Definition
Quality Score is a 1 to 10 Google Ads diagnostic comparing your ads with competitors' on expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience.
Quality Score explained
Google calculates Quality Score from three components, each rated above average, average or below average:
- Expected click-through rate: how likely your ad is to be 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.
Google is explicit that Quality Score is not an input in the ad auction. It is a diagnostic tool showing how your ads and landing pages compare with those of other advertisers for the same keyword. The auction itself uses real-time estimates of similar factors, so the things that raise Quality Score generally also help ads perform.
Use it to find weak spots rather than as a goal. A low landing page experience rating suggests poor message match or a slow page; low ad relevance suggests an ad group that mixes too many themes; low expected CTR suggests ad copy that doesn't stand out.
Example
Your keyword “emergency plumber” has a Quality Score of 3 with below-average landing page experience, because ads send visitors to your general homepage. A dedicated emergency landing page with a clear call button lifts the rating and improves how the ads perform.
Why it matters
The components of Quality Score point to the ads and landing pages that are costing you money through low relevance.
Related service
Google Ads Management
Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns built around tracked conversions and cost per acquisition.
Google Ads management servicesSources
- Google Ads Help: About Quality Score for Search campaigns (checked 30 Sep 2026)
Published by Vidern, founded and led by Malhar Shah. Updated .
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Related terms
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)CTR (click-through rate) is the share of people who click a result or ad after seeing it: clicks divided by impressions.
- Message matchMessage match is how closely a landing page's headline, offer and wording mirror the ad, email or search that brought the visitor there.
- CPC (Cost Per Click)CPC (cost per click) is the amount an advertiser pays for each click on an ad, with average CPC being total cost divided by total clicks.
- Landing pageA landing page is a page built to turn visitors from a specific campaign or search into leads or customers, with one clear goal and call to action.
- Ad assetsAd assets, formerly called ad extensions, are extra details such as sitelinks, callouts, phone numbers and images that can appear with a Google ad.