What is Google Ads Optimization Score?
Optimization Score shows in the Recommendations tab at the account and campaign level. Each recommendation has a weighted impact, expressed in percentage points, that adds up to your overall score. Scores update continuously as your campaigns, settings, and Google’s models evolve.
(Google Ads Help, Google Ads API)
Key points:
- Range: 0–100% (100% = fully aligned with Google’s recommendations).
- Weighting: Each recommendation has a percent impact on the score.
- Availability: Seen at account and campaign levels, also via the API.
Does Optimization Score improve performance?
Not directly. The number itself doesn’t influence auctions or Quality Score. Only the actions behind recommendations can move results — when those actions make sense for your goals.
Experienced advertisers note that some recommendations are valuable (fixing broken tracking, refreshing ad assets), while others are generic or misaligned (broad match everywhere, auto-budget increases). Treat Optimization Score like a checklist of suggestions, not a final grade.
Use it for: spotting overlooked opportunities, hygiene checks, prioritizing fixes.
Don’t use it for: reporting success (“we hit 100%”), or applying irrelevant changes.
When you should dismiss recommendations
Click Dismiss when recommendations conflict with:
- Profit goals (e.g., “raise budget” when CPA/ROAS isn’t profitable).
- Channel mix/inventory limits (e.g., stock shortages).
- Measurement issues (e.g., maximize conversions when tracking is unreliable).
- Brand safety/keyword strategy (e.g., too-broad terms without negatives).
Tip: Keep a log of why you dismissed a recommendation — it avoids repeating the same debate later.
10 Practical Ways to Improve Optimization Score and Results
Here are actionable steps to both raise your score and actually improve outcomes in 2025:
1) Track the right business metrics
Set alerts for cost/conv., ROAS, CVR, CPA, impression share (lost to budget). This helps you decide which recommendations truly support your goals.
2) De-duplicate keywords & mine search terms
Remove redundant keywords that split traffic. Promote high-converting queries into exact/phrase match ad groups and use negatives to prevent overlap.
3) Audit negatives, assets, and conversion tracking
- Fix conflicting negatives that block impressions.
- Add missing sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets.
- Verify conversion tracking (including enhanced conversions or server-side tagging).
4) Test ads & improve Ad Strength
Run ongoing A/B tests focused on conversions or lead quality. Use Ad Strength feedback to improve variety and keyword coverage — but don’t just chase “Excellent.”
5) Refresh Customer Match lists
Upload updated customer, high-value, or churn-risk segments regularly. These lists power better bidding and audience signals across campaigns.
6) Monitor destination URLs
Broken or slow pages waste spend and trigger recs like “fix ad destinations.” Use automated checks and pause affected ads until fixed.
7) Rebalance budgets by marginal return
Shift budget from low-return campaigns into those that are limited by budget but delivering strong ROAS/CPA.
8) Build a hygiene workflow
Create a recurring checklist: alerts → de-dupes → query mining → tracking check → asset refresh → URL check → budget review.
9) Align recs with bidding strategy
Evaluate if a suggested bidding change matches your conversion volume and signal quality. For example, tROAS needs sufficient conversion value data; Max Conversions with CPA caps may be safer for low-volume accounts.
10) Use score as input, not output
In audits, look at which rec types you routinely dismiss. Re-check if your rationale still holds. This turns the score into a structured prioritization tool, not vanity metric.
A sensible workflow for the Recommendations tab
- Scan by percentage impact.
- Group by theme (bids, budget, assets, tracking).
- Estimate impact on CPA, ROAS, or lead quality.
- Act — Apply, edit, or dismiss.
- Verify results over 1–2 weeks before scaling.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Chasing 100% for vanity.
- Accepting “raise budget” or “add broad match” without ROI checks.
- Reporting score as success to stakeholders.
- Letting broken URLs or expired assets linger.
FAQ
Is 100% Optimization Score the goal?
No. Many high-performing accounts sit below 100% because irrelevant recs are intentionally dismissed.
Do higher scores always mean better performance?
Not always. Improvements come only when the recommended changes match your business model.
Where do I find Optimization Score?
In Recommendations at account/campaign level, or via the Google Ads API.
Sources
- Google Ads Help – About optimization score
- Google Ads API – Recommendations
- Google Ads – Recommendations tool
Want expert eyes on your Recommendations tab? Book a free consultation — we’ll separate which optimizations to apply, customize, or dismiss to fit your real growth goals.
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