In 2024, we studied over 17,000 Google Ads accounts across different industries and spend levels to answer a simple question: Does Optimization Score really matter?

The data said yes. Accounts with higher scores consistently delivered lower CPAs and stronger ROAS, beating sub-70 accounts by more than 180% on return.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should chase a perfect score blindly.

Many top-performing accounts in our study improved their OptiScore not by accepting every recommendation, but by being selective and fixing the gaps that mattered.

That’s exactly what this guide is about. We’ll walk you through eight actionable ways to improve your Optimization Score.

TL;DR: How to boost your Optimization Score

• Track business-critical KPIs, not just the score itself
• Remove duplicate/“redundant” keywords; add proven high-performing queries
• Audit account-level negatives, ad assets, and conversion tracking setup
• Run ad variation tests; monitor RSA Ad Strength (including text customization)
• Refresh and sync Customer Match lists regularly
• Fix broken, inaccessible, or policy-violating URLs
• Rebalance budgets with pacing insights; adjust for total-budget campaigns
• Automate recurring optimizations with Optmyzr Blueprints

What to focus on (beyond just following Google’s suggestions)

While the account managers keep sifting through Google’s recommendations before taking action, Optmyzr provides you with a list of tools that can help you address the inevitable.

These are areas you should monitor and optimize to help improve the Optimization Score and drive your account towards better business results.

1. Track performance metrics most important to your business

Improving your Optimization Score starts with focusing on the right business KPIs, such as conversions, CPA, ROAS, or CTR. Set up alerts at the account, campaign, label, or bid strategy level to detect when metrics begin trending in the wrong direction, even if targets are technically being met.

Optmyzr makes these easier with its KPI and Budget alerts that work across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Facebook, and more.

You can monitor metrics at multiple levels, get notified instantly via email, Slack, or Teams, and even automate actions like pausing campaigns when budgets are exhausted and re-enabling them at the start of the next cycle.

For example, when setting up a conversion rate alert (see screenshot below), you can:

• Get notified if the rate drops by more than a set percentage (like 20%) over the last 28 days
• Set an absolute threshold so you’re alerted if performance falls below a number you choose
• Add a trend alert to catch metrics moving the wrong way, even if they’re still in range
• Use advanced settings to ignore the most recent days if data is delayed

2. Remove redundant keywords and add high-performing queries

Duplicate keywords within the same account compete against each other and split traffic. This not only wastes impressions but can also lower your Optimization Score.

Optmyzr’s Keyword De-Duper helps by scanning your account to find duplicates and recommending which ones to keep and which to pause.

• In Basic Mode, it looks for duplicates with the same match type in the same campaign.
• In Advanced Mode, it scans across campaigns for repeated keywords.
• You choose the ones to keep, and the rest are paused automatically. You can even export the list to a CSV or Google Ads Editor file for review.

Once your duplicates are cleaned up, the next step is to expand with keywords that are already working for you.

Optmyzr’s Keyword Lasso automatically analyzes your Search Terms Report and suggests search queries that have conversions or a strong CTR but aren’t yet added as keywords in your account.

Best of all, the tool prevents duplicate suggestions, so you won’t clutter your account. You can also save custom views for your team to keep everyone aligned.

3. Audit negatives, assets, and conversion tracking

Since Optimization Score is closely tied to account health, regular audits are essential. Three areas need constant attention:

Since Optimization Score is closely tied to account health, regular audits are essential. Three areas need constant attention:

• Conflicting negatives: If a negative keyword overlaps with a positive one, impressions drop unnecessarily. Regularly audit and resolve conflicts to avoid losing reach.
• Ad assets: Assets (formerly extensions) like sitelinks, images, and callouts improve visibility and click-through rates. Missing assets directly hurt performance and Optimization Score.
• Conversion tracking: Automated bidding relies on accurate conversion data. Make sure your tracking codes are installed properly and that you’re using the right attribution model (Google defaults to data-driven attribution).

