Google AdWords Quality Score Factors Chart

Posted: August 19, 2008

This is a quick reference chart that shows which of the major quality score factors affect the different quality score types.

10/2/08 Update:

The chart was updated to include the new geographic factors quality as well as what is used to calculate first page bid.

	First Page Bid	Search Quality Score	Content Quality Score (and placement CPC)	Placement (CPM)
CTR on Google.com	Yes	Yes
CTR on content site (specific or related sites to your ad display)			Yes
Display URL CTR	Yes	Yes
Account History	Yes	Yes
Relevance of keyword to ads in ad group	Yes	Yes
Relevance of keyword and ad to search query (or site)		Yes
Geographic Factors	Yes	Yes
Landing Page		Yes	Yes	Yes
Other Relevancy Factors	Yes	Yes	Yes

9/3/08 Update: Due to the changes in Quality Score, the chart has been changed to reflect those changes. It is important to note that these changes are not live for everyone yet, therefore, you need to pay attention to the original chart (below) until the changes are rolled out to everyone.

Essentially, since minimum bid is going away, most of the factors that were used in minimum bid will now be used in the Search Quality Score along with the original factors.

I’m sure there will be one last update when the new system is closer to a public launch due to the dynamic live nature of the new quality score.

Updated Chart: The red column means it’s going away. The Yellow is what will be added.

	Minimum Bid	Search Quality Score	Content Quality Score (and placement CPC)	Placement (CPM)
CTR on Google.com	Yes	Yes
CTR on content site (specific or related sites to your ad display)			Yes
Display URL CTR	Yes	Yes
Account History	Yes	Yes
Relevance of keyword to ads in ad group	Yes	Yes
Relevance of keyword and ad to search query (or site)		Yes
Landing Page	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Other Relevancy Factors	Yes	Yes	Yes

Here is the original chart (and what still matters today):

	Minimum Bid	Search Quality Score	Content Quality Score (and placement CPC)	Placement (CPM)
CTR on Google.com	Yes	Yes
CTR on content site (specific or related sites to your ad display)			Yes
Display URL CTR	Yes	Yes
Account History	Yes	Yes
Relevance of keyword to ads in ad group	Yes
Relevance of keyword and ad to search query (or site)		Yes
Landing Page	Yes		Yes	Yes
Other Relevancy Factors	Yes	Yes	Yes

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Related Information:

« I’ll be on PPC Rockstars Monday Afternoon

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Written by Brad Geddes aka eWhisper · Filed Under Blog, Google AdWords

Comments

23 Responses to “Google AdWords Quality Score Factors Chart”

Josh on August 19th, 2008 10:46 pm

Nice chart.. Can you provide evidence regarding the Display URL CTR affecting minimum bids & Search Quality Score?

Of course, we know that Google can effectively ban a domain from advertising by slapping the entire domain with high minimum bids. So there is some sort of tie in between the domain and minimum bid, but I believe you are talking about the CTR on the domain level?
Tom Hale on August 21st, 2008 10:40 am

One row I would add is General History, as opposed to Account History. General history (across all AdWords users) is a dominant factor early, seems to me.

Anyone care to take a stab at how these factors are weighed?

Take Search Quality Score for instance - here is my attempt at listing the factors in order of importance.

This is a total wild guess, for discussion proposes only - I have also broken it down into initial versus ongoing, because general historical is is more important initially than it is after account/campaign history is established.

Initial

General History
Account History
Google.com CTR
KW/Ad Relevance
Other Relevance
Display URL CTR

Ongoing

Google.com CTR
Account History
KW/Ad Relevance
Other Relavance
General History
Display URL CTR

-Tom Hale
Dissecting AdWords Quality Score Changes | bg Theory, LLC on August 22nd, 2008 9:26 am

[...] Google AdWords Quality Score Factors Chart [...]
InternetMarketingAdvice.net » Stop the Madness on August 24th, 2008 7:24 am

[...] bid price points which were based on relevancy (as deemed by Google’s Quality factors) - Here’s a good chart that demonstrates the key factors in Google’s quality score before the August 2008 change. By the way, Google cited this change as something good for [...]
10 Tips to Improve Ad Quality Score - Notes from SES San Jose | Search Engine Optimization on August 31st, 2008 10:49 am

[...] Geddes of bg Theory LLC offers a handy quick reference chart that shows which of the major quality score factors affect the different quality score [...]
Google AdWords Quality Score Factors Chart Updated | bg Theory, LLC on September 3rd, 2008 3:29 pm

[...] Google AdWords Quality Score Factors Chart [...]
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on September 3rd, 2008 3:35 pm

On the display URL; that was added later. Essentially, when QS first rolled out only the ‘ad copy’ (headline, d1, d2) was used to determine quality. This was added at a later time. For more info, see the AdWords help: http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10215
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on September 3rd, 2008 3:37 pm

If I had to pick one factor that I think is one of the most important to focus on it would be conversion rate (if you don’t convert, who cares about your quality score) and then CTR.

