Google Ads 3 min read

The Truth About Google Ads "Ad Strength" (And How to Actually Use It)

Google constantly pushes advertisers to achieve an "Excellent" Ad Strength score. But blindly following their criteria to appease the algorithm can actually hurt your campaign…

Google constantly pushes advertisers to achieve an "Excellent" Ad Strength score. But blindly following their criteria to appease the algorithm can actually hurt your campaign profitability.

Understanding the Ad Strength Score

When writing text ads, Google provides real-time feedback rating your ad as Poor, Average, Good, or Excellent. The platform uses this score to push advertisers toward its preferred best practices. To achieve a high rating, Google evaluates four specific criteria: Volume: Adding up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Uniqueness: Ensuring every asset is distinctly different. Flexibility: Leaving assets unpinned so Google can rotate them. Relevancy: Including your targeted keywords in the ad copy. Most advertisers assume an Excellent score is mandatory for success. However, optimizing purely for this metric often leads to worse performance.

Forcing Too Many Headlines and Descriptions

Google provides up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions per ad. To get an Excellent score, the platform strongly encourages you to fill every available slot. This is often a mistake. When you force yourself to write 15 headlines, the quality of your messaging inevitably drops. Your first five headlines might be highly persuasive. The remaining ten are usually uninspired filler written purely to check a box and satisfy the algorithm. Take your time and focus on solid messaging. Only use the maximum number of assets if every single one is highly relevant and adds value to the campaign.

The Trap of False Uniqueness

Google will actively lower your Ad Strength score if your headlines are too similar. Saying "Fast Delivery" and "Free Delivery" might accurately describe your offer, but the algorithm wants complete variety. To appease the system, advertisers sometimes stray from their core messaging just to sound different. This dilutes the ad's impact and confuses potential customers. Instead of writing random variations, map out your actual unique selling points. Use distinct benefits to create genuine uniqueness, rather than using different words for the sake of the algorithm.

The Penalty for Pinning Content

Google allows you to "pin" specific headlines or descriptions to ensure they always appear in a certain position. However, doing this immediately lowers your Ad Strength score. Google wants complete control to mix and match your assets using its machine learning. But you know your brand messaging and compliance requirements better than the platform does. An independent study of one million ads showed that advertisers who pinned some of their content achieved a 224% Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). This significantly outperformed advertisers who left all their content completely unpinned. Do not be afraid to pin content if a specific headline must be shown first. Run experiments testing unpinned ads against partially pinned ads to see what truly drives conversions for your specific account.

Focusing on Keyword Relevancy

Of the four Ad Strength criteria, keyword relevancy is the one you should always prioritize. The more your bidded keywords appear in your ad copy, the better your score. This aligns perfectly with standard best practices. Including the exact terms your prospects are searching for increases your Quality Score and improves your overall click-through rate. Always ensure your ad content directly reflects the user's search intent.

What the Data Actually Says About Profitability

Google claims that moving an ad from Poor to Excellent can increase conversions by up to 12%. However, real-world data paints a very different picture. An independent study analyzing over one million ads revealed that ads with a "Poor" rating actually drove a 195% average Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). In contrast, ads with an "Excellent" rating delivered a much lower 176% average ROAS. The conversion rate data tells a similar story. Ads rated Poor converted at 6.98%, while Excellent ads converted at 6.95%. There was virtually no material difference between the two extremes. While Excellent ads generated a slightly higher click-through rate, they completely failed to deliver better bottom-line profitability. Do not optimize for clicks when your primary goal is revenue or lead generation.

Final Thoughts

Google’s Ad Strength score is an algorithmic guide, not a definitive measure of campaign quality. You understand your customers, unique selling points, and business goals better than the platform does. Build your ads around compelling messaging and actual conversion data, and never compromise your strategy just to achieve an "Excellent" rating.

Written by

John Uchechukwumere

Google Ads specialist focused on lead generation, conversion tracking, and campaigns that grow real revenue.

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