Optmyzr’s PPC Account Audits tool simplifies this process.

You can run audits for ad groups, campaigns, keywords, and more, adjusting thresholds to match your needs. Results come with an AI-generated summary that highlights strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities across the account, along with a score out of 100.

You can dive deeper into each section, view actionable sidebars (like suggestions for new ads), and even use AI-powered recommendations for ad text.

Audits can be scheduled weekly, exported to Excel or PDF, and shared with your team.

4. A/B Test ad variations and monitor Ad Strength for RSAs

Testing ad copy is a proven way to improve both performance and Optimization Score.

Optmyzr’s A/B Testing for Ads tool makes this easier by comparing ads within the same ad group, highlighting winners and underperformers with statistically significant data.

You can quickly pause low-performing ads and create new ones using proven headlines and descriptions from past winners.

For Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), pay attention to Ad Strength, Google’s measure of how well your ad copy is set up to deliver relevant messages.

Optmyzr’s Ad Text Optimization tool takes this a step further by breaking down RSA performance at the asset level (headlines, descriptions, and full ads). It lets you spot weak assets, edit or replace them in bulk, and even use AI-powered suggestions to improve copy faster.

You can also use features like find-and-replace for quick text updates across ads, or run spell checks to polish your assets before uploading changes.

5. Automate refreshing Customer Match lists for personalization

Personalized ads perform better because they reach people at the right stage of their journey. Customer Match lets you upload customer data (like emails or phone numbers) and use it to target or re-engage audiences across Google Search, Shopping, Gmail, YouTube, and Display.

The challenge: these lists go stale quickly if they aren’t refreshed.

Google even flags outdated or missing audience lists as a recommendation that can hurt your Optimization Score.

Optmyzr’s Customer Match List tool solves this by automating both creation and updates:

• Link a Google Spreadsheet with your customer data.
• Choose how often the list should refresh (daily, weekly, or monthly).
• The system automatically updates your list whenever changes are detected in the sheet.
• You can pause or enable lists anytime.

This means you don’t have to manually upload CSVs or worry about missed updates.

Fresh lists will eventually lead to higher match rates, more relevant targeting, and stronger conversions.

6. Keep a constant check on destination URLs

Broken or non-working landing pages waste ad spend, frustrate users, and lower your Optimization Score.

Google often flags this as “Fix your ad destinations” in the Recommendations tab. Common issues include 404 errors, out-of-stock product pages, or policy violations that stop ads from serving.

Optmyzr’s URL Checker automates this process and goes beyond basic error detection:

👉Check multiple entities: Scan ads, keywords, sitelinks, and even Performance Max asset groups.

👉Preview or Apply mode: Run a report only, or let the system automatically pause ads/keywords with broken URLs and re-enable them once fixed.

👉Custom monitoring: Track specific error texts like “not available” or “out of stock,” and even monitor special response codes.

👉Exclusions: Use filters so important pages (e.g., pricing pages) aren’t paused by mistake.

👉Scheduling & alerts: Run URL checks daily, weekly, or monthly, and get email or spreadsheet notifications sent directly to your team.

7. Revise budgets and move unused budgets across campaigns in need

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you need more budget overall, it’s that the budget you already have isn’t being used where it should.

Some campaigns underspend, while others hit limits and lose impression share.

The Optimize Budgets tool in Optmyzr helps by analyzing spend across campaigns and shared budgets, then recommending how to reallocate money more effectively. Here’s what it does:

• Spot underspending and overspending: Identifies campaigns unlikely to use their full budget and those constrained by low daily limits
• Highlight lost opportunity: Surfaces impression share being lost due to budget caps, and showing where extra spend can make a difference
• Run realistic simulations: Models different daily budget scenarios based on recent performance and seasonal patterns
• Match to your goals: Suggests reallocation strategies to optimize for clicks, conversions, or conversion value, depending on your objectives

One key thing to note is that everything is transparent. You see current spend, projected spend, daily budget needs, and potential daily spend side by side. If a campaign can’t absorb more money because it’s already at saturation, the tool won’t suggest increases.

