How To Improve Ad Rank On Google Ads

If you’re running a Google Ads campaign, you’ve probably come across terms like ‘Ad Rank’, ‘Max CPC bid’ and ‘Quality Score’. If these terms confuse you, don’t worry. This article breaks down what they mean and better yet, how you can improve your ad rank for better visibility of your ads against competitors.

First things first: What is Ad Rank?

Ad Rank determines where your ad appears on the page among other Google ads when someone performs a search on Google. In the world of sponsored advertising, positioning is everything – the higher your ad ranks in search results, the more visible it will be to potential customers.

Google calculates Ad Rank based on two main factors; your Maximum Cost-Per-Click (Max CPC) bid and Quality Score. Your Max CPC is the maximum amount you’ve decided to pay for every click on your promoted link while Quality Score measures the relevance of your keyword and quality of your landing page.

The formula used to calculate Ad Rank thus looks something like this:

Advertiser’s Max CPC bid * Quality Score = Ad Rank

Consider two shops, A and B, bidding on the keyword ‘running shoes’. Shop A bids a high Max CPC of $5. However, with a low Quality Score of 2, their Ad Rank is 10 (5 * 2). Shop B has a lower $3 Max CPC bid but an excellent Quality Score of 8. Thus, their Ad Rank is 24 (3 * 8). Despite Shop A bidding more per click, due to better quality and relevance, shop B gets higher visibility on search engine results.

Understanding The Role Of Quality Score

Google uses Quality Score as a way of determining an ad’s relevance and usefulness to search engine users based on several factors such as keyword relevance, landing page quality and user engagement metrics from previous campaigns.

In simple words, Google wants to show ads that are relevant to its users’ searches – not only does this make users happy as they get what they’re looking for more efficiently but also leads them to potentially transact with businesses quicker.

A high-quality score can thus immensely benefit advertisers by potentially placing their ads at higher positions at lower costs.

Let’s say we have two pizza delivery businesses, Pizzeria A and Pizzeria B, advertising on Google. Both are bidding on the keyword “pizza delivery.”

Pizzeria A has a vague ad and when clicked, directs users to their main webpage. On the other hand, Pizzeria B has an engaging ad that matches the keyword “pizza delivery”, and takes users straight to an easy-to-use order page.

Google analyses these factors and assigns both pizzerias a Quality Score. Even though both bid same amount on the keyword “pizza delivery”, Pizzeria B is assigned a higher Quality Score due to better user experience and relevance of their ad.

As a result, even though they paid the same amount per click as Pizzeria A, their high Quality Score enables them to secure a higher position in Google Ads at no extra cost.

Increasing Your Max CPC Bid

Although it may look like a simplistic strategy, increasing your max CPC can effectively enhance your ad rank position given that other competing advertisers operating with similar quality scores aren’t increasing their respective bids too much simultaneously.

However, be aware that it’s not always the best strategy – high bids coupled with low-quality scores leads to higher costs and lower ad positions.

Improving The Quality Score

To achieve a higher ad rank, you need to have a better quality score – which isn’t as simple as it sounds! But here are some concrete methods:

Keyword Relevance

Using keywords intelligently in your ad campaigns can greatly improve your quality score. Choose relevant keywords and match them appropriately with ads, tying them closely to your campaign.

Landing Page Quality

Google evaluates the landing page linked to your ads for its relevance, usefulness, and trustworthiness. Therefore, ensure your landing page delivers what was promised in the advertisement.

Ad Text Optimisation

Create engaging ad text by understanding what users would like to see. This improves not only click-through rates (CTR) but also increases your chances of moving up on Ad rank ladder.

Moreover, try focusing on smaller ad groups as Google rewards tightly themed campaigns; this means concentrating on few very relevant keywords rather than trying to target everything loosely related all at once.

In conclusion, achieving a higher Ad Rank takes time and dedication but with these instructions clear in mind; it’s certainly possible! Every brand undoubtedly prefers having their ads positioned right at the top of search engine results pages but remember Google’s top priority is always delivering useful content to users. Concentrate on providing value for consumers first – higher ad rank will definitely follow!

Keep improving those keywords and building valuable landing pages & content for better visibility resulting in increased digital marketing success!