Definition
Ad relevance measures how well your ad matches a user's intent and query/context. Higher relevance tends to improve CTR and efficiency.
Example
A search ad that mirrors the user's query and shows the exact product page tends to score higher.
How to use it
- Align headlines and first screen of landing page with the same promise.
- Use intent-specific ad groups or audiences to avoid mixed messaging.
- Refresh copy when CTR drops to keep relevance signals healthy.
Common mistakes
- Sending mixed-intent traffic to one generic ad and landing page.
- Over-optimizing for CTR while reducing conversion quality.
Why this matters
This term matters because it affects how you interpret performance and make budget decisions. If you use inconsistent definitions or windows, ROAS/CPA can look "better" while profit gets worse.
Practical checklist
- Write a 1-line definition for "Ad Relevance" that your team will use consistently.
- Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
- Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
- Sanity-check with a related calculator from the same category on MetricKit.
- Read the related guide (e.g., Creative + landing page playbook: diagnose CTR/CVR, then set break-even targets) for context and common pitfalls.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Calculators
- Click-through Conversion Rate Calculator: Calculate click-through conversion rate (click-to-conversion CVR) and estimate required clicks for target conversions.
- ROAS Calculator: Calculate Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and estimate contribution profit after ad spend.
- Break-even ROAS Calculator: Estimate the break-even ROAS based on contribution margin assumptions.
- Target ROAS Calculator: Estimate a target ROAS to cover variable costs plus a desired margin buffer.
- Paid Ads Funnel Calculator: Model CPM -> CTR -> CVR to estimate CPC, CPA, ROAS, and profit per 1,000 impressions (with margin and variable costs).
Guides
- Creative + landing page playbook: diagnose CTR/CVR, then set break-even targets: A practical playbook for improving paid ads performance: use CTR/CVR diagnosis, set break-even CTR/CVR/CPM targets from your economics, and fix the biggest lever first.