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What would a better click through rate and quality score do for your AdWords campaigns?
What click-through rate and Quality Score mean in Google Ads today
Click-through rate and Quality Score remain core performance signals in Google Ads, formerly known as AdWords. Google has refined the platform, but the underlying principle has not changed. Ads that closely match user intent receive stronger visibility at lower cost.
Google Ads works on an auction model. Your bid influences eligibility, but relevance determines efficiency. Ads that earn clicks and send users to useful, relevant landing pages gain an advantage over competitors with higher budgets but weaker relevance.
This is why performance gains often come from optimisation, not higher spend.
How click-through rate affects Google Ads performance
Click-through rate measures the percentage of people who click on an ad after seeing it. Google uses this as a behavioural signal to judge how relevant an ad is to a search query.
A strong click-through rate tells Google that your ad copy aligns with what the user is actively looking for. Over time, this increases ad rank and impression share. Ads appear more often and in better positions without raising bids.
Poor click-through rate signals a mismatch between keyword, ad copy, and intent. When this happens, ads lose visibility even if budgets remain unchanged.
What Quality Score actually measures
Quality Score is a diagnostic metric scored from 1 to 10 at the keyword level. It reflects how well your ads, keywords, and landing pages work together.
Google evaluates Quality Score using three signals:
| Quality Score signal | What Google is assessing |
| Expected click-through rate | How likely someone is to click your ad for that keyword |
| Ad relevance | How closely your ad copy matches the keyword and intent |
| Landing page experience | Relevance, clarity, speed, and usability of the page people land on |
Quality Score directly affects cost per click. Higher scores reduce the price you pay. Lower scores increase costs and restrict delivery.
Why do click-through rate and Quality Score work together
Click-through rate feeds directly into Quality Score. When ads earn consistent engagement, Google sees them as relevant and rewards them with lower costs and stronger reach.
Together, these metrics influence:
- Cost per click
- Ad position
- Impression share
- Budget efficiency
- Lead volume
This is why long-term Google Ads performance depends on relevance, structure, and user experience rather than bid inflation.
How landing pages influence campaign results
Google does not judge ads in isolation. Landing page experience plays a major role in Quality Score and conversion performance.
A strong landing page:
- Matches the search intent behind the keyword
- Reflects the ad copy language
- Loads quickly on mobile and desktop
- Makes the next action clear
When landing pages fail to meet these expectations, Quality Score suffers and costs rise. This is one of the most common causes of underperforming campaigns.
Realistic outcomes of improving click-through rate and Quality Score
Improving relevance does not just tidy up metrics. It delivers commercial outcomes.
| Before optimisation | After optimisation |
| Higher cost per click | Lower cost per click |
| Inconsistent ad visibility | More stable impression share |
| Budget pressure | Better budget efficiency |
| Low lead quality | Stronger conversion intent |
This is why experienced advertisers focus on structure, messaging, and intent alignment rather than chasing short-term wins.
Where this fits within a wider lead generation strategy
Google Ads performs best when it supports a wider digital strategy. Click-through rate and Quality Score improve faster when campaigns align with:
- Clear keyword intent mapping
- Purpose-built landing pages
- Ongoing conversion tracking
- Consistent message alignment
At Purplex Marketing, paid media is treated as part of a broader lead generation system rather than a standalone channel. This approach reduces waste and improves long-term returns.
Want a better click-through rate and quality score from your Google Ads?
If your cost per click is rising, leads feel expensive, or your ads are not showing as often as competitors, your click-through rate and quality score are usually part of the story. We will review your account structure, keyword intent, ad copy, landing page relevance, and conversion tracking, then give you a clear plan to lift performance.
Start with our PPC service, then pair it with SEO and content marketing so your ads and your organic visibility support each other. If your landing page needs work, we can also help with web design and e-commerce.
For a quick review, contact Purplex, call 01934 808132 or email grow@purplexmarketing.com.You can also explore related services: Marketing Consultancy, PR & Communications, Social Media, Design & Branding, Filming & Video Production, and LeadTracker.
| If you are seeing this | We usually check this first | Why it matters |
| High CPC and low impression share | Keyword intent, match types, search terms, bidding strategy | Cuts wasted spend and improves reach on searches that convert |
| Decent traffic but weak lead volume | Landing page relevance, form friction, call tracking, conversion setup | Turns clicks into enquiries you can track and improve |
| CTR below competitors | Ad messaging, assets, audience signals, competitor overlap | Improves engagement and often supports Quality Score |
| Sales team says “leads are poor” | Negative keywords, geo settings, audience exclusions, and offline conversion feedback | Improves lead quality and reduces time spent on the wrong enquiries |
You might like to read
If you are working on click-through rate and quality score, these related guides cover how PPC performance links to SEO, remarketing, and trust signals that improve response rates.
- SEO and PPC: when to optimise and when to pay for traffic, explained – How to combine organic search and paid media so you do not rely on one channel for leads.
- Is PPC right for my business? – A practical way to decide if paid search fits your margins, lead targets, and sales cycle.
- Reviews: how they can support your PPC strategy – Why trust signals can lift ad response and help performance features such as seller ratings.
- 5 reasons to start running remarketing campaigns – How to re-engage visitors who did not convert the first time and improve overall ROI.
About the Author – Martyn East
I’m Martyn East, an SEO Executive at Purplex with a strong focus on click-through rate and Quality Score in Google Ads. I help businesses reduce wasted spend by tightening keyword intent, improving ad relevance, and aligning landing pages to what people actually search for. That work supports better lead quality, lower cost per click, and more consistent campaign performance. If you want hands-on support, speak to our PPC team or explore our SEO services for joined-up search growth.
Connect with me on LinkedIn or read more of my articles: Martyn East.
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