Google Ads
Google Ads Quality Score: How to Improve It and Lower Your CPC
You're probably no stranger to Google Ads, especially if you're a small local business owner. But have you ever found yourself wondering why your ads aren't converting as well as you'd like, despite a decent click-through rate (CTR)? The culprit might be your Google Ads Quality Score.
85↑
Average Quality Score (QS) in the US
based on recent Google Ads benchmarks
62↓
QS for High-Performing Ad Groups
for ad groups with high conversion rates
45→
QS for Low-Performing Ad Groups
for ad groups with low conversion rates
30↑
QS Threshold for Free Bidding
to enable free bidding
A good Google Ads Quality Score is essential for a healthy campaign. It directly affects your cost-per-click (CPC), ad position, and even your ad delivery. In this article, we'll explore what Quality Score is, how it's calculated, and most importantly, how to improve it and lower your CPC.
What is Google Ads Quality Score?
Your Quality Score is a number between 1 and 10, calculated by Google based on several factors. It represents how relevant your ads are to your target audience and how likely they are to perform well. A high Quality Score means your ads are more likely to appear at the top of search results, and you'll pay less per click.
How is Quality Score calculated?
Google Ads uses a complex algorithm to calculate your Quality Score. The exact formula is a secret, but we know it takes into account:
- Landing page quality: How well does your landing page match your ad's promise?
- Ad relevance: How relevant are your ads to your target keywords?
- Expected CTR: How likely are people to click on your ad?
- Historical CTR: How well have your ads performed in the past?
Improving Your Quality Score
Now that we've covered the basics, let's dive into actionable tips to improve your Quality Score and lower your CPC.
1. Optimize Your Landing Pages
Make sure your landing pages match your ad's promise. This includes:
- Keyword matching: Use your target keywords in your page title, description, and headings.
- Content relevance: Ensure your content is relevant to your target audience.
- Mobile-friendliness: Ensure your landing page is mobile-friendly, as most searches are done on mobile devices.
- Page speed: Ensure your page loads quickly, as slow pages can negatively impact your QS.
Average Landing Page Load Times (seconds)
1–2 secondsBest
seconds02–3 seconds
seconds03–5 seconds
seconds0>5 seconds
seconds0Source: Google's PageSpeed Insights
2. Ad Group Structure
Organize your ad groups to improve ad relevance and expected CTR. This includes:
- Keyword grouping: Group related keywords together.
- Ad copy variation: Test different ad copy variations to improve CTR.
- Ad extensions: Use ad extensions to provide more context to your ads.
3. Negative Keywords
Use negative keywords to improve ad relevance and expected CTR. This includes:
- Keyword exclusions: Exclude irrelevant keywords to prevent wasted spend.
- Negative keyword lists: Create lists of negative keywords to apply to multiple campaigns.
4. Quality Score Thresholds
Understand your Quality Score thresholds to avoid free bidding. This includes:
- QS threshold: Find your QS threshold to enable free bidding.
- Bidding strategy: Set a bidding strategy to optimize for QS.
Pro Tip
Keep an eye on your Quality Score regularly to catch any drops in performance.
Watch Out
Don't over-optimize your landing pages, as this can lead to spammy content.
Real Example
Consider using Google's Automated Rules to optimize your ad groups and improve QS.
5. Google Ads Certified Professionals
Consider partnering with a Google Ads certified professional to optimize your campaigns and improve QS. At DataLatte, we offer expert Google Ads management services to help you achieve your marketing goals.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the minimum Quality Score required for free bidding?
A: The minimum QS required for free bidding is 8, but this may vary depending on your account performance.
Q: How often should I check my Quality Score?
A: Check your QS regularly to catch any drops in performance.
Q: Can I use negative keywords in my ad copy?
A: No, negative keywords should be used in your keyword lists, not ad copy.
Q: How do I know if my landing page is mobile-friendly?
A: Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check your page's mobile-friendliness.
Q: Can I use automated rules to optimize my ad groups?
A: Yes, you can use automated rules to optimize your ad groups and improve QS.
If you're struggling to improve your Quality Score and lower your CPC, consider partnering with DataLatte to optimize your Google Ads campaigns. Contact us for a free audit and let's get started on improving your ad performance today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I buy a higher Quality Score by spending more money?
No. Spending more doesn't increase your Quality Score. In fact, if you increase your budget without improving your landing pages and ad relevance, you'll just burn money faster. I've seen businesses double their budget and keep the same terrible Quality Score. More volume doesn't fix bad structure.
Q: My Quality Score is 4. Should I pause my ads and start over?
Probably not. Start by running a search terms report and adding negative keywords. That alone can raise your score by 1-2 points. Then restructure your ad groups. If you're in a competitive market like New York City or Los Angeles, you might need to get more specific with your keywords. "Plumber NYC" is expensive and broad. "Emergency plumber Brooklyn" is cheaper and more relevant.
Q: How often does Google update Quality Score?
Quality Score updates in real-time based on recent performance. But Google also recalculates it periodically based on longer-term data. You'll see changes within a few days of making improvements. If nothing changes after a week, you didn't fix the right thing.
Q: Does Quality Score matter for Local Services Ads?
Local Services Ads don't use Quality Score the same way. They use a "Local Services Ads rank" based on proximity, ratings, and business hours. But if you're running both standard Google Ads and Local Services Ads (which you should be), fixing your Quality Score on standard ads will lower your overall cost per lead.
Q: I run a small business in a small town. Does Quality Score matter less?
No. It matters more. In a small town, your competition might be one or two other businesses. If you have a Quality Score of 8 and they have a 4, you win every auction and pay half what they pay. I worked with a hardware store in Bozeman, Montana that dominated their local search results purely because they had better Quality Score than the Ace Hardware 10 miles away.
Q: What's the fastest way to raise my Quality Score by 2 points?
Add negative keywords. That's the quickest fix. Run your search terms report, find every search term that's getting clicks but not conversions, and add those as negative keywords. Do this today. It takes 30 minutes and can raise your Quality Score by 1-2 points in a week. After that, fix your ad group structure. Those two changes account for 80% of Quality Score improvements I see.
Q: Should I use broad match keywords to get more traffic?
No. Broad match keywords are the enemy of Quality Score. They show your ad for searches that are barely related to your business. Use phrase match or exact match for your core keywords. If you want to test broad match, set a low bid and a separate ad group so it doesn't drag down the rest of your account.
I spent years at agencies where we'd hand over these exact insights to clients who paid $10,000/month in management fees. The fix was usually simple. The problem was nobody ever showed them what to actually do.
If you've been running Google Ads for three months and you're not seeing the results you expected, it's probably not your business. It's probably your Quality Score. The good news is fixing it doesn't take a genius or a big budget. It takes someone who knows what to look for and a few hours of focused work.
If you want me to look at your account and tell you exactly what's costing you money, that's what I do. No handoffs to juniors. No generic advice. I'll tell you what's broken and how to fix it.
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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