JumpFly Blog: AdWords, Yahoo & Microsoft Advertising

I have certainly read many PPC advertising articles and blog posts regarding the importance of landing page text and it’s relationship to Sponsored Search keywords. While there is no arguing that the landing page should be highly relevant for the keywords used in order to facilitate the action of a conversion, there has also been some debate regarding the landing pages text and its relationship to Google’s Quality Score, and ultimately the price you pay per click. Let’s set the record straight.

Our friends from Google stopped by the JumpFly offices yesterday and we had a long discussion on the AdWords Quality Score process. So, this information is straight from the source. I’m only addressing the Quality Score and Landing Page relationship today, and will leave the other important aspects of Quality Score for other articles. Trust me, there is a lot to know when it comes to learning about Google AdWords Quality Score.

First, it is important to understand that there are actually two separate Google AdWords Quality Scores: QS1 & QS2

The first Quality Score, QS1, is the score to see if the keyword is even qualified to show. In the Q1 score, the quality of the landing page is factored into this algorithm. The biggest factors being relevant and original content, how you intend to use a visitor’s personal information, and navigability. Mostly, Google is trying to eliminate the type of poor quality websites that have shown a history of consistently providing a poor user experience from advertising on AdWords.

Once the Q1 score is factored and the keyword is able to enter the auction, the process moves along to the Q2 score.

The 2nd Quality Score (QS2) determines AdRank and CPC. I could go into great detail on all of the aspects of this very important Quality Score, however for this topic it is important to note that landing page quality is absolutely NOT a factor in QS2.

This was sure news to us, and I’m sure many of you might also find this to be unbelievable, however it is true. We spent a great deal of time talking about this and even watched a nice PowerPoint presentation to back it all up.

Of course, this new information directly contradicts some of Google’s online help documents. For example, on the Landing Page and Site Quality Guidelines page it says:

Furthermore, following our site guidelines will help improve your landing page quality score. As a component of your keywords’ overall Quality Scores, a high landing page quality score can affect your AdWords account in three ways:

Decrease your keywords’ cost-per-clicks (CPCs)
Increase your keyword-targeted ads’ position on the content network
Improve the chances that your placement-targeted ads will win a position on your targeted placement

So, what does this all really mean?

Well, it doesn’t change the fact that a well optimized webpage that is focused on a particular keyword will definitely help convert that visitor. It doesn’t change the fact that a landing page that falls short of Google’s initial Landing Page Quality guidelines might not even trigger the keyword.

It does mean that no matter how many times you stuff your keyword into a webpage, or change the keyword density, it will not help lower your cost per click for that keyword at Google AdWords. That, I’m afraid, is determined by other factors involved in QS2.

The bottom line here is that a well designed and focused landing page is a very useful and much needed aspect of any Sponsored Search campaign. Nothing will change that fact. All this simply means is that your groovy new landing page is not going to influence the price you pay per click for that keyword.

One of the most critical aspects of Google AdWords management is your ability to understand Quality Score and how it affects your account (and your business).

In this article, I am addressing the Quality Score used during a Google Search. 

Google’s AdWords Quality Score is used to determine how relevant your ad is to a visitor searching on a given term.  Google has developed, over time, algorithms to help them present the most relevant results to visitors based on many historical performance factors and on existing relevance factors.

In their quest to present the most relevant results to their visitors, Google rewards high quality ad / keyword combinations with higher positions and lower costs.

When a search query is performed there are two steps. 

1. The first page bid + your keyword (including match type) are used to determine if you are eligible to be shown on a particular search phrase.  In other words – “Are you In the Game?” 
   • The “first page bid” is an estimated metric that exists in your account with each keyword and is only displayed if your particular bid does not equal or exceed the bid estimate.  When Quality Score is used to calculate the first page bid, it does not consider your ad copy or the search query itself. 
2. Once you are eligible, your Quality Score + your Max CPC are used to determine where your ad will be positioned on the page – “Ad Rank” and how much you will be charged for the click – “Actual Cost Per Click (CPC)”.

Quality score is calculated at the Keyword level and is affected by:

• The relevance of the keyword and the ad copy to the search phrase
• The Historical Click Through Rate (CTR)
  • CTR in your current account
  • CTR of the keyword throughout all accounts
  • CTR of any account using your URL in the ads
  • CTR in your account in the geographic region you are targeting
• The Quality of your Landing Page

The algorithm takes into consideration the effect ad position has on CTR and adjusts the importance accordingly.

It is important to note that quality score is used differently within placements on the content network and we will discuss that next week.

If you’d like more information on the Quality Score, check out Google’s Improvements to Ads Quality Post or contact a professional PPC Management Company.

More about Kristie

Google AdWords Quality Score - Sometimes Slow is the Way to Go 

We certainly live in a fast-paced world where instant gratification is king.  And that is very apparent in the world of pay per click (PPC) advertising.  People search for items or services, ads are displayed immediately, people click the ads to be brought to the page where their desired item is sold or where the desired service is offered, then they purchase that item or service right there on the spot if it suits their needs.

So, if you are starting a Google AdWords campaign and you have 1,000 items to sell on your website, shouldn’t you advertise on all 1,000 items right from the beginning?  Won’t that bring you the most sales?  Won’t that be the quickest way to profitability?  Not necessarily.  It’s just not that easy. 

A strong initial Quality Score on Google is crucial to long-term success in the PPC advertising marketplace.  If you flood your account with thousands of low-traffic keywords, you will not build up that strong initial Quality Score, and in fact may be shooting yourself in the foot by branding your new account with a terrible Quality Score.  Too much too soon, is something you should seriously consider avoiding right out the gate for your new Adwords campaign.

The beauty of PPC advertising is it in its flexibility.  You can always add more keywords later.  You can always continue to grow and improve the account.  You have the power to shape it to serve your needs.  Don’t be too anxious to throw everything out into the marketplace before you establish a desirable AdWords Quality Score.

Learn more about Jack

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