.
The key is to pick extensions that make sense for your specific goals. For example, if you want people to visit your physical store, you need a location extension.
And here as well: don’t forget about mobile users. Make sure your extensions look good and work well on smaller screens.
6. Refine Keyword Selection to Target High-Intent Searches
Choosing the right keywords is all about finding the people who are most likely to become customers. These are people who are actively searching with the intention of doing something specific, like buying a product or signing up for a service. We call these “high-intent” searches.
Let’s see some examples which clearly indicate that the user is ready to convert:
- “Buy Nike running shoes online”: A user is looking to make a purchase and has specific products in mind.
- “Best digital marketing agency near me”: Someone is actively seeking a service in their local area and is ready to hire.
- “How to fix a broken iPhone screen”: A user is looking for a solution to a specific problem, potentially ready to visit a repair shop.
- “Buy 2023 Ford F-150”: Indicates a person is considering making a purchase soon and is focused on a specific model.
- “Cheap car insurance quotes for young drivers”: A user is looking to get a quote, showing readiness to compare prices or make a purchase.
- “Order pizza delivery in [city]”: This search indicates someone is actively looking to make an order.
- “Free trial for SEO software”: The user is interested in trying a service and likely ready to sign up for a trial.
To discover keywords like this, it’s best to use professional keyword research tools. Ideally, aim at keywords that are popular, but aren’t super competitive.
Your next move is checking out what competitors are doing, again, using the right tools. can give you ideas for new keywords to try, and also show you areas where you might be able to outshine them.
7. Focus on User Intent to Align Ads with Searcher Needs
Aligning with user intent simply means making your ads match what users really want when they search. It’s about understanding the why behind their search and giving them exactly what they’re looking for. This leads to more engaged users and better results from your ads.
This requires you to do a few things.
Create content that fits the need
After you’ve done your keyword research and got the search intent right, create content that matches. If they’re looking for information, provide helpful articles or guides. If they’re ready to buy, show them product pages with clear “Buy Now” buttons.
Keep your content fresh
Don’t just set it and forget it. Regularly update your content to keep it relevant and engaging. User needs and search trends change, so your content needs to change too.
Use smart strategies
Think about the entire customer journey. Use techniques like “user intent mapping” (understanding what people want at each stage) and on-page SEO to make sure your ads and content connect with users at every step.
8. Monitor and Adjust Regularly to Maintain High Performance
To get the best results from your ads, you need to keep a close eye on them. Regularly check the data to understand what’s working well and what needs improvement.
Of course, you will then make the necessary changes to boost performance.
What we mean by this step is:
- Track Key Metrics: Keep an eye on important metrics like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost-per-click (CPC). These will give you clear insights into how your ads are performing.
- A/B Testing: Regularly test different versions of your ads, landing pages, and keywords. This helps you understand which variations drive better performance.
- Optimize Based on Data: Make data-driven decisions to adjust bids, keywords, and targeting. For instance, increase bids for high-performing keywords and pause those that aren’t converting.
- Adjust for Seasonality: Monitor seasonal trends and adjust your campaigns to account for changes in demand. This ensures that your ads stay relevant throughout the year.
Improve Your Ad Rank With AI: OTTO Google Ads
After our previous AI tool for SEO lived up to its promise, we created a new AI tool that lets you optimize and create campaigns with just a few clicks.
It’s called OTTO Google Ads and it can help you improve your Ad Rank, too.
By automating key aspects of campaign creation and optimization, OTTO Google Ads ensures your ads are highly relevant, targeted, and engaging.
Here’s how it helps boost your Ad Rank:
- Optimized Keyword Selection: OTTO automatically picks high-performing keywords that match user intent, improving your Quality Score and boosting your ad’s position.
- Negative Keyword Optimization: It also handles this aspect, so you don’t have to worry about it.
- Compelling Ad Copy: It analyzes your total marketing content, and creates tailored ad copy. The copy is also optimized to increase click-through rates (CTR)—a key factor in improving Ad Rank.
- Efficient Campaign Structuring: OTTO ensures your campaigns are well-organized, making your ads more relevant and improving both Quality Score and ad placement.
- Continuous Optimization: OTTO constantly analyzes performance, tweaking campaigns to maintain top-notch relevance and effectiveness.
In short, OTTO takes care of the complex, time-consuming tasks that directly impact Ad Rank, so you can focus on growing your business while achieving better ad performance at lower costs.
Just connect your account, and let the magic happen. Forget about manual setup and optimization.
Everything’s automated for you, while still giving you full control of your campaigns. Best of all, it’s a part of a comprehensive digital marketing platform, which includes other PPC tools, as well as AI tools for SEO, content marketing, and digital PR.
Perfect Your Ad Rank and Your PPC Process: Let AI Help
Ad Rank is the key to success in Google Ads. It determines where your ad appears on the search engine results page, which directly impacts visibility, clicks, and ultimately, conversions.
To truly perfect your Ad Rank and optimize your entire PPC process, you don’t have to do it all manually. Let AI streamline and supercharge your efforts.
With its automated keyword selection, compelling ad copy creation, and continuous performance optimization, OTTO Google Ads ensures that your campaigns are set up for success—allowing you to focus on growth while reaping the rewards of higher Ad Rank and better PPC results.
Try it now with a free trial for seven days, no commitment. You can cancel anytime.
