The Current Default Quality Score of 6 will be soon replaced with Null for New Keywords

From the mid of 2^nd week of September month, new keywords and low-activity keywords in AdWords will have a reported Quality Score of null, represented by dashes (“–“). This is said to be an update from July 2015, when Google decided to assign new keywords a default reported Quality Score of 6.

At the time, Google said assigning a single default Quality Score for new keywords would “simplify some of our core systems.” The default Quality Score updates after new keywords receive sufficient impression data. So Google recommends marketers to review their reports, filters, rules and scripts that include Quality Score before September 12 to ensure they will function properly.

By default, any keywords with null Quality Scores will be excluded from reports and automated rules that have Quality Score filters unless you check a new box that will appear with this change to include them.

The switch from a default reported score of 6 to null won’t affect the ad auction or the way ads are served. For users, null is a clearer placeholder for reported Quality Score than a default of 6.