And if you’re targeting conversions or conversion value, the recommendations automatically align with that goal.

8. Tie the tactics together using a Blueprint

When you’re managing an account, it’s easy to think in terms of isolated fixes: cleaning up keywords one day, testing ad copy the next. The problem is that without a structure, those fixes can feel scattered and harder to repeat consistently.

That’s where blueprints help. You get hold of a working plan that maps out which tasks should be done, how often, and by whom.

Optmyzr’s AI Blueprints make this process even easier. Instead of manually choosing from dozens of tools, you can describe the problem you’re trying to solve, say, “I want to understand what’s happening in my Search and Performance Max campaigns.”

The system will then suggest a set of tasks and tools to answer that question.

For example, a blueprint like this might include:

• PPC Investigator: PPC Investigator helps you find out why performance shifted. It breaks down changes by campaign elements like keywords, audiences, or devices, so you can quickly isolate what’s driving gains or losses.

• Performance Comparison: The Performance Comparison tool helps you compare performance across different time periods (e.g., last 7 days vs. previous 7) to spot trends and measure the impact of changes. It’s a reliable way to validate if your optimizations are working. to track results over time.
• Traffic Segment Explorer: Break down your campaigns by audience, geo, device, or network to see which segments are delivering the best ROI. Great for uncovering under-the-radar opportunities.
• Reporting tools: Summarize insights into clean, automated reports that update on your schedule. These can be customized per client or stakeholder and include annotations, visuals, and performance highlights.

Each task is editable. You can assign it to a team member, add instructions for context, and decide how often it should repeat: weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule. You can also add tasks outside of Optmyzr if there’s something you want tracked that isn’t directly in the platform.

What makes this approach powerful is that it connects your day-to-day optimizations to a larger workflow. Instead of keeping track of eight different tactics in separate places, you set them up once as a blueprint and run them regularly.

Over time, you can adjust the tasks as your needs change, so the process grows with your account.

Turn Google’s recommendations into results with Optmyzr

Improving your Google Ads Optimization Score in 2025 isn’t about blindly chasing 100%.

It’s about making smart, selective changes that align with your business goals. From removing redundant keywords to refreshing Customer Match lists, every step you take should connect back to stronger performance, healthier accounts, and ultimately better ROI.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it all manually. Optmyzr equips you with purpose-built tools that automate the majority of the tasks while keeping you in full control of strategy.

Want to see how much easier optimization can be? Start your fully functional 14-day free trial today!

FAQs

1. What is Google Ads optimization score?

A. Optimization Score is a Google Ads metric (0–100%) that reflects how well your campaigns align with Google’s best practices. It’s located on the Recommendations tab and updates in real-time based on changes in performance, settings, and available features.

You don’t need to chase a 100% score, but it serves as a useful compass for identifying quick wins and enhancing campaign health.

2. How does Google calculate it?

A. Google looks at things like:

• Missing ad extensions or assets
• Budget allocation
• Keyword targeting and match types
• Audience signals
• Bidding strategy alignment

Each recommendation shows the % increase it could bring. You can apply or dismiss them; both actions help your score.

3. Why should you improve your Optimization Score?

A. Improving your Google Ads Optimization Score helps you identify and fix performance gaps quickly, prioritize impactful changes, and stay aligned with Google’s latest features and best practices. A higher score can lead to better ad visibility, lower CPCs, and more conversions by ensuring your campaigns are running efficiently.

It also helps you capture quick wins, like adding assets or fixing tracking, and gives you a competitive edge by making your ads more likely to win auctions. For agencies, maintaining a strong Optimization Score is essential for retaining Google Partner status, making it a valuable metric for both performance and credibility.

4. Should you apply every recommendation?

A. Not always. Apply what aligns with your goals, whether that’s better ROI, more conversions, or a cleaner structure.