Quality Score is a metric used by advertising platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Ads to measure the relevance and performance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It directly affects your Cost Per Click (CPC) and ad position in search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns.
What Is Quality Score?
Quality Score is a numeric rating (1 to 10) that reflects the expected user experience with your ad. A higher score means your ad is more relevant and likely to perform better, and can lead to lower CPCs and better ad placements.
Google uses Quality Score to reward advertisers for creating high-quality, relevant ads — not just for bidding the highest.
Factors That Determine Quality Score
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| CTR (Click-Through Rate) | Expected CTR based on historical performance |
| Ad Relevance | How closely the ad matches the searcher’s intent |
| Landing Page Experience | Relevance, speed, usability, and trustworthiness of the landing page |
| Keyword-to-Ad Match | Alignment between keyword and ad copy |
| Account Performance | Historical account behavior and structure |
These signals are weighed and updated continuously by the ad platform algorithm.
Why Quality Score Matters
- 💰 Lower CPCs — Higher score = better value for your ad spend
- 📈 Better ad rankings — Even with lower bids, you can outrank competitors
- 🔁 Higher ROI and ROAS — More conversions for the same (or lower) budget
- 🎯 Improved targeting — Shows ads to users more likely to engage
- 🔐 Better brand experience — Aligned content across the funnel
Google Ads Quality Score Scale
| Score | Performance Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Poor (requires immediate attention) |
| 4–6 | Average (room to improve) |
| 7–10 | Good to Excellent (high relevance and performance) |
How to Improve Quality Score
- 🔍 Use tightly themed ad groups with specific keywords
- ✍️ Write ad copy that matches user search intent
- 📄 Ensure landing pages are relevant, fast, and mobile-optimized
- 📊 A/B test headlines, CTAs, and display paths
- 🔁 Add negative keywords to filter poor traffic
- 🧠 Use enriched firmographic data for better ad segmentation (via CUFinder)
Quality Score with CUFinder
CUFinder helps increase Quality Score by:
- 🎯 Providing accurate firmographic data for precise audience targeting
- 🧠 Enabling segmentation by job title, company size, and industry
- 📄 Supporting personalized landing pages that improve engagement
- 📈 Reducing bounce rates and increasing conversion rates
Cited Sources
- Wikipedia: Google Ads
- Wikipedia: Pay-per-click
- Wikipedia: Search engine marketing
- Wikipedia: Online advertising
Related Terms
FAQ
What is a good Quality Score?
A score of 7 or above is generally considered good. Scores of 8–10 indicate high performance and alignment.
Does Quality Score affect CPC?
Yes. A higher Quality Score often results in lower CPCs, meaning you pay less per click for the same keyword.
Can I see my Quality Score in Google Ads?
Yes. In Google Ads, go to the “Keywords” tab, and enable columns for Quality Score, CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
Does Quality Score affect display ads?
Not directly. Quality Score is mainly used in search ads, though similar performance signals are considered for display campaigns.
How often is Quality Score updated?
Google updates Quality Score frequently, based on real-time user interactions, ad performance, and landing page data.