Quality Score

Every Search Engine Marketing Professional tries to maintain a high Quality Score. Lets face it, a high Quality Score means better position on SERP, and lower CPC compared to competition. Below are some quick facts I found have proved to be helpful, but none of us will be able to crack Google, Yahoo, or MSN’s Quality Score Algorithm.

Google’s Quality Score is based on [Exact Match] version of the , the ad’s Quality Score, & Current advertiser competition on that . Also, historically I have noticed, [Exact Match] always has the heighest Conversion Rate and lowest Cost Per Conversion, even if the overall conversion contribution is low.

Here is what we as search marketers have to work with or can do in order to achieve a high Quality Score:

Basic Account Structure:

  • Splitting into smaller, more targeted Ad Groups
  • Relevant Ad Copy for each Ad Group
  • Optimizing Creative - using verbs and calls to action
  • Experiment with Match Type Testing, and Pause Poor performing Match Types

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

  • Link Building
  • Implementing within Content - i.e. Rich Content
  • Adding best performing as meta tags, and best performing ad copy as meta description
  • Essential Site Pages - Privacy Policy, Contact Us page, External links to other pages of the website

Overall Landing Page:

  • Overall Landing Page Quality - relevance of landing page to user’s search query
  • Landing Page Load Time

Steps to Improve Quality Score:

  • Identify with low Quality Score and start with adjusting their bids or pausing those
  • Creating Landing Pages specific to highly targeted Ad Groups will help increase conversion and Quality Score
  • Tailored Ad Copy will improve Click Through Rate (CTR) and Quality Score
  • Start Campaigns with [Exact Match] and build list with other Match Types overtime (although, I personally start with all 3 to speed up the optimization curve of the account)

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 11:57 pm and is filed under 1. PPC Basics, Quality Score. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Quality Score”

  1. Search Engine Optimization Basics I | Search Engine Marketing Says:
    December 30th, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    [...] http://www.mysemblog.com/post/987237hcecbew90/12 [...]

  2. PPC Match Type Testing - Broad, Exact, Phrase | Search Engine Marketing Says:
    December 31st, 2008 at 7:31 pm

    [...] Phrase Match into the account, I usually start with only Broad Match & Exact Match - Refer to Quality Score [...]

  3. Lisa Says:
    June 12th, 2009 at 8:20 am

    The AdWords Quality Score (QS) factor is really coming into play these days when advertisers have to be extremely careful regarding budget & spend management. What do you think?

  4. Darren Says:
    June 12th, 2009 at 8:43 am

    Google quality score (QS) is one of the most important metrics in AdWords and can be the most difficult to grasp since the big G never reveals the algorithm behind it. Google can ’slap’ you with a low quality score without even knowing why.

  5. JaneRadriges Says:
    June 14th, 2009 at 12:15 am

    Hi, very nice post. I have been wonder’n bout this issue,so thanks for posting

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