Quality Score
Google's rating of the quality and relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing pages.
What is Quality Score?
Quality Score is Google Ads' 1-10 rating that measures the quality and relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing pages. Higher scores result in better ad positions and lower costs.
It's calculated based on three main factors: expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevance, and landing page experience. Each factor is rated as "Below average," "Average," or "Above average."
Quality Score directly impacts ad rank and CPC. A high Quality Score (8-10) can lower your CPC by 30-50% compared to low scores (1-3), even with the same bid.
Improving Quality Score requires alignment: keywords match search intent, ads speak to that intent, and landing pages deliver on the ad promise. It's about relevance at every stage.
Quality Score for NZ Advertisers
NZ businesses can achieve high Quality Scores by creating locally relevant ads: mention NZ locations, use NZ English spelling, showcase NZ credentials.
Landing page experience is critical for Kiwi audiences: fast loading on NZ internet, mobile-optimized, clear NZ pricing, local testimonials.
Use location extensions and NZ phone numbers in ads to improve relevance for NZ searchers, boosting Quality Score.
NZ Business Examples
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A Christchurch lawyer achieves 9/10 Quality Score by matching keyword ("family lawyer Christchurch") to ad headline and landing page H1 -
A Wellington SaaS company improves QS from 5 to 8 by creating dedicated landing pages per service instead of sending all traffic to homepage -
An Auckland dentist boosts QS to 8/10 by adding patient reviews, before/after images, and fast-loading pages
Real-World Industry Examples
Legal Services
A law firm has low Quality Score (3-4) with high CPCs of $12-15
Rewrites ads for relevance, improves landing page speed, and adds testimonials - QS rises to 7-8, CPC drops to $8-10
E-commerce
An online store sends all traffic to homepage regardless of keyword
Creates category-specific landing pages matching ad groups - Quality Score improves from 4 to 7, conversion rate doubles
Home Services
A plumber uses generic ads for all services
Splits campaigns by service type with specific ads and pages - QS increases from 5 to 9, lead volume up 60% with same budget
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Quality Score?
Scores of 7-10 are good, 4-6 are average, and 1-3 need improvement. Focus on keywords with scores below 5 - these offer the most opportunity for cost savings and performance improvement.
How do I improve my Quality Score?
Improve CTR (compelling ad copy), ensure ad relevance (match keywords closely), and enhance landing page experience (fast loading, relevant content, mobile-friendly). Start with lowest-scoring keywords for biggest impact.
Does Quality Score affect all campaigns?
Quality Score primarily applies to Google Search campaigns. Display, Video, and Shopping campaigns use different metrics. However, the principle of relevance applies across all campaign types.
Need Help With Your Marketing Metrics?
Our team specializes in delivering 30 qualified leads in 30 days for NZ service businesses. We handle the strategy, execution, and optimization - you handle the sales.