Google Ads Quality Score explained

Quality Score is a 1–10 diagnostic number Google shows at the keyword level. It's often misunderstood as a score you should chase directly — Google is explicit that it isn't a key performance indicator and isn't used as an input in the ad auction.

What is Quality Score?

A 1–10 diagnostic score, available at the keyword level, that gives a sense of how your ad quality compares with other advertisers bidding on the same search.

Google Ads describes Quality Score as a diagnostic tool, not a key performance indicator, and states it should not be optimized or aggregated with the rest of your data, and that it is not an input in the ad auction [1](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6167118).

How is it calculated?

From three components, each rated Below average, Average, or Above average compared with other advertisers who showed for the same search in the last 90 days.

Expected clickthrough rate — the likelihood your ad gets clicked when shown.
Ad relevance — how closely your ad matches the intent behind the search.
Landing page experience — how relevant and useful your landing page is to people who click.

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What does Quality Score actually affect?

It doesn't directly set your cost or position. Related ad quality factors feed into Ad Rank, which affects whether your ad shows, where it appears, and generally how much you pay per click.

Google notes that higher quality ads typically cost less per click than lower quality ads, and that ad quality is considered in establishing Ad Rank, which affects where on the page an ad appears [2](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/156066). Bidding, separately, affects Ad Rank too, but doesn't affect ad quality itself.

How do I use it to improve an account?

Use the three components, not the headline number, to decide where to focus.

Open the Quality Score columns (status, expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) for your keywords.
For keywords with 'Below average' ad relevance, check whether the ad text actually mentions what the keyword searches for.
For 'Below average' landing page experience, check page speed, mobile usability and whether the page matches the ad's promise.
For 'Below average' expected CTR, review the ad copy and consider testing a more specific headline.

Common misunderstandings

A 'low' Quality Score on a brand-new keyword with no impressions yet isn't meaningful — there's no data behind it.
Quality Score doesn't directly determine your exact cost per click; it's a diagnostic signal, not a lever you pull.
Chasing a 10/10 score for its own sake isn't a goal Google recommends — the components matter more than the single number.

Limitations of this guide

Quality Score is a relative, diagnostic estimate recalculated regularly; it is not a guarantee of cost or position.

Frequently asked questions

Does Quality Score directly lower my cost per click?

Quality Score itself isn't an auction input, but the ad quality factors behind it feed into Ad Rank, which is associated with cost per click and position.

Why does a keyword show no Quality Score?

Quality Score needs enough recent impressions. A new or low-volume keyword may not have enough data yet to be scored.

Should I pause keywords with a low Quality Score?

Not automatically. Check which of the three components is weak and whether it's fixable with better ad text or landing page changes first.