This guide explains the practical steps that actually move Quality Score, with a focus on Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience, the three core drivers Google uses to evaluate ad quality.
Why Quality Score Matters Even If You Are Not Chasing Position 1
Many advertisers assume Quality Score only matters for premium placements. In reality, it impacts the entire auction process:
- It affects Ad Rank, which influences where your ad shows.
- It can influence the effective CPC you pay to win impressions.
- It impacts impression share, especially when competition is high.
- It is often linked to better conversion rates because relevance improves across the journey.
If your Quality Score is low, Google usually needs a higher bid to justify showing you. If your Quality Score is strong, Google can show you more often at a lower cost because your ad is more likely to satisfy the user.
What Quality Score Is Based On
Quality Score is shown as a 1 to 10 diagnostic number at the keyword level. It is primarily influenced by:
1) Expected Click-Through Rate (Expected CTR)
Google’s prediction of how likely users are to click your ad for that keyword, compared to competitors.
2) Ad Relevance
How closely your ad copy matches the meaning and intent behind the keyword.
3) Landing Page Experience
How relevant, useful, fast, and easy is your landing page for someone who clicked the ad?
To improve Quality Score without increasing bids, you improve fit, not spend.
Step 1: Fix the Most Common Root Problem, Intent Mismatch
Most low Quality Score accounts have one main issue: ads are being shown for searches they should not be showing for, or the ad and page do not match what the searcher expects.
How to diagnose quickly
Look at these in each top ad group:
- CTR compared to account average
- Search terms relevance (are you getting “close” traffic or true intent traffic?)
- Bounce rate and time on page (or engagement metrics if you use GA4)
- Conversion rate by keyword intent (not only by campaign)
What usually causes mismatch
- Overuse of broad match without strong negatives
- One ad group targeting multiple offers or services
- Sending traffic to a generic page instead of a page that matches the search intent
Fixing mismatch usually improves Expected CTR and landing page signals at the same time.
Step 2: Restructure Ad Groups for Tighter Relevance
Google rewards clear theme alignment. If your ad group covers too many keyword variations, it becomes impossible to write ads and landing pages that match everything.
A simple structure that works
- One ad group = one main intent theme
Example: “Google Ads audit” should not live with “Google Ads agency” and “PPC pricing.”
Practical guideline
If you cannot write one ad headline that naturally fits every keyword in that ad group, your ad group is too broad.
What you gain
- Higher Ad Relevance
- Higher CTR because the copy feels exact
- Better landing page match because you can send traffic to the correct page
Step 3: Use Match Types Like a Scalpel, Not a Net
Match type strategy matters because irrelevant impressions kill CTR, and low CTR is one of the fastest ways to keep Quality Score stuck.
Recommended approach
- Exact match for your highest-intent, highest-value terms.
- Phrase match for growth while staying aligned with intent.
- Broad match only when:
You have a mature negative keyword list,
Conversion tracking is clean,
And you are segmenting properly by intent.
Tip that improves Quality Score fast
Separate broad match into its own campaign or ad groups so it does not pollute your core high-intent terms.
Step 4: Build a Strong Negative Keyword System
Negative keywords protect Quality Score by preventing “junk impressions” that never click.
What to exclude in most B2B and service accounts
- “free”
- “jobs”, “salary”, “career”
- “course”, “training” (unless you offer it)
- “definition”, “meaning”
- irrelevant locations, industries, or product types
The weekly routine
- Review search terms weekly
- Add negatives at the right level:
Campaign-level negatives for universal exclusions
Ad group-level negatives for intent separation
When negative keyword hygiene improves, CTR and relevance typically improve without any bid increase.
Step 5: Improve Expected CTR With Better Ad Craft, Not Tricks
Expected CTR improves when your ad matches intent and earns clicks consistently. You do not need gimmicks. You need clarity.
What to include in ads
- A clear promise that matches the keyword intent
- A strong value statement with specificity
- A next step that feels easy
Examples of intent-aligned messaging
- If the keyword suggests urgency: highlight speed and response time
- If the keyword suggests comparison: highlight proof, case studies, outcomes
- If the keyword suggests cost: address pricing approach or value
RSA best practices that actually help
- Use 2 RSAs per ad group
- 10 to 15 headlines, 4 descriptions
- Add one headline that mirrors the keyword theme naturally
- Add one proof headline: results, experience, or audit-based credibility
- Do not pin everything, pin only when necessary
Expected CTR improvement is one of the most reliable ways to raise Quality Score without higher bids.
Step 6: Use Ad Assets to Lift CTR and Relevance
Ad assets increase visibility and make your ad more useful. That typically increases CTR, which helps Quality Score.
Assets that usually help most
- Sitelinks: Pricing, Case Studies, Services, Contact
- Callouts: No long contracts, faster setup, dedicated support
- Structured snippets: Services, solutions, industries
- Call extension if calls matter
Assets do not replace ad quality, but they often give you a CTR lift that supports Quality Score.
Step 7: Upgrade Landing Page Experience Without Rebuilding Your Website
Landing page experience improves when the page delivers exactly what the searcher expects, fast, on mobile, with minimal friction.
The highest impact landing page upgrades
Message match headline: same promise as the ad
Clear above-the-fold section:
- who it is for,
- what you do,
- what outcome they get,
- one primary CTA
Speed improvements:
- compress images,
- reduce heavy scripts,
- improve Core Web Vitals
Trust signals:
- testimonials, ratings, logos, case studies, guarantees
Friction reduction:
- fewer form fields,
- clearer privacy note,
- reduce distractions
Why this lifts Quality Score
Google wants users to land and feel they are in the right place. When bounce decreases and engagement improves, landing page experience usually improves.
Step 8: Align Keywords, Ads, and Pages With One Simple Rule
When Quality Score is stuck, it is often because the journey is not consistent.
The alignment rule
- Keyword intent should match ad message
- Ad message should match landing page headline
- Landing page headline should match the CTA and offer
If any part feels disconnected, users hesitate, CTR drops, and Quality Score remains weak.
Step 9: Stop Letting Weak Keywords Drag Down Performance
Quality Score is shown per keyword, so a few weak keywords can absorb budget and hurt overall account efficiency.
What to do
- Pause keywords with consistently poor CTR and low relevance
- Replace with:
more specific long-tail variants,
intent-driven phrase or exact match terms,
keywords that match your actual landing page content
This is not about cutting volume. It is about cutting the impressions that do not convert.
A Practical 14-Day Plan to Improve Quality Score Without Raising Bids
Days 1 to 3: Fix targeting and structure
- Split ad groups by intent
- Adjust match types
- Add core negative keyword list
Days 4 to 7: Improve ads and assets
- Build 2 RSAs per ad group
- Add sitelinks, callouts, snippets
- Improve ad message match
Days 8 to 14: Improve landing pages and refine search terms
- Update headlines and above-the-fold layout
- Improve mobile speed
- Review search terms and add negatives
- Pause or replace weak keywords
This approach is designed to create Quality Score movement while keeping bids stable.
Common Mistakes That Block Quality Score Improvements
- Sending all traffic to one generic page
- Broad match without strong negatives
- One ad group with multiple different intents
- Ads that sound generic and interchangeable
- Slow mobile pages and unclear CTAs
- No assets or poorly maintained assets
Fixing these is usually more effective than raising bids.
Book a Call With Y77.ai’s Experts
If your Quality Score is stuck and CPC keeps rising, our team can help you fix the real cause, without relying on higher bids.
Book a call with Y77.ai’s experts today and get a clear plan to improve Quality Score, boost CTR, and make your landing pages convert better.