Google Ads Quality Score: A Complete Guide in 2025

When running Google Ads campaigns, your Quality Score plays a crucial role in determining how much you pay per click and where your ads appear on search results. 

A high Quality Score means lower costs, better ad placements, and improved performance—making it a vital metric for advertisers who want to maximize their return on investment (ROI).

But what exactly is Quality Score, and how does it impact your Google Ads campaigns in 2025? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know, starting with the basics.

What is Quality Score?

Google Ads Quality Score is a 1 to 10 rating that Google assigns to your keywords and ads, reflecting their relevance and expected performance. 

It’s Google’s way of measuring the quality of your ads and determining how well they align with user search queries.

Why Does Google Use Quality Score?

Google Ads operates on an auction-based system, meaning advertisers bid against each other for ad placements. 

However, it’s not just about who bids the highest—Google also wants to show the most relevant and high-quality ads to users. Quality Score ensures that:

• Advertisers with relevant, well-optimized ads are rewarded with lower costs-per-click (CPC) and better ad placements.
• Users see high-quality, useful ads that match their search intent.
• Google continues to provide a good experience for searchers, keeping them engaged with its advertising platform.

What Factors Affect Quality Score?

Google determines Quality Score based on three key components:

1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR):
   • How likely users are to click your ad based on past performance and keyword relevance.
   • A higher CTR generally leads to a higher Quality Score.
   • You can optimize CTR by improving your ad copy, call-to-action (CTA), and headline relevance.
2. Ad Relevance:
   • Measures how closely your ad copy matches the keywords you’re targeting.
   • If your ad doesn’t match user intent, Quality Score will drop.
   • Using keyword-rich ad copy helps improve this metric.
3. Landing Page Experience:
   • Assess the quality of your landing page in relation to the ad and keyword.
   • Pages with slow load speeds, irrelevant content, or poor UX lower your Quality Score.
   • Ensure your landing page is fast, relevant, and provides a seamless user experience.

Each of these factors is rated as Above Average, Average, or Below Average, and together they determine your overall Quality Score.

Why Quality Score Matters

A high Quality Score brings several benefits, including:

• Lower CPC: You pay less per click compared to competitors with lower scores.
• Better Ad Rank: Your ad appears higher on search results, even if you bid less than competitors.
• Higher ROI: More relevant ads lead to better engagement and conversion rates.

A low Quality Score, on the other hand, can result in:

• Higher CPCs, meaning you pay more per click.
• Poor ad placement, reducing visibility and lowering your traffic.
• Less efficient ad spend, making it harder to compete in crowded markets.

Optimizing for Quality Score is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve Google Ads performance without increasing your budget.

Does Quality Score Still Matter in 2025?

As Google Ads evolves, many advertisers wonder whether Quality Score is still as important as it used to be. 

While Google has introduced new AI-driven bidding strategies and automation features, Quality Score remains a crucial factor in determining ad performance, costs, and placements.

How Google’s Ad Ranking System Has Evolved

In recent years, Google has shifted towards machine learning and automated bidding, allowing advertisers to rely more on Smart Bidding rather than manual Quality Score optimization. 

However, Google still rewards high-quality ads with better placements and lower CPCs.

Here’s why Quality Score still matters in 2025:

• It Directly Affects Ad Rank – Even with AI-driven bidding, Google prioritizes relevant, high-quality ads when determining which ads to show.
• It Reduces Cost-Per-Click (CPC) – A higher Quality Score means you pay less for each click, which is crucial in competitive industries.
• It Influences Smart Bidding Strategies – Automated bidding strategies like Target CPA and Maximize Conversions still rely on ad relevance and CTR, which are key components of Quality Score.

Who Should Prioritize Quality Score?

• Businesses in competitive industries where CPCs are high (e.g., finance, legal, SaaS).
• Advertisers using manual bidding strategies, where Quality Score has a direct impact on CPC and Ad Rank.
• Companies with lower ad budgets, as a higher Quality Score helps reduce overall ad spend.
• Brands that rely on Google Search Ads, where ad relevance and expected CTR are key ranking factors.

Quality Score vs. Other Performance Metrics in 2025

While Quality Score remains important, it’s no longer the only metric that determines ad success. In 2025, advertisers should balance Quality Score optimization with:

• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) – Focus on how well users convert after clicking on an ad.
• Audience Targeting & Intent Signals – Prioritize reaching the right users at the right time.
• Landing Page Experience – A good Quality Score won’t matter if your landing page fails to convert visitors.

