How to Fix Poor Quality Score in Google Ads: A Step-by-Step Improvement Guide

Poor quality score improvement comes down to one habit: figure out which of the three components is weak, then fix that cause instead of tweaking everything. By the end of this guide you'll have a repeatable process for finding low Quality Score keywords, diagnosing what's dragging them down, and applying the right fix in the right order.

Before you start, you need Google Ads access with at least a few weeks of search data, plus permission to edit ad groups, ads, and landing pages (or someone who can edit the pages for you).

Step 1: Pull Up Quality Score and Its Three Components

Quality Score is a 1 to 10 estimate at the keyword level. It's built from three components, and each one is rated Below average, Average, or Above average:

• Expected CTR: how likely your ad is to get clicked when shown for that keyword.
• Ad relevance: how closely your ad matches the intent behind what people search.
• Landing page experience: how useful and relevant your page is to people who click.

These aren't visible by default. As of this writing, open the Keywords view, click the Columns icon, choose Modify columns, and open the Quality Score section. Add Quality Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance, and Landing page experience. Google moves menus around from time to time, so if the path looks different, search the Google Ads Help Center for "Quality Score columns."

One mistake to avoid: treating Quality Score as a KPI. Google Ads Help describes it as a diagnostic tool, not an input to the live auction. The auction uses real-time Ad Rank signals, which are calculated for each search. A 10 isn't a goal in itself, and there's no such thing as an account-level Quality Score. Use the number as a pointer to what to investigate, nothing more.

Also, keywords with very little traffic often show a dash instead of a score. There isn't enough data to rate them, so don't spend time chasing them.

Step 2: Prioritize the Keywords Worth Fixing

You don't need to fix every low score. Sort the keyword list by cost (or impressions if spend is small), then filter for a Quality Score of roughly 5 or below. That threshold is a judgment call, not a Google rule. In a small account you might use 6 or below to get a workable list; in a large one, 4 or below may be plenty.

Then apply a simple decision rule:

• High spend and low score: fix first.
• Low volume and no conversions: pause it or ignore it.
• Low score but converting at a profitable CPA: leave it for now (more on this in Step 7).

Next, check the pattern. If low scores cluster in a few ad groups, the problem is local, usually mixed themes or a mismatched page. If they're scattered across the whole account, look for something shared: a single generic landing page, a lazy ad template, or a pile of junk queries.

The component ratings tell you what kind of fix you need. Here's an illustration (the keywords are made up). Suppose "emergency plumber" shows Below average on all three components. That points to a structural problem: the ad group, ads, and page probably all need rework. Now suppose "water heater repair" shows Average on Expected CTR and Ad relevance but Below average on landing page experience. Rewriting ads won't help there. The page needs the work.

Write down your top 10 to 20 offenders, each with its weakest component. That list drives the rest of the steps.

Step 3: Clean Up Junk Search Terms That Drag Down Expected CTR

Keywords are what you bid on. Search terms are what people actually typed. Your keyword can trigger an ad on searches you'd never choose on purpose, and every impression on an irrelevant query without a click pulls down your click-through rate for that ad group. That feeds directly into Expected CTR.

Open the Search Terms Report and look at the queries behind your priority keywords. Flag anything clearly off-target: job seekers, DIY researchers, free-stuff hunters, wrong product types, wrong locations. Add those as negative keywords, which tell Google not to show your ads for matching searches.

Choose the negative match type deliberately:

• Broad match negative: blocks the ad when the search contains all your negative terms, in any order. Variations like close synonyms aren't blocked.
• Phrase match negative: blocks searches that contain your terms in that order.
• Exact match negative: blocks only that exact search.

Pick the narrowest type that does the job. If one odd query is the problem, use exact. If a whole theme is irrelevant, phrase usually works.

The classic mistake is adding a negative that overlaps your own positive keywords. If you sell "free trial software," a negative of "free" will kill your best traffic. Before saving a batch, scan your keyword list for the word or phrase you're about to block.

This is a spot where Keywordme helps with the workflow. It's a Chrome extension that lets you add negatives and pick match types with a click inside the Search Terms Report, so you skip the export-to-spreadsheet step. You still decide which terms are junk; the tool just speeds up applying your decisions.

Step 4: Tighten Ad Groups So Keywords Match Ads

Below average ad relevance usually means your ad group tries to cover too many ideas with one set of ads. If "running shoes," "trail running shoes," and "shoe repair" share a group, no single ad can match all three searches well.

Split mixed groups into tightly themed ones, each with its own ads. A good test: could one headline sensibly speak to every keyword in the group? If not, split it.

