How to Increase Quality Score? 10 Proven Google Ads Tactics

You open your Google Ads account, your campaigns are live, but you're not getting the desired results. Your competitor is ranking higher than you for the same keyword and probably paying less. Annoying, right? You've probably experienced this too.

Here's the invisible hand behind all this:  Quality Score. This 1-to-10 score Google gives you essentially determines the future of your ads. So, is there a formula to increase this score? Yes, including those hidden in Google's official guide. In this article, with over 10 years of field experience, I will answer the question of  how to increase Quality Score  step-by-step with proven strategies.

What is Quality Score? (And Why Should You Care?)

Let's put things in order first.  Quality Score  is a diagnostic tool Google Ads gives you at the keyword level. Google evaluates how relevant your ad, keyword, and landing page are to the user's search intent on a scale of 1-10.

A score of 10 is excellent, while a score of 1 means "dude, fix this campaign ASAP." But why is this score so important?

Because a high Quality Score:

• Lowers  Cost Per Click (CPC). Among two advertisers with the same bid, the one with a higher score pays less.

• Improves your  ad rank. Allows you to rank higher with a lower bid.

• Increases the frequency of your ads (impression share).

According to Google's official explanation, Quality Score is composed of three main pillars:  expected click-through rate,  ad relevance, and  landing page experience.

How to Increase Quality Score?

Now to the most anticipated topic:  how to increase Quality Score? We will address the three components Google provides one by one.

How to Increase Quality Score? (Applied Strategies)

I specifically open this heading because it's essential to put theoretical knowledge into practice. Let's get to work.

1. Clean Up Your Account Structure:  Cluttered ad groups are deadly. If an ad group has more than 20 keywords, writing a custom ad for each becomes almost impossible. Instead, create  SKAGs (Single Keyword Ad Groups). This maximizes the relevance between your ad and your keyword.

2. Don't Forget Negative Keywords:  Prevent Google from showing your ad for irrelevant searches. If you're not selling "cheap" products, add it as a negative keyword. This prevents clicks that would artificially lower your click-through rate (CTR).

3. Use Ad Extensions (Assets) Completely:  Sitelinks, callout extensions, structured snippets... all of these increase the space your ad takes up and improve visibility. Google rewards advertisers who use ad extensions because it offers more options to the user.

How to Increase Click-Through Rate (CTR)?

Expected click-through rate (expected CTR) is one of the most critical components of Quality Score. Google seeks to answer the question, "If this ad is shown, will it be clicked?" So, how do we increase this expectation?

• Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI):  Ensure the exact word the user searched for appears in your ad headline. For example, if someone searches for "Red Shoes," having "Red Shoes" in the headline significantly increases the chance of a click.

• Write Triggering Headlines:  Make promises that directly address the user's need, such as "How To," "Best Price," "Free Shipping."

• Avoid Competitor Names in Ad Copy:  Using a competitor's brand typically lowers your Quality Score and may not be approved by Google.

How to Increase Ad Relevance?

This factor measures how well your ad copy aligns with your keyword and the user's search intent.

• Separate Ad Groups by Topic:  As mentioned above, create narrow and focused ad groups. The ad you write for the keyword "Laptop" should not be the same as the ad you write for "Laptop Bag."

• Review Search Term Reports:  See which searches you appeared for. Add irrelevant terms as negatives, and add relevant new terms to your keyword list to optimize your ads accordingly.

Landing Page Optimization

The ad was clicked, the user arrived at your site. What then? Google tries to guess what the user did on the site. If they immediately bounced back, that's a bad sign.

• Page Speed is Crucial:  If your landing page loads slower than 3 seconds on mobile, the user will leave. Compress images (e.g., under 100 KB), and remove unnecessary plugins.

• Message Consistency:  Deliver what you promised in the ad on the page. Writing "Discounted Shoes" in the ad and sending the user to the homepage is a big mistake. Direct them to the category or product page where the discounted shoes are located.

• Mobile Responsiveness:  Most traffic today is mobile. If your page is unreadable on mobile, and buttons are jumbled, your Quality Score will plummet.

Table: The 3 main factors making up Quality Score and their impact levels 

Impact of Increasing Quality Score on Ad Cost

Let's get to the math. Google calculates ad rank as follows:  Ad Rank = Bid x Quality Score.

Let's say your competitor bid 2 TL for a click but has a Quality Score of 5. You, on the other hand, bid 1 TL but have a Quality Score of 10.

• Competitor's Ad Rank: 2 x 5 = 10

• Your Ad Rank: 1 x 10 = 10

As you can see, you're at the same rank for half the price. In fact, often, thanks to a high Quality Score, you can even be higher ranked with a lower bid. The answer to  how to increase Quality Score  is actually a direct guide to protecting your profit margin.

The True Power of Increasing Quality Score

If you've read this far, you've seen that there isn't a single answer to  how to increase Quality Score. This requires a holistic effort, ranging from your account structure to your landing page, from ad copy to keyword selection.

This 1-10 score Google gives you is actually a reflection of the experience you provide to your customers. Offer a good experience to the user, and Google will reward you with cheaper clicks and better positions.

What about your experiences? Have you ever had a campaign tank due to a low Quality Score? Let's meet in the comments and share our experiences.