Does Ad Strength matter in Google Ads?

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

Are you stressed out trying to get "Excellent" Ad Strength for your Google Ads? It's okay, take a deep breath. Many advertisers get caught up in chasing that perfect score. But here's the truth: Ad Strength doesn't directly influence how well your ads perform.

This is important because you might be wasting time tweaking your ads for a higher Ad Strength score when you could be focusing on things that actually move the needle, like your ad's content. Understanding how Ad Strength works can help you prioritize your optimization efforts for better results.

In this post, we'll cover:

• What Ad Strength actually measures
• Why chasing a high score can be misleading
• How to use Ad Strength effectively as a feedback tool
• When it's okay to ignore Ad Strength suggestions

What does Ad Strength mean in Google Ads?

Ad Strength is Google's way of providing feedback on your ad quality. It assesses factors like keyword relevance and the diversity of your creatives. Think of it as a checklist of best practices.

However, a high Ad Strength score doesn't guarantee ad success. It simply indicates that you're following Google's recommendations. Ultimately, factors like targeting, bidding, and landing page experience play a much larger role in your campaign performance.

Do you need Excellent Ad Strength?

While Ad Strength can be a helpful guide, fixating on achieving an "Excellent" rating can be counterproductive. Here's why:

• Generic Messaging: Following every suggestion might lead to bland, generic ads that fail to stand out from the competition.
• Limited Creativity: Over-optimizing for Ad Strength can stifle your creativity and prevent you from testing unique or unconventional approaches.
• Wasted Effort: Spending excessive time chasing a high score can distract you from more impactful optimizations like bid management or audience targeting.

Ad Strength is a Feedback Tool

Instead of obsessing over the score, use Ad Strength as a feedback mechanism to identify areas for improvement.

• Keyword Relevance: Ensure your headlines and descriptions include relevant keywords to improve ad quality and click-through rates.
• Creative Diversity: Provide a variety of headlines and descriptions to cater to different search queries and user preferences.
• Clear Call to Action: Make sure your ads have a clear and compelling call to action that encourages users to click.

When to Ignore Ad Strength completely

It's perfectly fine to disregard Ad Strength suggestions. In fact, in some circumstances, I'd encourage you to ignore Ad Strength! For example:

• Strategic Pinning: Pinning specific headlines or descriptions can improve ad clarity and control your messaging, even if it lowers your Ad Strength score.
• Data-Driven Decisions: If your performance data indicates that an ad with a lower Ad Strength score is outperforming others, trust the data and don't blindly chase a higher score.

Focus on What Truly Matters, which may or may not be Ad Strength

While Ad Strength can be a helpful guide, remember it's just one piece of the Google Ads puzzle. Prioritize strategies that directly impact your campaign goals, such as:

• Refined Targeting: Ensure your ads reach the most relevant audience.
• Strategic Bidding: Optimize your bids to maximize conversions or results within your budget.
• Compelling Landing Pages: Create landing pages that provide a seamless user experience and encourage conversions.

By focusing on these key areas and using Ad Strength as a feedback tool rather than a primary goal, you can achieve better results and maximize the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns.