Quality Score: How to Raise It and Lower Your CPC
Vishal Arora
Founder, The Marketing Mavericks™ | 6 min read
Quality Score is Google’s 1 to 10 rating of how relevant your keyword, ad and landing page are to the search. It is built from three parts: expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience. Higher quality lets you win better positions for a lower cost per click. Raise it by tightening ad groups, matching ads to search intent and improving the landing page.
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What Quality Score Actually Is
Every keyword in your account shows a Quality Score from 1 to 10. It is a diagnostic, not a live auction input. The auction itself uses real-time quality signals that work the same way, so improving what Quality Score reports also improves what you pay.
The practical effect is simple: two advertisers bidding the same amount do not pay the same. The one with the more relevant ad and better landing page wins a higher position for less.
Three components, each rated below average, average or above average.
The Three Components and How to Fix Each
| Component | Below average usually means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Expected CTR | The ad does not stand out or does not answer the search | Stronger headlines with the keyword, offer and proof; use all relevant assets |
| Ad relevance | The ad group covers too many different searches | Split ad groups by theme so each ad speaks to one intent |
| Landing page experience | Slow, generic or mismatched page | Faster page, matching headline, clear offer, easy contact |
Fix the weakest component first. You can see each one by adding the Quality Score columns at keyword level: Quality Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance and Landing page exp.
Seven Practical Fixes
- Split broad ad groups. If one ad group holds 40 loosely related keywords, break it into tight themes of similar searches.
- Put the keyword theme in Headline 1. Searchers click ads that repeat what they typed.
- Lead with a reason to choose you. Price, speed, service promise, reviews or years in business.
- Use sitelinks, callouts and structured snippets. Bigger ads earn more clicks, which lifts expected CTR.
- Add negatives. Irrelevant searches drag CTR down. See our guide to building negative keyword lists.
- Match the landing page to the ad. Same headline promise, same offer, visible within the first screen.
- Speed up the page. Slow mobile pages hurt landing page experience and conversion rate together.
See how a better Quality Score can change cost per click and lead volume for the same budget.
What Not to Obsess Over
Quality Score is a guide, not a goal. A keyword with a score of 5 that brings profitable leads is worth more than a 9 that never converts. Some high-intent terms will always show lower scores because the competition is strong or the search is broad. Judge keywords on cost per qualified lead and return, then use Quality Score to find where relevance can improve.
Also avoid chasing CTR with misleading ads. A clickbait headline can lift CTR, then drag conversion rate and cost per lead up. The aim is relevant clicks, not more clicks.
Where It Fits
Quality Score improvements show up as lower CPCs and better positions over the following weeks as the data refreshes. Combine them with a sound lead generation structure and accurate conversion tracking. For context on what clicks cost in your sector, see Google Ads cost by industry. Relevance work is a standing part of our Google Ads management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Quality Score?
Seven or above is strong for most keywords. Brand terms often score 9 or 10. Scores of 4 or below signal a relevance or landing page problem worth fixing.
Why does Quality Score show as a dash?
Google needs enough impressions on exact searches for that keyword to calculate a score. New or low-volume keywords often show no score.
Does Quality Score affect Performance Max?
Performance Max does not report Quality Score, but the same relevance and landing page quality signals still influence what you pay and where you show.
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