Google Adwords Quality Score Issue

If you're frustrated with Google's minimum bids you've got to check out the article Who Broke Google Adwords? posted 02/16/07. It shows a real life example of a keyword with a strong CTR that will not run for less than a $10 bid and the same keyword running in another account with a poor CTR running for $0.30!

I've seen many keywords asking for minimum bids and deleted keywords for many of them. Now we find out this is a bug and those minimums might go away...maybe. Many advertisers are reporting Minimum Bids of $10 on Google Adwords

Many exceptional PPC consultants have long felt that individual poorly performing keywords affected good performing keywords IN THE SAME AD GROUPS. New information may indicate that poor performing keywords anywhere in your account affect the quality score of all other keywords.

The obvious question is how is that performance measured, i.e., what is a poor performing keyword? See Low Quality Keywords CAN Lower Other Keyword's Quality Scores for more details.

I found these step-by-step directions on How to Find Your Quality Score. So far I haven't found that option in any account I've checked even though there is an official What is The Quality Score Column answer in Google's help files.

More reports that a recent Google Adwords algorithm change has resulted in Quality Scores Gone Crazy. Since the Quality Score column is not currently visible in the accounts I've checked it appears that this new algo change was rolled back after it was implemented due to all the complaints.

The best advice I can offer is hang on to your hats and watch your Google Adwords accounts like a hawk. With all the issues we're already dealing with it may be a very bumpy ride.

Although there is an Official Google Adwords Blog it frequently does NOT have the latest information in it. For example, it doesn't mention that Quality Column update being rolled back nor does it give any idea when it might be implemented again. The best place to get the latest scoop on Adwords changes is on message boards frequented by heavy Adwords users like this one.

[NOTE TO READERS: I've started including dates on information, particularly on links for which timeliness is important.]

[ Message was edited by: flyingrose 02/24/2007 09:26 pm ]

One of my mid popular keyword jumped from $0.23 to $78.96 CPC..WTF!
I paused it, and 6-7 hours later, it was back down at about $0.30.

I often log into my accounts around midnight just to be sure everything is in order, and I often found the same issues.

Googles system is made to first and foremost, make Google make lots of $$$; we are always priority no.2 or 3....whatever, you get my point

Here at our firm we call these 'Google Hickups' or A glitch in the Matrix like I say lol.

Anyhow, like flyingrose said, watch your account like a hawk!

Good luck!

Thank you for posting Joey. It is important that Google understand that it isn't just a few "loose nuts" like me who think their system is broken. The more specific examples we can provide for them the faster they will be able to recognize and address the issues.

The first step in improving anything is recognizing and understanding what is going on. Until that step is taken no improvement can take place.

We can all help Google understand our concerns by providing the clearest examples of these "glitches". That means figuring out what happened and letting Google know. They need the specific issue, date (before and after or a range or normal versus crazy), and account number.

It is best NOT to post sensitive data like account numbers but do post clear descriptions of the issues you're having here and/or on other similar boards.

Some of the issues we cause for ourselves and may not realize the exposure we have created. Joey, what is your bid set to on that keyword? Do you have it set to more than $78.96? If not you should NEVER get charged that much per click.

If your bid is set to an amount higher than that, any time someone wants to bid just less than you are bidding your CPC would do that because that IS how Google's system is designed to work. There are several programs that allow advertisers to see what the highest bid is so if I wanted to (which I personally NEVER would) I could bid just under that amount and force that bidder's CPC through the roof.

I never found it but heard about a program that reveals what the top three Google Adwords bids are. If that is true a bidder could look for keywords with really high bids, set theirs just under them, and increase the CPCs for everyone above their bid.

That may not be too clear to some so here is an example:

You bid the max $100 wanting to stay or get to the top position. The next bid on that keyword is $1.50. You pay $1.51 per click.

Another bidder decides to bid $99 - now those same clicks cost you $99.01 each. That would really change your spending!

[Note for anyone "evil" who wants to play that game. Those who "live by the sword die by the sword" - while you're bidding $99 to hurt your competitor some other "evil soul" might decide to bid $98 and do to you what you're doing to them.]

Very few truly realize how complicated Google's system is. Every change you make from a simple bid to changing ad text to adding or deleting keywords affects every other aspect of your account.

The new Quality algorithm and the ability to see if your keywords are active have greatly increased that complexity. There are so many variables now that the system is increasingly difficult to predict or control.

Add to that complexity the ability of one page on one site to drive thousands of visitors in minutes and the potential risks would scare the you know what out of anyone who truly "gets it". In case you missed it in another thread I saw the Yahoo Buzz page cause ad spend to increase to as much PER MINUTE as normal ad spend was PER DAY!!!

With 1440 minutes in a day the risk = 1440 x your normal ad spend per day. Although the "real" risk will be limited to the amount of charges your credit cards will accept I'm willing to bet that is way more risk than anyone would actively accept.

I beleive that's what happenet to me. I kept it at $100 to get top position on a certain keyword, I got it, but I beleive the other advertiser did just that.

It's a never ending war when competing for top position, but people must understand that top position is not everything; the quality of your ad text and strategic positioning is more important I beleive.

What happened to me is an example why you always gotta watch your accounts like a hawk.



[ Message was edited by: joey_skulls 03/01/2007 01:37 pm ]

If you're using that strategy you always had to watch your accounts like a hawk and now that there are tools that allow anyone to see what the top bid is that is even more critical.

I, on the other hand almost never position the ads for any of my clients in the top three positions so there would be no reason for me to ever bid the way you do.

That jump you saw was of your own creation (coupled with some "help" from other advertisers) but that is how the system is designed to work.

The issues I am seeing now are of a different type and the way Google's system is currently designed offer advertisers two choices: either control the risk and cut your sales in half or worse OR watch like a hawk and pray.

What is that tool you speak of? PM me if you want

I have no choice but to keep top position for this client cause below the 4th position, would mean no sales. Yes, I've tested it before

So I have no choice but to play the same game the others are playing.

There are links to those tools under software programs in the sticky thread at the top of this forum called Useful Google Adwords Related Tools and they can be found here:

Ad Word Analyzer
Keywords Analyzer

Note that both of these tools pull data from what is still known as the Overture database and Yahoo has threatened to take that database offline. As of right now it is still online and I just used AdWord Analzer today so as of now they're working.

I know that the developers of these two programs are aware of the issue and will find another source of data if necessary. Most other databases are subscription so at some point those programs may have to charge a subscription. Currently they are a one time cost and well worth the money.

They have similar functions and capabilities. I use Ad Word Analyzer and others prefer Keywords Analyzer. I actually have both but used Ad Word Analyzer first and am more familiar with it. (Being first on the market is a competitive advantage - even I prefer not to invest in more learning curves than necessary.)

I believe both of these can only pull the top bid. I was never able to track down what program it was that was rumored to be able to pull the top three bids and do not have the time to research that.

"Quality Score" for my accounts is enabled from the sub-AdGroup level with the "Keywords" tab active. Click on "Customize Columns" and then "Show Quality Score".