In what some might say is a reversal of roles, Google now appears to be following Yahoo's lead with the announcement that it is not only changing the Quality Score algorithm used to determine minimum bids for keywords in it's advertising system, but also is making those Quality Scores visible to advertisers.   Google used to keep those scores to itself.  But when Yahoo rolled out its quality scoring system last week it made the scores visible and it would seem that Google has now decided that Yahoo had a good idea.

The algorithm changes are being made to help Google better set minimum bids on keywords for which it has limited data.  According to the announcement, minimum bids for keywords with little or no performance data associated with them will start lower… until Google has had been able to collect more information on their performance.  Google says the change in algorithm will have definite effects on advertiser's keywords:

Andy Beal spoke with Nick Fox, Google's Senior Business Product Manager for Ad Quality, and he said the company is expecting complaints on the new algorithm.  Fox told Beal that the change will effect a "fairly large" group of keywords.  But he also said that the majority of the keywords effected will be keywords that aren't big traffic drivers and the post on the Inside AdWords blog offers these suggestions:

I guess any change that's meant to make things more representative is ultimately a good thing.  Just remember that when you're starting to fume over the changes to your bid amounts in AdWords.  It's all to make the system more accurate.  Say it again.  It's all to make the system more accurate.