Optimization Score Google Ads – What Does It Mean? Should You Pay Attention to It?
One of the most salient features within the new Google Ads interface, is the introduction of the Optimization Score.
Google has always been experimenting with ways to influence advertisers’ decisions, and how they manage their account, and the Optimization Score is just the latest addition to their repertoire.
The Optimization Score is clearly linked to the various recommendations for improved account management made by Google, but many advertisers still perplexed as to what the score actually indicates, what it affects, if any anything, and whether or not they should pay attention to it.
How The Optimization Score Affects Your Campaigns?
It’s important to note that your Optimization Score has no direct affect on the performance of your campaigns.
Unlike your keywords’ Quality Score, which can affect things such as average CPC, and Ad Rank, the Optimization Score will have no influence on any of your campaign metrics.
This is important to understand, because some advertisers may mistakenly believe that if their account has a low Optimization Score, this indicates that their campaigns are poorly setup, or are performing badly.
Why Google Makes Suggestions
As mentioned above, the Optimization Score is connected to the recommendations made by Google.
These recommendations are made by Google for several reasons:
- To help improve the performance of advertisers campaigns.
- To encourage advertisers to implement new features (for example Responsive Search Ads when they were first introduced), so that these features can be tested, and Google can observe the effectiveness of these new features and improve them.
- To encourage advertisers to expand their campaigns, increase their budgets, and spend more through Google.
Thus, the Optimization Score is there to encourage you to pay attention to the recommendations.
And the recommendations are there to encourage you to make specific changes within your account.
Should You Pay Attention to The Optimization Score?
Some of the recommendations made by Google can be highly beneficial, depending on yours or your client’s objectives.
It is therefore well worth reviewing all of the recommendations made by Google.
If you are managing the account on behalf of a client, it is also worth maintaining a perfect Optimization Score, to help indicate that you are keeping a close eye on the account.
However, as mentioned above, the Optimization Score has no influence over the performance of your campaigns. A high Optimization score does not necessarily indicate that the campaign is performing well, or vice versa.
How to Get a ~100% Optimization Score
The Optimization Score is there to encourage you to pay attention to the recommendations being made by Google.
The score therefore simply indicates how many of recommendations you have either applied, or dismissed.
To get a 100% Optimization, you therefore just need to either apply OR dismiss, all of the recommendations within the account.
If you do not consent to any of the recommendations, then you can simply dismiss all of the recommendations, and achieve a 100% Optimization Score.
All Changes Within Your Account Are Your Responsibility
When reviewing, and or applying the recommendations from Google within your account, it is of extreme importance to understand that all the changes made within your account are your responsibility.
Google will accept no responsibility for the consequences arising from any of the changes made within your account; even those changes that were recommended by Google.
It is essential therefore, that you scrutinise every new keyword, every increase to your budget, and all other adjustments before you apply them within your account.
Need Help With Your Google Ads Account?
If you feel your campaigns are not working as effectively as they could, and would like an expert to review your account, then feel free to get in contact with us and we’ll have one of our specialists get in contact with you.
