Quality Score is a rating from 1 to 10 that Google Ads gives each keyword. It tells you how your ad and landing page compare with other advertisers who showed for the same searches. Google calls it "a diagnostic tool" and says plainly that "Quality Score is not an input in the ad auction."
Why it matters for your business
Think of Quality Score as a warning light on the dashboard, not the engine. The auction uses live quality signals at the moment of each search. Quality Score summarises how those signals have looked for you, so a low number points to where money is probably leaking.
Google builds it from three parts, each rated above average, average or below average against advertisers on the exact same searches over the last 90 days:
| Part | The question it answers |
|---|---|
| Expected clickthrough rate | Will people who see this ad click it? |
| Ad relevance | Does the ad match what the person searched? |
| Landing page experience | Does the page deliver what the ad promised? |
The same qualities feed Ad Rank, which decides whether your ad shows and what you pay per click. So the fixes that lift Quality Score usually lower your costs too.
An example
This is an illustrative example. A dental clinic bids on "teeth whitening" and the keyword shows a Quality Score of 4. Expected CTR is average and ad relevance is average, but landing page experience is below average. The ad sends people to the clinic's home page, which never mentions whitening.
The clinic builds a page about whitening only: what it involves, the price range, how long it takes, and a booking button. Over the following weeks the landing page rating can move up to average. Nothing about the bid changed. The fix was the page.
How to use it
- Add the Quality Score columns, including the three parts, to your keyword report.
- Look at the part marked below average, not the headline number. It tells you whether to fix the ad, the keyword grouping or the page.
- Group keywords tightly so each ad can speak to one service.
- Send each ad group to the page that answers that search. Google's own advice is a page that closely matches your ad and keywords.
- Do not chase a 10. A keyword scoring 6 that brings paying customers beats a 9 that brings none.
For the full picture of the auction, read how Google Ads works. If you want a senior person to find the leaks for you, see our Google Ads management.
Frequently asked questions
Does Quality Score decide where my ad shows?
Not directly. Google says Quality Score is not an input in the ad auction. The auction uses real-time quality signals, and Quality Score is a summary that shows how those signals compare with competitors.
Why do some keywords show no Quality Score?
Google needs enough searches on the exact keyword to compare you with other advertisers. New or low-volume keywords often show a dash until there is enough data.
What is a good Quality Score?
There is no universal target. Any keyword with a part rated below average is worth a look, because that is where you are losing to competitors. Judge keywords by cost per customer first and Quality Score second.
Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026 by the Astrafolio team.