Your Search Terms Report is also a source of new keywords. High-intent queries that converted or clearly match your offer can be added as keywords in the right ad group, with the match type you intend (exact for proven terms, phrase for controlled expansion). Keywordme's one-click adding and keyword clustering can speed up this sorting and grouping, though check its current documentation for exactly how those features work before you build a process around them.

Then check the copy. The primary keyword's wording should appear naturally in at least some headlines and descriptions. If someone searches "emergency plumber," at least one headline should say something close to that, not just "Fast Local Service."

Don't overdo it, though. Single-keyword ad groups for every term become a maintenance headache, and small groups may not collect enough data to be useful. Aim for a manageable set of closely related terms per group, often a handful, all sharing the same intent and the same ads.

After restructuring, remember that moved keywords may start with less history in their new home. Give them time before judging the results.

Step 5: Rewrite Ads to Lift Expected CTR

If Expected CTR is the weak link, the ad itself needs to earn more clicks. Responsive search ads let you supply multiple headlines and descriptions, which Google combines. Fill them with variety, not near-duplicates:

• State the offer plainly: price, speed, guarantee, or the specific thing you do.
• Echo the searcher's wording instead of internal jargon.
• Include a clear call to action, such as "Get a quote" or "Book today."

Assets (formerly called extensions) add relevance and click appeal. Sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets take up more space and give people more reasons to click. Asset names and availability change, so check what's currently offered in your account before planning around specific types.

Test one change at a time. If you swap headlines, descriptions, and the landing page simultaneously, you won't know what worked. And give each version enough data to judge. Replacing ads every few days means you never learn anything, because early click patterns are noisy.

Pinning is a trade-off. Pinning a headline to a position gives you control over the message, which helps when legal wording or a key offer must appear. But it limits the combinations Google can test, which can hold back performance. Use it sparingly, and pin only what truly has to be fixed in place.

When you review results, compare ads within the same ad group and against that group's own history, not against another campaign with a different audience.

Step 6: Fix the Landing Page Experience

When landing page experience is Below average, the cause is usually one of three things: the page doesn't match the keyword, it loads slowly, or it feels untrustworthy.

Match the page to intent. The headline and main content should deliver what the ad promised. Sending every keyword to the homepage is a common cause of weak ratings. Someone searching "water heater repair" should land on a page about water heater repair, not a general services menu.

Check speed and mobile usability. Run the page through Google's PageSpeed Insights and look at the mobile results. Then load it on an actual phone. Can you read the text without zooming, tap buttons easily, and find the form or call button right away?

Be transparent. Google's guidance on landing page experience points to clear information about your business, an accessible privacy policy, honest claims, and easy navigation. Avoid misleading promises and intrusive pop-ups that block content. Guidance wording gets updated, so confirm against the current Google Ads Help page.

A practical order of work:

1. Pair your worst-rated keywords with the page they currently send to.
2. Build or adapt a page that matches each theme.
3. Fix the biggest mobile speed issues flagged by PageSpeed Insights.
4. Update the final URLs in your ads.

One mistake to avoid: expecting instant results. Landing page ratings can take a while to refresh after changes, so don't redo the page again the following week because the label hasn't moved.

Step 7: Monitor Changes and Know When to Stop Tweaking

Keep a simple change log: date, what you changed, which ad group or keywords it touched. A spreadsheet or the account's change history both work. Without dates, you can't tell later whether a rating moved because of your edit or because of something else.

Re-check the three component ratings after a few weeks of data. Quality Score tends to move gradually, so a few days of traffic tells you little. If a component is still Below average after a reasonable window, go back to the matching step: Step 3 or 5 for Expected CTR, Step 4 for ad relevance, Step 6 for landing page experience.

Know when to stop. If a keyword converts profitably at a fair CPA, a mediocre score isn't a reason to rework it. Quality Score is a diagnostic, and the number that pays the bills is cost per conversion. Put your effort where low scores and weak results overlap.

Finally, set a recurring rhythm. Monthly works for many accounts, weekly for high-spend ones. Each review, skim the Search Terms Report for fresh junk queries, add negatives, check any new low-rated keywords with real spend, and update the log.

Where to Start the Next Time a Score Drops

Next time, skip the guesswork: open the component columns, find the weakest rating on your highest-spend keyword, and fix that one thing first. Most of the recurring work after that is search term cleanup, which is also the most repetitive part.

That's where Keywordme earns its place. Optimize Google Ads Campaigns 10X Faster. Without Leaving Your Account. Keywordme lets you remove junk search terms, build high-intent keyword lists, and apply match types instantly, right inside Google Ads. No spreadsheets, no switching tabs, just quick, seamless optimization. Start your free 7-day trial (then just $12/month) and take your Google Ads game to the next level.