Many newbies think they understand the concept behind Quality Score especially because every time they ask a question regarding the details they receive the same automated response from support. What they do not always understand is why the Quality Score incorporates such general issues that when they research their score no exact reason is given as to why it may be low. How are advertisers supposed to adjust their landing page or ad campaign if they are not sure what is prompting the negative rating?

The key concept of the whole Google empire is *relevance*. That’s what made Google the No 1 Search Engine in the world and that’s the cutting edge which continues to keep Google ahead of the competition. While in general *relevance* refers to the usefulness of information to a user, in terms of figures it is reflected by a keyword’s Quality Score which is algorithm based so that the AdWords system can calculate with it. Of course, any mathematical algorithm per se can only be an approximation e.g. as compared to the linguistic-psychological notion, conception or mental apprehension of what “relevance” means for us, humans. Even the best mathematical algorithm is nothing more than just an approximation. However, so as to achieve a good approximation, the Quality Score formula needs to be pretty complex and to include a lot of factors for consideration.

If you take a look at the above help page you’ll see that a really great number of factors are considered in the calculation. Some factors are within the scope of your responsibility while some are beyond. Accordingly, a low rating can be caused by any of them and only a very thorough investigation of your case can decide what the real reasons might be. Paradoxically, such an investigation cannot be algorithm based for the time being, it requires human intelligence in most cases.

Many people likewise wonder how it is possible to have a good average position of e.g. 4.5 but then not have a first page bid? If the average position is 4.5 doesn’t that qualify you to be on the first page?

The first page bid estimate only applies to search queries exactly matching your keyword, it may well not apply to phrase or broad match search terms. This translates you may accrue a good avg. position from phrase and/or broad match impressions while simultaneously the first page bid estimate indicates that your bid is too low for the first page. (In regard to an exact match impression, of course.)