What is the Meta ad relevance score and how to improve it?

Ads in the Meta ecosystem — on Facebook, Instagram, or Audience Network — offer vast opportunities to reach precisely targeted audiences. However, simply launching a campaign is just the beginning. For an ad to be effective and cost-efficient, it must be relevant — meaning it needs to match the target audience in terms of content, format, and objective.

Meta evaluates this match using the so-called relevance score. The better your ad meets the expectations of your audience, the higher the score — which translates to lower costs and better campaign results. In this article, we’ll explain what the relevance score really is, how to check it, and what you can do to effectively improve it.

Meta Ads relevance score – what is it?

Meta Relevance score – definition

The relevance score is how Meta (Facebook, Instagram) evaluates how well your ad matches the target audience. It’s not just about aesthetics or content — what matters is whether the ad grabs attention, encourages interaction, and leads users to take desired actions like clicking, signing up, or making a purchase.

Previously, Meta used to display a single overall “relevance score” ranging from 1 to 10. Today, it has been replaced with three detailed metrics that together offer a clearer understanding of why an ad is performing well — or not.

Three main metrics

Instead of one general score, Meta uses three separate rankings that together create a full picture of ad relevance:

1. Quality Ranking – evaluates the perceived quality of your ad compared to other ads targeting the same audience. Influenced by negative feedback (e.g., hides, reports) and general perception.
2. Engagement Rate Ranking – predicts how likely users are to interact with the ad (clicks, likes, comments).
3. Conversion Rate Ranking – measures the expected success of achieving the campaign goal (e.g., purchase, registration), compared to other ads with the same objective.

Each ranking receives one of three possible ratings:

• Below Average
• Average
• Above Average

How to check the Meta relevance score?

To evaluate your ad’s relevance in the Meta (Facebook/Instagram) system, you need to check the three rankings available in Ads Manager:

Step 1: Go to Ads Manager
Log into your ad account and open Ads Manager: adsmanager.facebook.com.

Step 2: Select the ad level
Go to the specific ad level (not campaign or ad set), as relevance rankings are only available for individual creatives.

Step 3: Enable the relevant columns
Click “Columns” → “Customize columns” and search for:

• Quality ranking
• Engagement rate ranking
• Conversion rate ranking

Check them and click “Apply”.

Step 4: Review the results
Each ad will show scores that indicate how your ad performs compared to other ads targeting similar audiences.

How to improve Meta Ads relevance?

Creatives

1. Create clear, visually appealing images and videos.
2. Use clear headlines and a strong call to action (CTA).
3. Match the format to the placement (e.g., Reels, Stories, Feed).
4. Your ad should instantly communicate value – without unnecessary decoration.

Targeting

1. Target specific, well-defined audience groups.
2. Use custom audiences (e.g., website visitors) and lookalike audiences.
3. Tailor your message to each segment – different for new vs. existing customers.
4. Avoid overly broad targeting, which reduces relevance.

Landing Page

1. Your landing page must match the ad – both visually and in content.
2. Ensure fast loading times, especially on mobile devices.
3. Remove distractions – focus on one goal (e.g., purchase, newsletter signup, download).
4. Make sure the ad’s CTA is visible and easy to follow through.

A/B testing

1. Test different ad variations: headlines, visuals, formats, audiences.
2. Change only one element at a time to see what impacted the outcome.
3. Monitor relevance rankings in Ads Manager to compare the effectiveness of versions.
4. Optimize campaigns based on data – not just intuition.

Relevance score is one of the key components of a successful advertising campaign in the Meta ecosystem. It affects not only performance but also cost – the better matched the ad is to the audience, the lower the cost per reach and the higher the chance of conversion.

Summary

Remember, Meta evaluates ads on three levels: quality, engagement, and conversion effectiveness. Each of these areas can and should be optimized. By working on better creatives, precise targeting, a consistent landing page, and regular A/B testing, you can directly influence your campaign results.

The takeaway? A relevant ad is one that captures attention, engages, and drives action. It’s worth the effort – not just for better performance, but also for building a positive user experience with your brand.