Same keyword, half the price
A Thiruvananthapuram dental clinic sent every keyword, from “root canal” to “braces”, to its homepage with one generic ad. Most keywords had Quality Score 3–4.
We split the account into ad groups by treatment, wrote ads that repeated each treatment name, and built one page per treatment.
Within a month, the main keywords moved to 7–8. Average CPC on “root canal treatment trivandrum” fell from ₹58 to ₹31 while position improved.
Illustrative example based on a common pattern in Kerala e-commerce accounts. Numbers rounded.
What Quality Score is
Quality Score shows Google’s view of how useful your ad and page are for someone searching that keyword. Each of the three parts is rated Below average, Average or Above average.
You can see it by adding the Quality Score columns in the Keywords view. It needs enough impressions to show; new or low-volume keywords may show “—”.
Quality Score (1–10) = expected CTR + ad relevance + landing page experience
Quality Score checklist
Pick a keyword with Quality Score 5 or lower and tick what is true.
0 of 8 done (0%)
Big gaps. Start with the first unticked item; each one is a quick win.
Stuck on one? Join the community and post it for doubt-clearing.
How the three parts are rated
| Part | What Google looks at |
|---|---|
| Expected CTR | How likely people are to click your ad for this keyword, compared with competitors |
| Ad relevance | How closely the ad matches the intent of the search |
| Landing page experience | How relevant, useful and easy to use the page is, especially on mobile |
How experienced marketers use Quality Score
1. Find where you overpay
Sort keywords with spend by Quality Score. Those at 1–4 with real spend are the first to fix.
2. Know which part to fix
Below average expected CTR → ads and assets. Below average ad relevance → ad group structure. Below average landing page → the page.
3. Brief the web team
Landing page experience gives a clear, data-backed reason to build dedicated service pages.
What good looks like
| Business type | Starting rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brand keywords | 8–10 | You are the most relevant result for your own name. |
| Core service keywords | 6–8 is healthy | Starting rule. |
| Broad or competitive keywords | 4–6 is common | Improve the page before raising bids. |
When the number lies
- It’s a diagnostic, not the auction
- Google calculates relevance in real time for each search. Quality Score is a summary, so don’t chase 10/10 at the expense of conversions.
- Low-volume keywords
- Keywords with few impressions show “—” or unstable scores.
- Conversions matter more
- A keyword at 5 that converts profitably beats one at 9 that doesn’t.
Mistakes to avoid
Sending all ads to the homepage
Landing page experience stays below average and CPC stays high.
One ad group with 80 keywords
Ads can’t be relevant to all of them.
Raising bids instead of fixing relevance
You pay more for the same position.
Related terms
Questions people ask about Quality Score
How do I see Quality Score in Google Ads?
Go to Keywords, click Columns, and add Quality Score, Expected CTR, Ad relevance and Landing page experience under the Quality Score section.
What is a good Quality Score?
7 or above is healthy for core keywords. Brand keywords are often 8–10.
Does Quality Score affect CPC?
Indirectly. The same signals feed Ad Rank, so more relevant ads and pages usually need lower bids to win the same position.
How long does it take to improve Quality Score?
Often a few weeks after changes, once enough new impressions and clicks are collected.
Put it into practice
- SOP 303: Write Responsive Search Ads That Get Clicks and Leads →
- SOP 306: Audit a Google Ads Account and Write a Fix-First Plan →
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