Blog/Google Ads
How to improve Google Ads Quality Score — and what it actually costs you to ignore it.
Quality Score (1-10) is Google's measure of relevance between your keyword, ad copy, and landing page. It directly controls how much you pay per click — a QS 10 gets a 50% CPC discount vs QS 5, while QS 4 pays a 75% premium. Three components determine it: Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience. Each has a specific fix.
Ahmed Ashraf
Founder, Traffiy · April 2026 · Google Premier Partner
“Quality Score is the only metric in Google Ads that directly lowers what you pay per click. Every point you improve is money back in your account. It's not a vanity metric — it's a cost lever.”
— Ahmed Ashraf · $100M+ in budgets managed
−50%
CPC discount at QS 10 vs QS 5 baseline — the same keyword costs half as much for the advertiser with better relevance
7+
Minimum Quality Score to start receiving CPC discounts — below this you pay a premium on every click
3
Components — Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, Landing Page Experience — each rated Above Average, Average, or Below Average
CPC multiplier table
How Quality Score changes what you pay per click.
QS 1
+400%
CPC premium
QS 2
+250%
CPC premium
QS 3
+150%
CPC premium
QS 4
+75%
CPC premium
QS 5
Baseline
Reference rate
QS 6
Baseline
Reference rate
QS 7
−15%
CPC discount
QS 8
−20%
CPC discount
QS 9
−25%
CPC discount
QS 10
−50%
CPC discount
Source: Google Ads Ad Rank & Quality Score documentation
The three components
How to fix each Quality Score component.
Expected CTR
How likely users are to click your ad when it appears for a given keyword, relative to other ads in the same position.
How to improve it
- →Tighten ad groups — fewer, more relevant keywords per group (10-15 max)
- →Write headlines that include the keyword naturally
- →Use numbers and specifics in copy (e.g., '30% cheaper' beats 'save money')
- →Test 3+ headline variations per ad group
- →Review actual CTR vs expected — if actual CTR is below 3-4%, the copy needs work
Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the intent of the keyword being triggered.
How to improve it
- →Create tightly themed ad groups — one topic, one intent
- →Include the exact keyword phrase in at least one headline
- →Match the ad's value proposition to the keyword's stage (informational vs transactional)
- →Use keyword insertion sparingly for high-volume variations
- →Pause keywords that don't fit the ad group theme — create a new group instead
Landing Page Experience
How relevant, transparent, and easy-to-navigate your landing page is for users who click the ad.
How to improve it
- →Page must load in under 3 seconds (check with PageSpeed Insights)
- →The landing page headline should echo the ad's headline and keyword
- →Clear conversion path — one CTA, above the fold
- →Mobile-optimised — Google weights mobile experience heavily
- →No misleading content or excessive pop-ups
What QS is NOT
Quality Score does not directly affect Smart Bidding optimisation — the algorithm uses its own quality signals internally. QS also doesn't apply to Performance Max, Display, or YouTube campaigns. It's a Search keyword metric only. Don't chase QS at the expense of conversion volume — a QS 8 keyword with strong conversions beats a QS 10 keyword that doesn't convert.
FAQ
Common questions about Quality Score.
What is Quality Score in Google Ads?+
Quality Score is a 1-10 rating Google assigns to each keyword, based on three components: Expected CTR (how likely users are to click your ad when it shows), Ad Relevance (how well your ad copy matches the keyword's intent), and Landing Page Experience (how relevant and useful your landing page is to users who click). Higher Quality Score = lower CPC and better ad position.
How does Quality Score affect CPC?+
Google uses Quality Score to calculate your actual CPC in the auction. A QS of 10 gives a ~50% discount vs the baseline (QS 5-6). A QS of 1-4 adds a 25-400% premium. This means two advertisers bidding $2 can pay very different amounts — the one with QS 10 might pay $1 while the one with QS 4 pays $3.50 for the same click. Improving QS is one of the highest-ROI optimisations in any account.
How do I add Quality Score as a column in Google Ads?+
In Google Ads, go to Keywords view → click the Columns icon (top right of the table) → Modify columns → Quality Score → add Qual. Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance, and Landing page exp. Save. Now you can sort all keywords by QS and identify which ones are dragging your account's average down. Focus on keywords under QS 5 with significant spend.
Does Quality Score affect Performance Max campaigns?+
Quality Score is not visible or applicable for Performance Max campaigns — PMax doesn't have keywords in the traditional sense. QS applies to standard Search campaigns at the keyword level. However, the underlying principles (relevance between ad content and landing page) still affect how PMax's assets perform and how Google's algorithm rates your creative quality.
What is a good Quality Score?+
A QS of 7+ is good — you start receiving CPC discounts at this level. A QS of 9-10 is achievable for branded terms and highly specific keywords with dedicated landing pages. For competitive non-brand keywords, a QS of 6-8 is realistic. Don't obsess over getting every keyword to 10 — focus your effort on keywords with significant spend and QS below 5, as these have the highest cost impact.
Ahmed Ashraf — Founder, Traffiy
10+ years in paid media. $100M+ in budgets managed across Meta, Google, and TikTok. Google Premier Partner — top 3% globally. Every article on this blog is written from direct experience managing real campaigns.
Want us to find and fix your low Quality Score keywords?
Traffiy audits Quality Score across every keyword in your account and prioritises fixes by cost impact. Free account review.