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Marketing

How to Improve Your Google Ad Rank? Learn Here

MM
Matt Montenegro Founder & CEO
18/08/2021 6 min
TL;DR

Google Ad Rank decides whether your ads can show and where they sit versus other advertisers. Google weighs bid, ad and landing page quality, thresholds, competition, search context, and asset impact.

  • Why it matters: Low Ad Rank can keep ads from showing on the keywords you targeted.
  • By the numbers: The article flags a 1.5% CTR as below average when the keyword average is 3%.
  • How it works: Fix quality and landing page experience before you simply raise bids.
  • Reality check: Relevancy also means at least three ads per ad group and themed ad groups.
  • The bottom line: Pair tighter copy and negatives with a landing page that matches the promise.

Anyone who’s ever performed a Google search is used to seeing Google ads turn up as part of the search engine results page (SERP). 

But have you ever wondered how exactly Google determines the order in which to show you those ads? 

It’s not as random (or as simple) as it might seem at first glance.

Google assigns a position to each ad according to a formula called ad rank. Not only is your rank determined by a variety of different factors, but it’s very possible to improve it over time.

Here’s a closer look at everything you need to know to better understand your ad rank score, as well as some expert tips for improving yours.

Stay Concise and Relevant

Not all search engine users click on ads, but those who do are generally looking for something specific. 

For example, they’re less likely to search broad terms like “health insurance” and more likely to be looking for “self-employed health insurance options“.

Make sure your copy not only sticks to the point but matches the exact queries your ideal customers are likely to make. 

You’ll also want to make sure your landing page URL is specific, so your customer knows they’ve found what they need.

Speak Your Customer’s Language

Regardless of your industry, your job is to provide a product, service, or experience your customers are looking for. 

Keep in mind that they’re likely not industry experts while you are. Therefore, the language you use to communicate with your target audience matters.

Learn to speak your customer’s language and communicate using terms they understand. 

Pay special attention to tone, voice, and delivery. Avoid overwhelming them with too much tech talk and industry jargon. 

Instead, try getting into their heads and talking the way that they think.

Chances are, if you’re writing like you talk, you’re at least halfway there. Natural phrasing tends to stick much better than something stiff or unnecessarily formal. There’s a difference between sounding knowledgeable and sounding like you just copied a product specification sheet. People spot jargon from a mile away—and most of the time, they scroll right past it. Don’t let that be the reason they give your site a miss.

And honestly, getting inside your customer’s head isn’t about some mind-reading Jedi trick. It can be as simple as running a survey, checking out the language in customer reviews, or even—if you’re feeling social—hopping onto forums where your audience hangs out. That’s where you’ll notice the little quirks and questions that matter to real people, and not just personas on a slide deck. The subtle stuff often signals what’s actually important.

Include a Call to Action

Adding a compelling call-to-action (CTA) to your ad helps nudge your customer in the right direction. 

Spell out what you want them to do, and clarify precisely what they’ll get if they follow through with that action. 

Consider including the price of your product or service in your ad, as well.

Again, be specific and concise. Address your customer directly, and use clear language that urges a customer to take decisive, immediate action.

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Why is Your Ad Rank Low?

If your ad rank is low, there’s a high likelihood it won’t actually show up for your targeted keywords. 

If this is the case for your ad, you’ll see a warning message on your Google Ads account that tells you as much. 

Here are some possible explanations for a low ranking:

Low Bid

The easiest way to raise your ad rank is to increase your bid, which naturally also increases costs. 

For that reason, address any quality issues first. Then gradually raise your bid accordingly.

Poor Relevancy

Make sure your ads are relevant for all of your associated queries. 

You’ll also want to make sure you’ve created at least three ads per ad group for best results.

Below-Average CTR

If the average click-through rate for a particular keyword is 3 percent and yours is only 1.5 percent, your CTR is below average. 

One of the most common reasons for a lagging CTR is irrelevancy. Another is disorganization.