Quality Score still matters in 2025, but it should be part of a larger strategy that includes conversion optimization, audience targeting, and ad relevance. 

Advertisers who optimize their Quality Score alongside modern bidding strategies and automation will see the best results.

Types of Quality Score

While most advertisers are familiar with the standard Quality Score assigned to keywords in Google Ads, there are actually several types of Quality Scores that Google evaluates behind the scenes. 

Each one plays a role in how ads perform across different campaign types and ad placements. 

Here are the main types of Quality Scores in Google Ads:

1. Keyword Quality Score

What it is:

• The most commonly known Quality Score, assigned at the keyword level.
• Measures how well a keyword matches search intent, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
• Rated on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the highest.

Why it matters:

• A higher Keyword Quality Score leads to lower CPC and better ad placement.
• Helps advertisers identify underperforming keywords that may need better optimization.

2. Ad Group Quality Score

What it is:

• An aggregate score based on the performance of all keywords within an ad group.
• If multiple keywords in an ad group have low individual Quality Scores, the entire ad group may suffer.

Why it matters:

• Helps advertisers determine whether an ad group is well-structured or needs better keyword segmentation.
• If an ad group has a low score, breaking it into more targeted ad groups with specific themes can improve performance.

3. Account-Level Quality Score

What it is:

• Google doesn’t publicly display this, but it’s believed to be a historical Quality Score based on the overall performance of past campaigns in an account.
• Affects how Google views the trustworthiness and relevance of an advertiser’s ads.

Why it matters:

• If an account has a history of low-performing ads, future ads may have a harder time achieving high Quality Scores.
• Advertisers with a strong history of well-performing ads may see faster improvements when launching new campaigns.

4. Landing Page Quality Score

What it is:

• Measures how relevant and user-friendly the landing page experience is after someone clicks an ad.
• Factors include page load speed, mobile-friendliness, relevance to the ad, and ease of navigation.

Why it matters:

• A poor landing page experience can lower overall Quality Score and increase CPC.
• Google wants to ensure that users land on useful, relevant, and high-performing pages.

5. Mobile Quality Score

What it is:

• Evaluates how well ads perform on mobile devices compared to desktop.
• Google considers factors like mobile page speed, user experience, and mobile CTR.

Why it matters:

• Since more than half of Google searches now happen on mobile, having a mobile-optimized experience is essential.
• A low Mobile Quality Score can hurt ad performance on mobile users, leading to missed conversions.

How to Check Google Ads Quality Score

Google Ads provides Quality Score data at the keyword level, and advertisers can access it directly from the Google Ads interface.

Below is a step-by-step guide to checking your Quality Score and interpreting the results.

1. Log in to Your Google Ads Account

• Go to Google Ads and log in with your credentials.
• Navigate to the Campaigns or Keywords tab, depending on where you want to analyze Quality Score.

2. Go to the Keywords Tab

• In the left-hand menu, click on “Keywords.”
• This will display all the keywords associated with your campaigns.

3. Add the Quality Score Column to Your Dashboard

By default, Quality Score may not be visible in your Google Ads dashboard. To enable it:

• Click on the columns icon (three vertical bars).
• Select “Modify Columns.”
• Find the Quality Score section and check the following options:
  • Quality Score (overall score from 1-10).
  • Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Measures how likely users are to click your ad.
  • Ad Relevance – Indicates how closely your ad matches the keyword.
  • Landing Page Experience – Assesses how relevant and user-friendly your landing page is.
• Click “Apply” to save the changes.

4. Review Your Quality Score Data

Once enabled, you’ll see a Quality Score rating (1-10) for each keyword.

• 8-10 (Excellent): Your ads are highly relevant, leading to lower CPCs and better placements.
• 5-7 (Average): Your ads are competitive, but there’s room for improvement.
• 1-4 (Poor): Your ads may not be relevant enough, leading to higher costs and lower rankings.

Use this data to identify low-scoring keywords that may need optimization.

5. Compare Historical Quality Score Data

If you want to track Quality Score changes over time, Google Ads allows you to view historical Quality Score data by:

• Going to Modify Columns > Quality Score
• Enabling “Historical Quality Score” to track changes over specific time periods.

This helps advertisers understand whether their optimizations are improving Quality Score or if adjustments are needed.

