---
title: Google Ads Optimization Score Strategy
type: article
created: '2026-02-24'
updated: '2026-02-24'
source_docs:
- raw/2026-02-24-weekly-call-w-sebastian-124924068.md
tags:
- google-ads
- optimization-score
- seo
- cordwainer
- paid-search
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# Google Ads Optimization Score Strategy

## Overview

Google uses the **Optimization Score** (0–100) as a signal of campaign health. When a campaign scores below 80, Google throttles ad traffic — suppressing impression share and artificially lowering ad rank even when budget is available. Raising the score above 80 is therefore a prerequisite for getting full traffic delivery, not just a cosmetic improvement.

This pattern was identified during a review of [[clients/cordwainer/_index|Cordwainer]]'s Google Ads account, where a $20/day budget was producing only 96 paid-search sessions — partly attributable to a low optimization score limiting impression share.

---

## Why the Score Matters

> "If your optimization score is not above 80, they sort of temper your traffic. When you see your impression share is low and it says 'because of rank,' a lot of times it's because they give you low rank because your optimization score is too low."
> — Mark Hope, 2026-02-24 call

A low score creates a compounding problem:
- Google assigns lower ad rank
- Lower rank means fewer impressions
- Fewer impressions mean fewer clicks, regardless of budget
- The account *appears* underfunded when the real issue is score-based throttling

---

## High-Impact Recommendations

The following recommendations are ranked by their approximate score impact, based on what Google surfaced in the Cordwainer account review.

| Recommendation | Approx. Score Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Site Links** | ~9% | Highest single impact item; fix disapproved links first (often point to old domain) |
| **Structured Snippets** | ~2% | Add "Amenities" and "Service Catalog" headers; quick to implement |
| **Images** | — | Upload all website images to ad assets; Google AI-added images are a fallback, not a substitute |
| **Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)** | — | Add more headline/description variations to existing RSAs |
| **Dynamic Site Links** | — | Enable Google's AI-generated site links for incremental reach |
| **Remove Redundant Keywords** | — | Straightforward cleanup; reduces wasted spend |
| **Enable Search Partners** | — | Extends reach to Google partner sites; low downside risk |

### Site Links (~9% impact)
The single largest lever. Steps:
1. Audit existing site links for disapproved destinations (commonly caused by pointing to a previous domain after a site migration)
2. Add links to key pages — e.g., Suites, Services, specific care offerings
3. Remove irrelevant suggestions (e.g., "Volunteer Opportunities" if not applicable)

### Structured Snippets (~2% impact)
Fast to implement and meaningful for service businesses:
- **Amenities** — list facility amenities
- **Service Catalog** — list care types (e.g., Memory Care, Respite Care, Assisted Living)

Avoid over-engineering; two well-chosen snippet types outperform many poorly chosen ones.

### Images
Google will auto-populate images via AI if none are uploaded, but manually uploading the full set of website images gives more control and typically improves ad appearance. Pull all images directly from the client's website.

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## Implementation Notes

- **Check disapproved assets first.** Disapproved site links drag the score down and are often a quick fix (update the destination URL).
- **Do high-impact items before low-impact ones.** Site Links + Structured Snippets alone can recover ~11 points — enough to cross the 80 threshold from a mid-70s baseline.
- **Score improvement is not instant.** Allow a few days after changes for Google to re-evaluate and reflect the new score.
- **Monitor impression share after changes.** The key success metric is whether "lost impression share due to rank" decreases after the score rises.

---

## Cordwainer-Specific Context

At the time of review (2026-02-24):
- Budget: $20/day on Google Search
- Paid Search sessions: 96 (vs. Direct 666, Organic 395)
- Optimization Score: below 80
- Conversions tracked: 1 form, 3 phone calls, 4 contacts, 2 get directions

The low session count relative to budget was attributed to both the small daily spend and score-based throttling. Fixing the score is the higher-leverage action since it costs nothing and unlocks the existing budget's full potential.

**Assigned actions (Sebastian Gant):**
- Upload website images to Google Ads assets
- Add RSAs with additional variations
- Create Structured Snippets (Amenities, Service Catalog)
- Fix and rebuild Site Links; remove disapproved ones
- Enable Search Partners
- Remove redundant keywords

See also: [[meetings/2026-02-24-weekly-call-w-sebastian|2026-02-24 Weekly Call — Sebastian]] · [[clients/cordwainer/_index|Cordwainer Client Overview]]