I think account history is more important for new keywords (especially the medial industry) than for most small businesses. Google doesn’t have a good way to judge new keywords,so looking at account history gives them a gauge of what you’ve done with the keywords you try.
Top 10 Resources to Pass the Google AdWords Exam in a Week | SEOptimise on September 8th, 2008 10:09 am

[...] More on Quality Scores And speaking of quality score, there is a simple AdWords Quality Scores Factors Chart at the bgtheory.com blog. I had a few of questions on my AdWords exam about what sort of things [...]
AdWords Quality Score now uses Geographic Signals | bg Theory, LLC on October 2nd, 2008 9:07 am

[...] updated the Quality Score Factors Chart to also include the new geographic information. Related Information: Google AdWords Quality Score [...]
Sopian on November 1st, 2008 5:41 am

Do value of clicks with impressions to influence score?
Example Today my value 6 but tomorrow can 5.
Google Quality Score Gains More Importance | The ClickEquations Blog on November 2nd, 2008 2:10 pm

[...] Like PageRank on the SEO side, Google makes only vague pronouncements while pundits and practitioners share theories and recommendation endlessly - but nobody can tell you definitively how to maximize your quality score. [...]
Ads were already normalized by position - Stop Freaking Out! | bg Theory, LLC on November 3rd, 2008 9:42 am

[...] note that this does not change the Quality Score Factors Chart – it’s just an update to the algo. I’ve seen some who have freaked out thinking that the [...]
Tomasz Frontczak on December 4th, 2008 5:06 am

Are you sure, that Landig Page factor do not affect First Page Bid.

Here is written:
http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10215
For calculating a keyword-targeted ad’s position, landing page quality is not a factor.

IMO — Landing Page is a factor for first page bid.

Great job and great blog.
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on December 4th, 2008 7:19 am

It is starting to get confusing. Essentially, trying to figure out where quality score is used as opposed to first page bids. Before it was easy, quality score with landing pages determiend min CPC, and if your bid was above the min CPC then landing page was thrown out in determining your ad rank.

If you look at this page, http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6111 you can see how ads are ranked. Google lists the factors on that page as:

Ad Rank = CPC bid × Quality Score

The Quality Score for Ad Rank on Google and the search network is determined by:

* The historical clickthrough rate (CTR) of the keyword and the matched ad on Google; if the ad is appearing on a search network page, its CTR on that search network partner is also considered
* Your account history, which is measured by the CTR of all the ads and keywords in your account
* The historical CTR of the display URLs in the ad group
* The relevance of the keyword to the ads in its ad group
* The relevance of the keyword and the matched ad to the search query
* Your account’s performance in the geographical region where the ad will be shown
* Other relevance factors
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on December 4th, 2008 7:24 am

As an FYI - this chart is in the AdWords seminar presentation, which is approved by Google and I did have conversations about this chart and first page bids to make sure it was accurate before it was posted.
AdWords Editor Update – Now Showing Quality Score & First Page Bids | bg Theory, LLC on December 17th, 2008 8:41 am

[...] now easy to sort by quality score within the editor to see where you should stop making bid changes and do some quality score [...]
Brad interviewed by Dr. Ralph Wilson | bg Theory, LLC on December 31st, 2008 9:41 am

[...] Don’t forget the factors that make up quality score. [...]
Does SEO improve your PPC Quality Score | New Edge Media Blog on January 5th, 2009 10:21 am

[...] a campaign. The closer related they are the better. Brad Geddes has a good list of what is known as parts of the quality score. “The reality of the quality score is actually quite simple … Essentially, it’s a measure [...]
Q&A - Does conversion rate affect my quality score? | bg Theory, LLC on January 9th, 2009 9:50 am

[...] Let’s put the rumor to rest: Your conversion rate does not affect your quality score. [...]
Should you put a phone number in your ad? | bg Theory, LLC on January 13th, 2009 10:03 am

[...] off, one of the largest quality score factors is click through rate. If you suddenly get calls from your ad, then you will not be getting clicks, [...]
Aaron on April 1st, 2009 12:17 pm

How do you feel about bidding on domain names as keywords to increase quality score and low cpc?

Great site btw, glad I found this one ;-).

Cheers,

Aaron
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on April 1st, 2009 3:58 pm

Aaron,

I have a tendancy to bid on what actually converts. In general, on search one keyword will not really help another keyword (account history is a pretty small factor). Therefore, bidding on a keyword to raise CTR helps much more for content than search.

However, since content uses a different set of factors for determining where you ad will be places, an actual domain name might not help in the overall strategy.

If the domain name words convert, then excellent. If they don’t then I wouldn’t bid on them outside of competitor research reasons.