marketing you can measure™
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1. There is only one quality score
False. The Google content network and search network have separate quality scores. This is generally because the content network performs very differently to the search network and if there were only one quality score this could adversely affect your overall score.
2. Using different match types improves your quality score
False. Google maintains two types of quality score: one to compute minimum cost-per-click (CPC) bids and another to determine ad position. Neither is directly impacted by match type.
So if you were to add the same keyword but with three different match types, all three would have the same quality score.
3. You can buy a good quality score
False. Many are under the impression that if they bid high and maintain a good click-through-rate (CTR) then their quality score will be high. But Google’s quality score is based on relevance so even if your ads are in lower positions Google will measure relevance relative to position.
4. High CTR = High quality score
False. As mentioned above quality score is based on delivering relevant results to keyword searches. Quality score is calculated by many factors, CTR being only one of a host.
5. Quality score is reset when optimising your account
False. After creating an account or optimising an existing account, quality score will automatically go in at an average level. Google will then calculate the true quality score and will either increase or decrease the existing average. If you optimise an account and are trying to better the relevance of results, you can be sure that Google will compensate you with a higher quality score.
6. Quality score is affected if your ads are not running
False. If you pause an account quality score will not be affected. But bear in mind that seasonal trends can affect your quality score if you reactivate an account.
For example, you have recently run an excellent Adwords campaign selling Christmas trees and Google reward you with a high quality score. But perhaps you reactivate the account in May and due to the lack of relevancy or demand, your quality score drops.
Sam is an online marketing executive. He brings over 5 years online marketing experience to Coast Digital, having joined us in summer 2007. Sam specialises in pay per click (PPC), search engine optimisation (SEO) and affiliate marketing.
Some of Sam’s current clients include CompareandSave.com, NetBenefit, EWA Ltd, Growell, Technology In The Home and Academy Class.
Sam creates PPC accounts for his clients using best practice methods whilst working to an agreed CPA and target ROI. As for SEO, he uses ethical techniques to increase natural traffic and push his clients to the top of the search engine results.
In December 2009 Sam passed Google's new AdWords Foundation and Advanced exams which attests his thorough understanding of the AdWords platform. Sam is a Microsoft Certified Professional and a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician.
(9) comments
Comments
Quality Score is based on your keyword's clickthrough rate (CTR) on Google; the relevance of your ad text, keyword, and landing page; and several other relevance factors.
A Quality Score is calculated every time your keyword matches a search query-that is, every time your keyword has the potential to trigger an ad.
Does this mean google actually checks the landing page everytime you ad could be presented? Doesnt seem feasible. Also, if true, you could see immediate changes to your QS after making landing page changes. I suspect the wording "Quality Score is calculated every time" means other, less intensive, factors are checked everytime. Thoughts?
Thanks for your reply.
It's all very confusing, I thought the quality score was once stored in your accounts activity and history but I believe now it's served in real time and is measured at the time of every search query. Surely this can't be right? I have run adwords for a mortgage site and after 5 years finally got the cpc down from £3 to 75p for a top 3 position, then I set up another account for another site which should have far superior landing pages, more relevant ads and keywords but Google want +£4 to get a first page listing.
So this should state that your quality score is stored.
I'm understanding that the best method of redirect is 301.
If when switching domains you keep the same content, then the landing page quality shouldn’t be any different.
After updating your adverts with the new URL Google will detect that you have account history and if the QS of the new domain is the same as the previous, the CPC should settle down quite quickly.
There are of course best practice methods of moving domains and implementing the correct redirects. If you would like more information on QS or the SEO implications then please contact me.
What would happen if you ran an adwords campaign for a certain number of years and then changed your domain name, does the quailty score that has built up over time dissapear or will it continue with the new domain.
I suppose what i'm asking is, is the quality score based on your domain name or the account itself??