Best practices marked [to improve CTR] are not a direct part of the Quality Score, but are suggestions on how to increase your CTR (Click through rate) – one of the Quality Score’s main factors.
Ad groups
– Create tightly themed ad groups with targeted keywords.
– Each ad group should have a few keywords as relevant as possible to the ad group, the ads, and the landing pages in order to generate a high CTR (Click through rate).
– Try SKAG – Single Keyword Ad Groups.
Bids
– Increase your bids for your high Quality Score’s converting keywords.
– Positions do not affect your Quality Score as you are competing on CTR (Click through rate) and Quality Score for competitors in the same position. Therefore bid for your most valuable position.
– If your keyword has a low Quality Score, do not raise your bids. Optimising your Quality Score is your top priority.
Keywords
– Choose high relevant keywords to your products and services.
– Test keyword match types. [to improve CTR]
– Add irrelevant search terms as negative keywords. [to improve CTR]
Negative Keyword Lists
– Instead of applying negative keywords to each campaign or ad group individually, create negative keyword lists and add negative keywords to the lists. You can then apply lists across appropriate campaigns and ad groups in your account.
TOOLS & SETTINGS > Negative keyword lists > Edit, remove or apply negative keywords.
– Move, pause or delete underperforming keywords based on your results.
– Consider that pausing or deleting keywords does not affect your Quality Score.
– Align a consistent message from keywords, to your ad copy and your landing page.
Ads
– Write interesting, simple, but eye-catching compelling ads.
– Use active language, clear and relevant words, not jargon.
– Write ads that are most relevant to users’ searches and needs, and that closely match and resonate with what they are looking for.
– Be direct instead of telling a long story.
– Write ads that focus more on benefits than features.
– Include your keywords in the Headlines (especially on Headline #1), and Descriptions. [to improve CTR]
– Repeat your keywords with moderation, 2-3 times maximum. [to improve CTR]
– Add extensions. [to improve CTR]
– Use a short specific strong call to action. [to improve CTR]
– Include keywords in Display URLs. [to improve CTR]
– Test different ad variations. [to improve CTR]
Landing Pages
– Create original, unique and high relevant content to match your ads and keywords.
– Your landing pages should always be aligned with your ads to deliver the same message or offer.
– Include a strong value offer and a call to action.
– Ensure your pages don’t have unnecessary distractions, such as extra text or images.
– Ensure your pages have high-quality and design.
– Ensure your pages load quickly.
– Ensure your pages are easy to navigate. [to improve CTR]
– Work on lowering bounce rate and increasing average time on page to improve your user’s experience. [to improve CTR]
– If necessary, create separate landing pages for specific campaigns, or ad groups.
Extensions
– Add all relevant extensions. [to improve CTR]
– If you have a high Quality Score, and you’ve activated ad extensions, raise your CPC (Cost per click) bids.
Conversion Rate
The Conversion Rate is not a part of the Quality Score.
It is a bad practice to design landing pages with easy conversions in mind, such as sign up forms and fictitious events in order to increase the number of conversions and the conversion rate.
Extract from my Book ‘Making Google Ads Work’.
