If you run Google Ads and feel like you’re paying too much for too little, your Quality Score is probably where the problem hides. It’s the metric Google uses to judge how relevant and useful your ads are, and it has a direct impact on how much you pay per click and where your ads appear.
In this guide, we’ll break down what a good Google Ads Quality Score looks like in 2026, what pulls it down, and the actionable changes small businesses can make today to improve it and lower CPC.
What Is Google Ads Quality Score?
Quality Score is a diagnostic metric, rated on a scale from 1 to 10, that Google assigns to each keyword in your account. It reflects how well your ads, keywords, and landing pages match what a user is searching for compared to competing advertisers.
A higher Quality Score generally means:
- Lower cost per click (CPC)
- Better ad positions in search results
- More impressions for the same budget
- Higher ROI overall
You can find Quality Score inside Google Ads by going to the Keywords tab and enabling the Quality Score columns (Qual. Score, Ad relevance, Expected CTR, Landing page experience).
What Counts as a Good Google Ads Quality Score?
Not every score of 10 is realistic, and not every 5 is a disaster. Context matters, particularly whether you’re bidding on branded or non-branded terms.
| Quality Score | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 10 | Excellent | Expected for branded keywords and highly targeted campaigns. |
| 7 | Good | The realistic benchmark for non-branded, competitive keywords. |
| 5 to 6 | Average | Room to improve. Review ad copy and landing page match. |
| 1 to 4 | Poor | You are overpaying. Structural changes are needed urgently. |
Quick rule of thumb: Aim for 7 or higher on non-branded keywords and 9 to 10 on branded keywords. Anything below 5 signals that Google sees your ads as less relevant than competitors’, and you’ll pay a premium for every click.
The 3 Components That Shape Your Quality Score
Google calculates Quality Score using three signals, each shown in your account as Below average, Average, or Above average.
1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
How likely users are to click your ad when it shows for a given keyword, based on historical performance. See adalysis.com for their take.
2. Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the intent behind the keyword being searched.
3. Landing Page Experience
How useful, fast, and relevant your landing page is to visitors who click the ad.
If even one of these is rated Below average, your Quality Score will suffer, and so will your CPC.
How to Improve Each Component (Actionable Tweaks)
Boosting Expected CTR
- Tighten your ad groups. Group keywords by tight themes (ideally 10 to 20 closely related keywords per ad group). Broad, mixed ad groups dilute relevance.
- Use the keyword in the headline. If someone searches “emergency plumber London”, your ad should say exactly that in Headline 1.
- Add numbers, offers, and urgency. Phrases like “Free Quote in 24 Hours” or “From £29/month” drive clicks.
- Use all available ad assets. Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and image assets expand your ad footprint and lift CTR.
- Pause weak keywords. Consistently low-CTR keywords drag down the whole ad group. Remove them or move them to their own group.
Improving Ad Relevance
- Mirror search intent. If the keyword is informational (“how to”), don’t push a hard sale in the ad copy.
- Use responsive search ads wisely. Feed Google at least 10 to 15 distinct headlines and 3 to 4 unique descriptions that include your main keyword variations.
- Match message across the funnel. Keyword, ad headline, and landing page H1 should all speak the same language.
- Split branded and non-branded campaigns. Never mix them. Their intent, CTR, and messaging are completely different.
Fixing Landing Page Experience
- Send traffic to a dedicated landing page, not your homepage. The page must directly answer the search query.
- Speed matters. Aim for a load time under 2.5 seconds on mobile. Compress images, defer scripts, and use modern formats like WebP or AVIF.
- Make it mobile-first. Over 65% of paid clicks now come from mobile devices. Buttons, forms, and text must be thumb-friendly.
- Add trust signals. Reviews, certifications, guarantees, and clear contact info reduce bounce rates.
- One page, one goal. Remove menu clutter and keep a single, clear call-to-action above the fold.
- Match the ad’s promise. If your ad says “20% off summer sale”, the landing page must show that offer immediately.
How Quality Score Impacts What You Pay
Google rewards relevance with lower costs. The higher your Quality Score, the less you pay for the same ad position. Here’s a rough guide to how CPC scales:
| Quality Score | Approximate CPC Change |
|---|---|
| 10 | Up to 50% cheaper than baseline |
| 7 | Baseline CPC |
| 5 | Around 25% more expensive |
| 3 | Up to 100% more expensive |
| 1 | Up to 400% more expensive |
In short: moving from a 5 to a 7 can nearly halve your cost per click, without changing your bid.
Common Mistakes That Kill Quality Score
- Sending all traffic to the homepage
- One ad group with 200 unrelated keywords
- Ignoring negative keywords, letting irrelevant searches trigger ads
- Using only 3 headlines in a responsive search ad
- Slow, non-mobile landing pages
- Copying competitor ads word-for-word without differentiation
A 30-Day Action Plan for Small Businesses
- Week 1: Audit your account. Enable Quality Score columns and export the data. Identify keywords with a score of 5 or below.
- Week 2: Restructure ad groups. Break large groups into tighter themes. Rewrite ad copy so the primary keyword appears in Headline 1.
- Week 3: Rework landing pages. Improve speed, match headlines to ads, and remove distractions.
- Week 4: Add negative keywords, refresh ad assets, and monitor changes. Quality Score updates take a few days to settle.
Final Thoughts
A good Google Ads Quality Score isn’t about chasing a perfect 10 across the board. It’s about consistently hitting 7 or higher on the keywords that matter most to your business. That single change can dramatically reduce wasted spend and stretch your ad budget further.
If you’d like a hand auditing your campaigns or rebuilding landing pages that convert, get in touch with our team at Komodo Media. We help small businesses get more from every pound spent on Google Ads.
FAQ
What is a good Quality Score on Google Ads?
A score of 7 or higher on non-branded keywords is considered good. For branded keywords, aim for 9 or 10.
Where can I see my Quality Score in Google Ads?
Go to the Keywords section in your Google Ads account, click the columns icon, and add Quality Score, Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience.
How long does it take to improve Quality Score?
Changes typically show impact within 1 to 4 weeks, depending on your traffic volume. Higher-traffic keywords update faster. This write-up is worth a look.
Does pausing low Quality Score keywords help?
Yes, but only if they’re genuinely irrelevant or underperforming. Otherwise, restructure and improve them rather than removing them entirely.
Is Quality Score used in Performance Max campaigns?
No. Quality Score applies to Search campaigns. Performance Max uses different signals, though ad relevance and landing page quality still matter.
Can I have a high Quality Score but still low conversions?
Yes. Quality Score measures relevance and click potential, not conversion optimisation. Strong Quality Score plus a well-optimised landing page is what drives real ROI. We break it down further here.