What Is Ad Rank?
Also written as Google Ad Rank, ad rank score, Ad Rank thresholds.
Definition
Ad Rank is the score Google uses to decide if your ad can show and in what order among other ads. Google bases it on six factors, including your bid and the quality of your ad and landing page. A store can beat a higher bidder when its ad and page fit the search better.
Written by Christopher Krassnig, Founder & CEO of ZenoX Media. Written by the ZenoX team from the accounts we run. Definitions are general; the numbers in examples are maths, not client results.
Ad Rank, Explained
Ad Rank is worked out fresh for each search. Google lists six factors. Your bid. The quality of your ads and landing page. The Ad Rank thresholds (the minimum needed to show). How competitive the auction is. The context of the search, like the search terms, location, device and time. The expected impact of your assets and other ad formats.
Quality Score is not on that list. Many blogs still say it sets your Ad Rank. Google says Quality Score is not an input in the ad auction. It is a report of past quality, and Ad Rank uses quality measured at auction time.
The highest bid does not always win. Google says you can win a higher position at a lower price with high-quality ads and landing pages. Say you sell leather wallets and your page shows that exact wallet, in stock, with a clear price. A rival with a higher bid and a weak page can land below you.
Google also runs separate auctions for each ad location, so top ads come from a different auction than other spots.
How We Use It at ZenoX
We do not try to calculate Ad Rank. Google gives no formula you can run on your own account. We work on the parts we control: the product data, the page the click lands on, the offer and the bid. A better page helps every search.
Questions People Ask About Ad Rank
Is Ad Rank the Same as Quality Score?
No. Ad Rank decides if your ad shows and in what order, and Google works it out for each search. Quality Score is a 1-10 diagnostic at keyword level. Google says Quality Score is not an input in the ad auction.
Does the Highest Bid Always Win in Google Ads?
No. Google says it is not like an art auction where the highest bidder always wins. Your bid is one of six factors. Even if a rival bids more, you can still win a higher position at a lower price with high-quality ads and landing pages.
Related terms
- Quality ScoreQuality Score is a 1 to 10 rating of your ad quality, shown per keyword in Search campaigns.
- CPCCPC means cost per click.
- Ad AssetsAd assets are the content pieces that make up your ad and give shoppers useful business details, such as headlines, images, sitelinks and prices.
- Landing PageA landing page is the web page someone reaches after clicking your ad.
- Impression ShareImpression share is the percentage of impressions your ads got out of the total they could have got.
Go deeper
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