What is Quality Score?
Quality Score (QS) is a diagnostic number Google assigns to each keyword in your Google Ads account, from 1 to 10. It represents how relevant and useful your keyword, ad, and landing page are to someone who just triggered your ad.
Quality Score directly influences your Ad Rank — the formula Google uses to determine where your ads appear and how much you pay per click. Higher QS means you get better positions at lower cost. Lower QS means you pay more to show in worse positions, or your ads stop showing altogether.
The direct cost impact: Compared to a Quality Score of 5 (the benchmark), a score of 10 can reduce your effective CPC by up to 50%. A score of 1 can increase your effective CPC by up to 400%. Improving QS from 4 to 7 on a $3 keyword effectively makes it cost $1.80 — without changing your bid.
The three components of Quality Score
Quality Score is made up of three components, each rated "Above Average", "Average", or "Below Average":
Expected Click-Through Rate (eCTR)
How likely your ad is to be clicked when shown for this keyword, compared to all other ads that have shown for that keyword. Google uses historical performance of your ad, this keyword, and similar keywords to predict future CTR.
How to improve it: Write ad copy that directly addresses the keyword's intent. Include the keyword or close variant in the headline. Use numbers, urgency, or specifics that stand out. Test multiple headline combinations and keep the top performers.
Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the intent of the keyword that triggered it. Google looks at the semantic relationship between what was searched and what your ad says.
How to improve it: Tightly group keywords by theme and write ad copy specific to each group. Avoid putting dozens of unrelated keywords in one ad group with one generic ad. Include the keyword in at least one headline. Use responsive search ads to let Google find the best headline combinations.
Landing Page ExperienceBiggest Opportunity
How relevant, transparent, and easy to use your landing page is for someone who clicked your ad. Google assesses this using a combination of automated page analysis and real user engagement signals (bounce rate, time on page, conversion signals).
How to improve it: Use a dedicated landing page for each keyword theme. Match the page headline to the ad and keyword. Include the specific service content on the page (not just company information). Add trust signals. Make the phone number tap-to-call and prominent. Ensure fast mobile load times.
Quality Score benchmarks by industry
Average Quality Scores vary by industry. Here are typical benchmarks for local service businesses:
| Industry | Typical QS (homepage) | Typical QS (dedicated page) | CPC impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | 4/10 | 7/10 | ~35% lower CPC |
| HVAC / AC Repair | 4/10 | 8/10 | ~40% lower CPC |
| Electrical | 5/10 | 7/10 | ~25% lower CPC |
| Roofing | 3/10 | 7/10 | ~45% lower CPC |
| Pest Control | 5/10 | 8/10 | ~40% lower CPC |
| Landscaping | 4/10 | 7/10 | ~35% lower CPC |
* Benchmarks based on aggregated PPC account data. Actual results vary by account history, competition, and geography.
Landing Page Experience: the biggest lever
Of the three Quality Score components, Landing Page Experience is typically where local service businesses have the most room to improve — and the most to gain. Most businesses send all their Google Ads traffic to their homepage, which receives "Below Average" or "Average" landing page experience for specific service keywords.
Common landing page experience killers: Sending all traffic to a homepage • Slow mobile load time (3+ seconds) • No phone number visible above the fold • Irrelevant or thin content for the keyword • Intrusive popups or overlays • Misleading claims compared to the ad • No contact form or clear next step.
Google evaluates landing page experience using a combination of:
- Content relevance: Does the page content closely match the keyword and ad? Does the headline mirror the search intent?
- Transparency and trustworthiness: Is there clear contact information, a physical location, a privacy policy? Are claims made in the ad supported by the landing page?
- Navigability: Is the page easy to use on mobile? Can the visitor find the contact information or take the desired action without friction?
- Page speed: Google uses real-world Chrome speed data. Pages that load in under 2 seconds receive the best scores.
- User signals: Bounce rate, time on page, and conversion actions send signals back to Google about whether the page is satisfying visitors.
The landing page checklist: "Above Average" experience
Every landing page you use as a Final URL in Google Ads should pass this checklist:
FAQ
What is Google Ads Quality Score?
Quality Score is a diagnostic metric Google assigns to each keyword in your account on a scale of 1–10. It reflects how relevant your keyword, ads, and landing pages are to someone who triggers your ad. A higher Quality Score means Google rewards you with lower cost-per-click and better ad positions for the same bid amount.
What are the three components of Quality Score?
Quality Score has three components: (1) Expected click-through rate — how likely your ad is to be clicked when shown for this keyword; (2) Ad relevance — how closely your ad copy matches the intent of the keyword; (3) Landing page experience — how relevant, transparent, and easy to navigate your landing page is for people who click the ad.
How much does Quality Score affect cost-per-click?
The relationship is significant. A Quality Score of 10 can reduce your effective CPC by up to 50% compared to a score of 5. A score of 1 can increase your effective CPC by up to 400% compared to a score of 5. Moving from a score of 4 to a score of 7 for a competitive keyword can cut your CPC by around 35% without changing your bid.
What is 'Below Average' landing page experience and how do I fix it?
Below Average landing page experience means Google has determined your landing page is not sufficiently relevant or useful for the keyword. Common causes: sending all traffic to a homepage, slow mobile load times, lack of relevant content about the specific service, misleading claims relative to the ad, or intrusive interstitials. Fix: create a dedicated landing page for the keyword with matching content, a visible phone number and contact form, fast load time, and trust signals.
How long does it take to improve Quality Score?
Quality Score updates daily based on auction data. Expected CTR and ad relevance can improve within days of making changes. Landing page experience can update relatively quickly once Google recrawls your page, though significant score changes typically take 1–4 weeks of accumulating impression data after improvements.
Does Quality Score affect my ads at the account level or keyword level?
Quality Score is assessed at the keyword level — each keyword in your account has its own score. However, your account-level historical performance (Account Quality) also influences how quickly new keywords establish scores and can impact your ad serving overall.