6. Use Google Ads Transparency Center for Competitor Insights

While Quality Score is specific to your account, you can get an idea of competitor ad quality using the Google Ads Transparency Center. This tool helps advertisers analyze:

• Competitor ad copy and landing pages.
• Which businesses are consistently ranking high in Google Ads.
• Insights into what makes top-performing ads more effective.

Using this data, you can adjust your Quality Score strategy by identifying trends among successful advertisers.

How to Improve Google Ads Quality Score

Since Google determines Quality Score based on Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR), Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience, improving these factors is key to optimizing your ad performance. 

Below are practical strategies to help boost your Quality Score.

1. Optimize Your Ad Copy for Higher CTR

Expected CTR is one of the biggest factors in Quality Score. If Google predicts that your ad is likely to get more clicks, your score improves.

Here’s how to optimize your ad copy to increase CTR:

• Use compelling headlines – Include numbers, power words, or a strong CTA (e.g., “Get 50% Off Today!”).
• Match the search intent – Ensure your ad directly answers the user’s search query.
• Leverage emotional triggers – Words like “Exclusive,” “Limited Time,” or “Hassle-Free” create urgency.
• Include ad extensions – Add structured snippets, site links, and call extensions to improve engagement.

If your CTR is low, consider A/B testing different ad variations to see which one drives the most clicks. 

2. Improve Ad Relevance with Better Keyword Targeting

If Google determines that your keywords and ad copy don’t align, your Ad Relevance score will drop, hurting your Quality Score.

Here’s how to fix it:

• Group similar keywords together – Avoid mixing broad and unrelated keywords in one ad group.
• Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) – This automatically updates your ad text to match user search queries.
• Write an ad copy that includes targeted keywords – Example: Instead of “Best Running Shoes”, use “Buy Nike Running Shoes – Free Shipping” if “Nike running shoes” is the keyword.

By ensuring your ads closely match user searches, Google will rate your ads as more relevant, improving your Quality Score.

3. Enhance Landing Page Experience

Your landing page should provide a seamless experience that aligns with your ad copy. Google measures page relevance, speed, and usability when assigning a Landing Page Experience score.

To improve this:

• Match your ad message with the landing page – If your ad promises a discount, free trial, or specific product, the landing page should immediately reflect that offer.
• Speed up load times – A slow website increases bounce rates, which negatively impacts Quality Score. Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to test your site speed.
• Ensure mobile-friendliness – Since over 50% of searches happen on mobile, having a responsive design is essential.
• Simplify navigation & call-to-actions (CTAs) – Users should easily find what they’re looking for without distractions.

A well-optimized landing page ensures visitors stay engaged and convert, leading to a higher Quality Score and better ROI.

4. Use Negative Keywords to Filter Irrelevant Traffic

If your ads show up for irrelevant searches, it lowers CTR and hurts your Quality Score. Adding negative keywords ensures your ads only appear for searches that matter.

How to do this:

• Identify irrelevant search queries in the Search Terms Report and add them as negative keywords.
• Avoid broad terms that attract unqualified clicks (e.g., if you sell premium shoes, exclude “cheap shoes”).
• Use phrase-match and exact-match keywords to refine targeting.

Filtering out low-intent traffic helps you maintain a higher CTR and Ad Relevance score.

5. Focus on Keyword Match Types to Improve Traffic Quality

Using the right keyword match types can significantly impact your CTR, conversion rates, and Quality Score.

• Broad Match: Reaches a wide audience but may attract irrelevant searches.
• Phrase Match: Displays ads for queries containing your keyword in a specific order.
• Exact Match: Shows ads only for specific searches, leading to higher relevance and CTR.

For a better Quality Score, avoid over-relying on broad match and focus on phrase and exact match keywords for targeted traffic.

Conclusion

Google Ads Quality Score remains a crucial factor in 2025, influencing ad rankings, cost-per-click (CPC), and overall campaign performance. 

A higher Quality Score means lower ad costs and better placements, making it essential for advertisers who want to maximize their return on investment (ROI).

By focusing on ad relevance, expected click-through rate (CTR), and landing page experience, businesses can ensure their ads perform efficiently.

Need expert guidance on optimizing your Google Ads campaigns? Our Google Ads specialists from Sydney can help you improve Quality Score, lower ad costs, and maximize conversions. 

Let’s work together to boost your Google Ads success. Contact us today!