Ad Strength

Google says the rating itself is not used in the auction. What it measures still matters: an ad with few or repetitive headlines gives Google fewer combinations to match each search, which limits how well it can perform.

So a low rating is a cheap pointer to ads with too little material, which are among the easiest problems in an account to fix.

1. Open Campaigns, then Ads, and add the Ad strength column.
2. Open an ad to see the rating and Google's suggestions, such as more headlines or more unique headlines.
3. Ads just created show Pending until they are rated.
4. For Performance Max, look at asset group strength instead.

An ad with five headlines that all say the brand name in different words is rated Poor. Rewriting it with ten distinct headlines covering price, speed, proof and the keyword itself lifts it to Good.

• Chasing Excellent with near identical headlines, which adds count without adding variety.
• Pinning headlines without need, which can lower the rating.
• Treating a Pending rating on a new ad as a fault.

The audit checks Oppy runs on this, each with its own page.

• Responsive search ads Google rates below Good
• Ads not using the space Google gives them
• Pinning that fixes an ad slot to one asset

• Responsive search ad: The standard search ad: up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions that Google combines and tests for each search.
• Headline: The first line of a search ad.
• Pinning: Fixing a headline or description of a responsive ad to one position.