How to Increase Quality Score in Google Ads

In the past, you didn’t know if your ads would be relevant to your audience. You had to launch them first. But today, all you have to do is take a look at your Google Ads Quality Score.

Quality Score dictates your cost per click and ad position. So if your CPC is high (or your ROI is lower than you’d like), it’s time to increase your Google Ads Quality Score.

Let’s dive in!

1. What Is Google Ads Quality Score?

Quality Score is a tool that looks at different components of your ads and calculates your ad relevance.

Quality Score shows you how to improve your ads and get even better results. At the same time, it’s showing Google how to position and what to charge you for each click.

The higher the Quality Score – the cheaper the clicks.

How Is Quality Score Measured?

Quality Score has three key components:

• Expected click-through rate
• Ad relevance
• Landing page experience

Google rates each component with ‘Below average,’ ‘Average,’ and ‘Above average.’ It’s easy to know where to get started.

What Is Expected Click-Through Rate in Google Ads Quality Score?

Expected click-through rate looks at your ad account’s historical performance, keywords, and ad copy to calculate how many people are likely to click through on your ad.

What Is Ad Relevance in Google Ads Quality Score?

Ad relevance analyses how closely your ad matches the searcher’s intent based on the keywords you’re targeting.

What Is Landing Page Experience in Google Ads Quality Score?

Finally, Quality Score determines how closely your landing page matches the searcher’s intent and your ad and how useful it is to searchers.

2. Does Google Ads Quality Score Matter?

It does! Quality Score defines your Cost-Per-Click and your ad position.

Ultimately, Google aims to help searchers get ideal solutions in seconds.

If your CTR is low, Google presumes that searchers don’t find your ad relevant and lowers your Quality Score.

If your ad doesn’t match the searcher’s intent, your CPC will go up. Here’s the impact of Quality Score on Cost per Click

For example, if your ad offers two-day beginner courses when searchers are looking for academic-level courses, it won’t be relevant.

Finally, if your landing page doesn’t match what you said in the ad, your results suffer.

(A good example is mentioning one specific product in your ad and then directing searchers to a category page.)

So if you want to lower your Google Ads CPC, it’s in your best interest to increase your Google Ads Quality Score.

What Is a Good Google Ads Quality Score?

I always aim for the perfect 10, but anything between 8-10 is a good Quality Score.

3. How to Increase Quality Score in Google Ads in 2022

Pay attention to four key areas to optimise your Google Ads Quality Score:

• Your Google Ads account structure
• Keywords
• Ads and ad copy
• Landing page

3.1. The Best Way to Structure Your Google Ads Account

I often see new advertisers try to capture different types of intents and keywords with a single ad.

For example, your ad might be targeting the following keywords:

• Business management courses
• Free online business courses with certificates UK
• Business and accounting courses

At first glance, these keywords are connected.

But people who are searching for “business and accounting courses” are looking for one particular thing. And if your ad is trying to simultaneously target “free online business courses with certificates UK” and “business management courses,” you’re not catering to anyone in particular.

Your ad stops being relevant to specific searchers, lowering your Quality Score and raising your CPC.

Use a granular structure in your Google Ads account instead.

Group your campaigns, ad groups, and keywords based on specific interests. Instead of casting a wide net, you’ll make your ads more relevant.

Should You Create Single Keyword Ad Groups?

Not necessarily (formerly, yes. But not any longer!). If you manage your Google Ads yourself, group closely related keywords. Later on, you can get in touch with a Google Ads consultant to get clearer results (and a higher Quality Score).

3.2. Google Ads Keywords and Quality Score

Keywords are the foundation of your advertising success. Google uses Quality Score to determine how well your ads and landing pages satisfy the searcher’s intent displayed in the keyword.

Group Keywords According to Topic and Intent

Someone who’s searching for “accredited business courses London discount” is more likely to purchase than a person searching for the general “business courses.”

Consequently, your ads should be different.

Similarly, if you offer two products – business courses and business consulting, create two separate ads.

Leverage High-Intent and Long-Tail Keywords

Whenever a searcher is ready to purchase, they’ll search for detailed keywords.

We call them long-tail keywords because they often have five or more words:

versus…

Long-tail keywords have lower search volume, but they result in high-quality leads ready to purchase a product like yours.

Try Different Keyword Match Types

When analysing your Quality Score, pay attention to your impression share, i.e. how many searchers see your ads.

If your impression share is low, try different keyword match types.

In an exact match, your sunglasses add would only appear for that query – “sunglasses.”

With broad match, it’d also appear for “summer accessories.”

With phrase match, your sunglasses ad could appear for “eyewear shops near me.”

Add Negative Keywords

Every time your ad appears for an irrelevant keyword and searchers don’t click on it, your Quality Score lowers.

Fortunately, you can set up a list of keywords you don’t want your ads to appear for – negative keywords.

For example, if you’re not offering free courses, you don’t want to appear for “free business courses.”

Periodically review keywords your ads appear for. Then, add the wrong or poorly-converting keywords to your negative keywords list.

3.3. How to Improve Your Ad Relevance and Increase Your Google Ads Quality Score

Your ad has to be relevant to the keyword, or your ad relevance will be below average. The first thing you need to do is…

Insert Keywords into Your Google Ads

Include the keywords you’re targeting into your ad copy; in the headline or the description.

If searchers see the exact keyword they’re using in your ad, they’ll perceive your ad as relevant.

Google also emphasises the matching words in your ad and their search, making your ads more likely to catch their eye.

If you’re targeting multiple keywords, you could consider the use of Dynamic Keyword Insertion.

All you have to do is insert a code snippet to show Google which words it can transform. From there, it automatically replaces your placeholder with the keyword a searcher is using.

However, be careful using this feature if you haven’t added lots of negatives!

Similarly, if you operate in different areas, use Location Insertion. This is a common conversion killer – you may operate across Hampshire. Still, if a searcher from Winchester doesn’t see their city, they may not call you.

Use Relevant Ad Extensions to Increase Your Quality Score

The easiest way to increase your Google Ads click-through rate is by using ad extensions.

Call buttons, site links, location information… All of these expand your ad visually, helping you get more search real estate and increasing the chance that searchers will click on your ad.

Similarly, suppose you received more than 100 reviews with a score higher than 3.5. In that case, you could qualify for Google’s Seller Rating ad extension. Google doesn’t charge extra to display it, either!

Try Responsive Search Ads

One of the key changes coming to Google Ads in 2022 is the shift to responsive search ads.

The traditional expanded text ads are going away, so it’s a great time to leverage the new ad type with a 7% higher conversion rate.

RSA allow you to create up to 15 different headlines and 4 descriptions. Then, Google’s AI chooses combinations it’ll deliver to each searcher. Essentially, you can personalise ads for every single searcher.

However, make sure that assets make sense when combined. If you want to display specific elements in every ad (for example, 24-hour delivery or a call-to-action), pin it.

Write Compelling Ad Copy

When writing your Google Ads copy, pay attention to three things:

• Are you focusing on benefits for the searchers?
• Do you have a compelling call to action?
• Do you have keywords in your ad copy?

If you ticked off all three, well done!

If not, start with the benefits. Why should searchers purchase from you? Emphasise convenience, pose questions in the headline, and focus your ad copy on the benefits for the searcher.

Ensure your CTA is compelling (and present). If you’re using responsive search ads, pin your call to action. Invite searchers to take action immediately by clicking on the ad; be that scheduling an appointment, booking a call, or signing up for your offer.

Finally, seeing the keywords that they use reflected in the ad copy shows searchers you understand them.

Other ways to quickly improve your Quality Score include:

• Adding the countdown ad extension
• Mentioning special offers like discounts
• Including social proof (testimonials and ratings)

Ultimately, the goal is to stand out and show searchers your offer is the best one. But don’t forget…

3.4. Make Your Landing Page Relevant

The Quality Score trifecta is clear: your ad and landing page must be relevant to the keywords.

But even beyond that, Google is looking for a fantastic landing page experience to raise your Quality Score.

Improve Your Landing Page Speed

The longer it takes for your landing page to load, the more searchers will leave it. This increase in the “bounce rate” leads to poor Quality Scores.

Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to troubleshoot your page speed.

Are Your Landing Pages Mobile-Friendly?

63% of paid search clicks on Google are mobile. Before launching your campaign, test your landing page on your mobile device and run Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

Dedicated Landing Pages

Don’t direct leads to a generic page from your ad. Instead, create dedicated landing pages for each ad or keyword theme.

If someone clicks on an ad for sunglasses, they don’t want to see a shop homepage offering sunglasses, shoes, and more. They’re here for one very specific thing.

If leads are searching for sunglasses by face shape, they want an ad that offers the option:

And once they click on the site link extension, they want a landing page dedicated to that specific intent:

Notice how they’re all connected and personalised to the search.

On the other hand, if you just redirected the searcher to the homepage, it’d be easy to see why they’d click out immediately.

Use Keywords

Mention keywords on your landing page.

Include your target keywords in the main heading to reinforce intent.

Speak to searchers’ questions and use their own words to provide answers.

While this has Quality Score benefits, it’s also a great way to show the actual searchers that you understand their specific problems.

Consider Video and Interactive Content

Google tracks dwell time when calculating your ad relevance and Quality Score. The longer the searcher stays on your website, the better! One way to ensure you’re keeping them engaged (and addressing every objection) is to use video on your landing page.

If you want to engage your visitors right away, consider the example above. Zenni Optical uses an interactive quiz to help visitors determine their face shape so they can start shopping right away.

Leads will see your copy and visuals first, but content like videos and quizzes can keep them on your page even longer.

Google will pay attention and increase your Quality Score.

Quality Score – Good for Humans and Algorithms

While Google Ads Quality Score is fuelled by algorithms, it can also gauge if searchers will like your ad.

Keep the three interconnected points of ad relevance – keywords, ads, and landing pages – in mind the next time you sign in to your Google Ads dashboard. Follow the best practices and impress your leads!

Are you ready to increase your Google Ads ROI?

As a Google Ads expert, I’ve helped hundreds of business owners take their advertising to the next level. Book a call today.

Ready to take the reins? Achieve rapid Google Ads success in 7 easy steps with your copy of my best-selling Google Ads book!