Always organize ad groups according to theme to improve your user’s overall experience.

Poor Landing Page Experience

A high-ranking ad that performs as it should is only partially about the quality of the ad. 

It’s also about the experience offered by your landing page. If yours needs improvement, it will almost certainly hurt your ad rank. 

You can check for this possibility by viewing your quality score.

How Can You Fix a Low Ad Rank?

Ad rank and user experience go hand in hand, so focusing on quality is rule number one when you’re looking to improve your ad rank.

Here are some tips for doing precisely that.

1. Work on your landing page

If your landing page offers a subpar user experience, your ad rank will continue to suffer, even if your ads are impeccably written. 

Make sure you’re doing everything you can to improve your site and boost your quality score.

  • How SEO-friendly is your website?
  • Do your website’s meta tags contain your main keywords?
  • Is your site searchable?
  • Is your layout clean, simple, and easy to navigate?
  • Is your website fast and easy to navigate on multiple devices?
  • Do you listen to and act on feedback from your visitors?

2. Review URL relevancy

If you’ve ever clicked on a search result only to get something other than what you were promised, then you know how frustrating it can be.

Relevancy and reliability are critical when it comes to ad performance and ad rank.

The better your ads fit the precise experience your landing page delivers, the better. Make sure you’re not misleading potential visitors on either level.

Work on making your ad groups more specific, as well. The more specific and targeted your ad groups, the more likely it is that your individual ads will reach your intended audience.

3. Polish your ad copy

Ads literally don’t leave any room for error, so make sure you’re making the most of the limited space you have to work with. 

Yes, word choice is a big part of that, but so are the nuts and bolts of excellent writing.

Steer clear of wording or stylistic choices that could seem gimmicky — no wild spelling, random capitalization, or cheesy spelling choices. 

Watch out for excessive punctuation, as well. A poorly-written ad can quickly erode a potential customer’s trust in what you’re advertising.

4. Make sure you’re using negative keywords

While you definitely want to make sure you’re ranking for the right keywords, you’ll also want to make sure you’re not ranking for the wrong ones. 

Irrelevant clicks can frustrate potential visitors and damage your ad rank. They also hurt your return on your investment (ROI).

Cut down on the likelihood of irrelevant search returns and clicks by including negative keywords in your campaign. 

Negative keywords allow you to block your ad from appearing in searches you don’t intend.

Wrap Up: Ranking High Requires Dedication

Successful efforts to improve your ad rank are all about making sure all the details are well-covered. 

Of course, your ads need to be well-crafted, concise, and relevant to your landing page. 

But the content your would-be customers find waiting for them once you win their clicks is critical, as well. Otherwise, you’re looking at a poor user experience and high bounce rates.

High-quality interactive content experiences can help boost user experience, optimize your conversion rates, and raise your ad rank.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate Google Ad Rank?

Google does not publish a single public formula. Official Help says Ad Rank uses bid, ad and landing page quality, Ad Rank thresholds, auction competitiveness, the context of the search, and the expected impact of ad assets and formats. Quality signals are summarized in Quality Score inside Google Ads. Recalculation happens for each search and position.

What are common reasons Ad Rank stays low?

This guide points to a low bid, poor relevancy across queries, below-average CTR, and a weak landing page experience. It also notes Google Ads may warn you when rank is too low to show. Check Quality Score and landing page fit before you spend more on bids.

How can you fix a low Ad Rank without only raising bids?

Improve the landing page for speed, clarity, and keyword-aligned meta and navigation. Confirm the URL experience matches the ad promise, polish concise ad copy, and add negative keywords so irrelevant searches stop draining CTR. Raise bids gradually only after quality issues are addressed.

Why do negative keywords help Ad Rank?

Negative keywords block ads from searches you do not intend, which cuts irrelevant clicks that frustrate visitors and waste budget. The article ties that cleanup to better ROI and healthier Ad Rank. Build the list from query reports that never convert.

MM Matt Montenegro

Matt Montenegro

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