By Corey Frankosky · Last Updated

What Is Quality Score?

Quality Score is a 1 to 10 rating Google Ads gives each keyword, based on how relevant your ad and landing page are to the people searching it. It is built from three parts: expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience. A higher score usually means you pay less per click.

Looking for the Full Quality Score Guide

Google's Definition

"Quality Score is an estimate of the quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages."

Source: Google Ads Help.

The Three Parts of Quality Score

Google rates each part as above average, average or below average. The one marked below average is where you start.

  • Expected CTR: How likely people are to click your ad when it shows for that keyword.
  • Ad relevance: How closely your ad matches the intent behind the search.
  • Landing page experience: How useful and relevant your page is once people click.

Quality Score Example

Example

Your keyword "emergency plumber" has a Quality Score of 4, with landing page experience marked below average because the ad sends people to your homepage. You build a dedicated emergency plumbing page, and over the next few weeks that part moves to average.

Why It Matters

  • It is a diagnostic: Quality Score shows you which part of the keyword, ad and page chain is weakest.
  • It tracks your costs: Keywords with low scores usually cost more per click for the same position.

How to Improve It

  1. Group tightly. Keep each ad group to a small set of closely related keywords.
  2. Match the ad to the search. Use the keyword theme in your headlines.
  3. Match the page to the ad. Send each ad group to the page that answers that exact search.

Watch: Quality Score Explained

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Question to AnswerWhich of your top five keywords by spend has the lowest Quality Score, and which of the three parts is marked below average?
  • Ad Rank: The set of values Google uses to decide whether your ad shows and where it appears.
  • Landing Page Experience: Google's estimate of how relevant and useful your landing page is to people who click your ad.
  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people who see your ad and click it. The 2026 all-industry median is 6.64%.
  • Cost Per Click (CPC): The amount you pay each time someone clicks your ad. The 2026 all-industry median is $5.42.

Google Ads Certification Exam Questions About Quality Score

These questions come from the Google Ads certification exams on Skillshop. Here are the answers, with a short explanation so you understand why and not just what to click.

Q
Which of the following items is not a component of Quality Score? Answer: Maximum cost-per-click (max. CPC) bid. Quality Score is built only from expected CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience. Your bid affects Ad Rank, but it has nothing to do with your Quality Score.
Q
Higher Quality Scores typically result in: Answer: Lower costs and better ad positions. Google rewards relevant ads and useful landing pages, so a keyword with a strong score can show higher on the page while paying less per click than a weaker competitor.
Q
High quality ratings for an ad can: Answer: Improve its position. Ad quality feeds into Ad Rank, so a highly relevant ad can win a higher spot even when a competitor bids more. Raising your bid does not raise your quality rating.

Studying for your certification? The Google Ads Course walks you through every campaign type step by step, and the membership includes both courses and our private community. You can also see every exam topic in our Google Ads certification guide.

Go Deeper

This page is the short definition. For the complete guide to raising your score and lowering your CPC, read Quality Score: How to Lower Your Google Ads CPC.

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