Google Ad Rank determines whether or not your Google Ad will be see displayed for given keywords. It also determines how far up the page your ad will appear.

Factors contributing to ad rank:

• Bid: max amount you’re willing to pay for a click on ad
• Ad rank threshold: to ensure high quality ads Google sets a minimum quality thresholds that your ad much achieve to hold a position (more on quality scores below)
• Content of query: Google evaluates search terms entered, target segment location, type of device using, time of search, nature of search terms, other ads and search results that show on page currently
• Ad extensions: how extensions and other ad formats you use will impact performance
• Relevancy: how relevant and useful the ad and website it links to are to a person. Quality score is aggregated



How ad rank contributes to cost per click (CPC)

• Average CPC is not the price you’re paying for each click
• CPC can vary a lot from auction to auction and depends on factors
• Higher quality ads typically lead to lower costs, better ad positions and more ad success

Quality score is an estimate of the quality of ads, keywords and landing pages. High quality ads lead to lower prices and better ad positions. Quality scores are comprised of expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance and landing page experience.

Factors contributing to your Google Ad quality score:

• Expected clickthrough rate: prediction of how often an ad will be clicked on when shown. This is essentially Google’s customer feedback. Users “vote” to increase visibility of ads by clicking on them.
• Ad landing page experience: Google likes landing pages that help users easily find what they are looking for. Be sure to use appropriate and original content that helps users complete tasks. Make your site easily navigable and transparent about your business. Google does track how your site interacts with users’ computers and how it intends to use personal information. Be sure not to spam users.
• Ad relevance: measure of how well ad matches with what the user is searching for.

There are 4 quality score status columns in Google Ads interface: quality score, landing page experience, ad relevance and expected clickthrough rate.

“You should use all relevant ad extensions for your business because the expected impact of ad extensions is factored into Ad Rank. For more details, use this best practices guide: Using Quality Score to Guide Optimizations.“

Definition: likelihood your ad will be clicked.

To Improve CTR:

• Be specific in your ad copy: include keywords in your ad text (especially in headline) to show people your ad is directly relevant to their search
• Experiment with different Call to Actions (CTAs): Ex. Offer free shipping or free returns? Call now or book now?
• Highlight a unique benefits of your product or service: what makes you stand out from competition? what matters to users? (ex. Exceptional warranty or return policy)
• Create time or location specific ad texts: test seasonal creative around holidays or special events. Test location optimized creative

Definition: how closely the ad matches the intent behind a user’s search.

To Improve Ad Relevance:

• Add negative keywords: prevent ads from showing on unwanted queries or queries not closely related
• Be specific on mobile: if mobile search is different from desktop, test mobile specific creatives
• Be local: target right region using only relevant languages and locations
• Include relevant search terms in ad copy

Definition: how relevant, transparent and easy-to-navigate the page is for users. To improve:

To Improve Landing Page Experience:

• Send traffic to the right landing page: direct clicks to pages related to the query.
• Be consistent: ensure landing page continues conversion set up by ad and follows through with ad’s offer/CTA
• Make the site transparent and trustworthy: easy for visitors to find your contact info, clearly state what your business does. If request personal info from customers make it clear why you’re asking for it and what you’ll do with it
• Work on loading speed and clarity: content visible above the fold
• Rethink mobile: optimize for mobile

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