Quality Score Distribution

What AdGradr checks

AdGradr evaluates the distribution of Quality Scores across your keyword set, focusing on keywords with meaningful spend. The same core logic as the Google check applies, but with an important Bing-specific caveat: Quality Score on Microsoft Ads is significantly more volatile due to lower impression volume. A keyword might bounce between QS 4 and QS 7 from week to week simply because the sample size is small.

AdGradr flags keywords at QS 3 or below that carry significant spend (these are actively costing you more per click than they should) and accounts where the overall average QS falls below 5 (indicating a systemic relevance problem). The focus is on sustained low Quality Scores paired with meaningful spend, not temporary dips or low-volume keywords.

Why this matters

Quality Score directly affects your cost per click and ad position. A keyword with QS 3 pays roughly 50% more per click than the same keyword at QS 7, all else being equal. On Bing, where CPCs are already lower than Google, a poor Quality Score can erase the CPC advantage that makes the platform attractive in the first place.

The volatility issue matters because it changes how you should respond. On Google, a QS drop from 7 to 4 is a clear signal to act. On Bing, that same drop might reverse itself next week without any changes. The right response is to look at trends over 30+ days, not react to weekly swings.

What good looks like

• Account-wide average QS of 6 or above.
• No keywords with QS 3 or below that are spending meaningful budget (sustained over 30 days).
• QS components (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) mostly rated “Above average” or “Average.”
• Regular monitoring of QS trends rather than point-in-time snapshots.

Common mistakes

1. Reacting to weekly QS fluctuations. On Bing, a keyword at QS 4 this week may be at QS 7 next week with no changes. Volatility is normal at lower impression volumes.
2. Ignoring QS entirely because “it does not matter on Bing.” It matters. The auction mechanics are the same. QS affects CPC and position on every platform that uses it.
3. Trying to fix QS on low-volume keywords. A keyword with 10 impressions per month will have erratic QS. Focus your QS improvement efforts on keywords with 100+ monthly impressions.
4. Not checking QS components. The three components (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) tell you what to fix. A “Below average” landing page experience requires a different fix than a “Below average” expected CTR.

How to fix it

1. Add QS columns to your keyword report and filter to keywords with meaningful spend (top 80% of spend).
2. Identify keywords at QS 3 or below that have held that rating for 30+ days.
3. Check the three QS components for each flagged keyword:
   • Expected CTR below average: Improve ad copy relevance, add the keyword to the headline.
   • Ad relevance below average: Tighten the connection between keyword and ad group theme. Consider more granular ad groups.
   • Landing page below average: Ensure the landing page directly addresses the keyword’s intent with fast load times and relevant content.
4. Re-check after 2-4 weeks. On Bing, QS changes propagate slower than on Google due to lower impression volume.

When to ignore this check

Keywords with very low impression volume (under 50 monthly impressions) will show volatile QS that is not actionable. New keywords (under 14 days) have not accumulated enough data for a stable QS. If your account-wide average is 5+ and only one or two long-tail keywords sit at QS 3, the impact on total spend is negligible.

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Want someone to handle this? The Click Makers team manages Microsoft Ads accounts for companies spending $5K+/month. Get in touch to see if we are a fit.