Webmarketing123: Everything You Need to Know About PPC Quality Score-08-24-2011

Everything You Need to Know About Quality ScoreMaster this simple, yet powerful, metric to get the most out of Google AdWords

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1 Definition of Quality ScoreAn introduction to Quality Score (QS)

2 How Quality Score Impacts Your CampaignThe importance of paying attention to QS

3 Quality Score MisconceptionsAvoid these fallacies for maximum PPC performance

4 Optimizations TipsBest practices for continual Quality Score improvement

5 Key TakeawaysRecap of Quality Score

Webinar Agenda

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Webinar Agenda

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1 Quality Score: The BasicsA crucial element of a successful account

What It Is: A measure of relevancy that Google

assigns to each keyword

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1 Why We Need Quality ScoreHelps to reconcile the interests of users, advertisers, and Google

Users

GoogleAdvertisers

Want to see

relevant ads – not

spam

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Users

GoogleAdvertisers

Want to show

relevant ads so

users click on them

and visit their site

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Users

GoogleAdvertisers

Provide good

experience for both

advertisers and

users so both

parties continue to

use service moving

forward

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1 Components of Quality ScoreThree main factors to determining QS

Courtesy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7l0a2PVhPQ

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1 Components of Quality Score: Click-Through RateBy allowing users to vote with their clicks, there are millions of people who help decide which ads are best for each search query

Helps to

incorporate

user feedback

into ad serving


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1 Components of Quality Score: RelevancyTakes into account the relevancy of the keywords to 1) the ads, 2) the user‟s search query, 3) and landing page

Used to

ensure that

only useful ads

are displayed

to users


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1 Components of Quality Score: Landing Page QualityConnects initial keyword search with a relevant product or offering

Includes quality of

your LP,

geographic

factors, etc.


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1 Other DetailsThe nitty gritty

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1 Other DetailsThe nitty gritty

• Google keeps track of history, but recent data is

favored

• There is both keyword, group, and account level

QS

• There is separate QS for Google.com and the

Google Search Network

• QS is dynamic and is calculated in real time

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Webinar Agenda

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2 Why Quality Score MattersLarge impact on overall performance of account

Quality Score (QS) affects four main elements:

Actual CPC

Ad Eligibility

Ad Position

First Page Bid

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• Impacts whether your ad qualifies to enter the ad auction

• A QS between 1-2 can prevent your ad from appearing

2 Quality Score and Ad EligibilityQS affects an advertiser‟s ability to show ads to users

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2 Quality Score and Ad PositionAd rank = QS x Bidded CPC

Influences inclusion into

premium ad space (yellow box)

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2 Quality Score and Ad PositionAd rank = QS x Bidded CPC

Influences whether ad extensions

will trigger (site links, call

extensions, etc.)

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• Impacts first page bid estimate

• QS had a direct impact on the CPC you pay

• Higher QS = lower CPC

2 Quality Score and CostAffects bid estimates and CPC

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2 Why Quality Score MattersSummary

It’s simple: A strong Quality Score means…

More Traffic

Lower Cost

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How It’s Used

• Visible QS is an integer between 1-10

displayed in AdWords

• 6-7 is about the average

• “Internal” QS is what is actually used by

Google – there‟s little public info about this

How It’s Calculated

• Visible QS is only calculated from queries

which precisely match the keyword

• QS is calculated for other queries, but

is not displayed

3 Misconceptions: Visible vs. Internal QSDifferences between types of QS

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Bottom line: Write relevant, useful, original content that makes it clear what

your offer or product is about

3 Misconceptions: Landing Page FactorsA small component of QS, much misleading information in the public realm about this

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• For example, you might pause or delete all keywords with low QS

• However, these may actually generate strong lead flow/revenues for your

business!

• Or your strategy may be to prequalify in ad copy

• This could reduce CTR and actually lower your QS

• Do not throw out the baby with the bathwater

3 Misconceptions: QS is the “Be All, End All” MetricQS should not be the only metric driving decisions within your paid search campaign

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3 Misconceptions: QS is the “Be All, End All” MetricQS should not be the only metric driving decisions within your paid search campaign

• For example, you might pause or delete all keywords with low QS

• However, these may actually generate strong lead flow/revenues for your

business!

• Or your strategy may be to prequalify in ad copy

• This could reduce CTR and actually lower your QS

• Do not throw out the baby with the bathwater

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3 Misconceptions: Boosting Rank Will Improve QSAverage position is not a factor in calculating QS

Fact #1: Forcing a high

rank will provide a high

CTR… but will not improve

QS

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Fact #2: Google

normalizes CTR and QS

calculations by rank

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•Fact #3: You are

compared against other

advertisers on a level

playing field

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Webinar Agenda

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4 Improving Quality ScoreDo what you should already be doing!

Improving QS

RelevancyLanding Pages

CTR

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Ad Groups: Create smaller ad groups so all

keywords share a central theme

Why?: This will improve both relevancy and CTR;

also helps facilitate ad testing

“Special” Keywords: Consider separating „special‟

keywords from the rest, eg.:

• High click or conversion volume

• Very low QS

Re-evaluate: keywords with very low QS (1-4)

4 Improving QS: Structural FactorsRestructure your adgroups to focus on central themes

1 to 4

Original AG

New AG

New AG

New AG

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• Ensure that ad copy is relevant to keywords and user query

• Improving relevancy will naturally boost CTR

4 Improving QS: Ad FactorsContinually optimize and test your ad copy

Keyword Search

Ad copy

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• Setup systematic ad testing to improve CTR

• Keep track of elements being tested

• Maintain a schedule to check in on results

• Start with high volume ad groups or trouble areas

• Consider pausing ads with CTR 50% lower than average

4 Improving QS: Ad FactorsContinually optimize and test your ad copy

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4 Improving Quality ScoreImprove your CTR!

Expanded Headline

Incentives

Copyright Symbol

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• Page load time

• Build relevancy with

keyword within the on-

page content

• Have simple navigation

• If you capture PII,

provide a link to your

Privacy Policy and Opt-

Out

4 Improving QS: Landing Page FactorsMeet recommended landing page requirements

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Webinar Agenda

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• Quality Score determines ad position and CPC

• CTR is the single largest component of QS

• Optimizing for QS encourages you to take beneficial actions

• Remember, QS is an important metric…

… but not your ultimate measure of success!

5 Key Takeaways

Thank You! Questions?

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Webmarketing123: Everything You Need to Know About PPC Quality Score-08-24-2011