The Ultimate Guide for Google Shopping in 2023
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We all shop online. It’s the best thing since sliced bread. Did you know that you can buy online? Crazy.)
Have you ever wanted to browse various labels and brands for a specific product? It can be quite a tedious process to hop between different ecommerce sites.
Online shopping marketplaces can be beneficial. You can think of Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. And — yes, you guessed right — Google Shopping. While not technically a marketplace (it is more of an advertising platform), Google Shopping allows shoppers to browse products based on their search queries.
Google Shopping is also beneficial to retailers, as when a customer clicks on the link to a particular product, the shopper will be sent to the retailer’s website to complete the purchase.
You’re losing out if you don’t advertise your products on Google Shopping. This guide was created to help you understand Google Shopping and get started on your first Shopping campaign. Continue reading to get going, or click the chapter links for a quick jump.
What is Google Shopping?
Google Shopping is an online service provided by Google that allows users to compare and purchase physical products from different retailers. These retailers have paid Google to promote their products. Also known as a Comparison Shopping Engine, or CSE. Google Shopping results are displayed as thumbnails showing each product’s retailer and price.
Google Shopping was originally called Froogle when it was first released in 2002. The service simply indexes product data according to specific search terms. In 2012, Google Shopping switched to a paid advertising model where retailers were required to pay if they wanted to appear in the search results.
Google Shopping was renamed Google AdWords in that period. It is now another way for retailers to promote their physical products via Google. Google Shopping ads differ from text ads, which appear based on keywords. Instead, Google Shopping ads use product data that the merchant uploads.
Why Use Google Shopping?
Why Use Google Shopping? It works. My personal experience with Google Shopping.
My boyfriend and I have decided to move apartments in Chicago, and we are searching for a sectional or sleeper sofa for our new place. I don’t have a favorite furniture or home products brand. I was looking for an easy way to search for a couch across different retailers.
Google Shopping is a great way to find products. Google Shopping is a great way to find various products and websites. Bingo.
By clicking on Sleeper Sectional Or Shopping By clicking on the tab located below the search box, I can access different sofas sold by various retailers. Google Shopping allows me to filter results by price, size, material, and other factors. Google Shopping is my favorite. I haven’t purchased anything yet, but I anticipate finding our perfect sofa using this service.
Here are some other reasons why you should use Google Shopping.
Go to your Google Merchant Center and click the “+” icon. Click Feeds and then click “+.”
First, enter your country and language. This data determines which demographic(s) will see your products, so it’s essential.
Choose the name of your feed and how you will input product information.
You can upload your spreadsheet or choose a template from Google Merchant Center if you select Google Sheets. You can also create an upload schedule based on how frequently you update your inventory.
This spreadsheet will help you to create the attributes of your products that Google will index and display. Here is a list of the required features for Google Shopping Ads (plus an example sofa).
Id — Your product’s unique identifier. If possible, use the SKU. Example: S123
title – Your product title. It should match the landing page for your product. Include any details customers need, like size, color, or style. Allie’s Super Comfy Sectional Sofa in Grey
description — A description that accurately describes your product. The landing page should match. Include only information about the product. This sleeper sofa sectional was specially made for Allie’s new apartment. This sofa, made from cloud-based 100% material, is ideal for cuddling her dog and binge-eating Cheez-its while watching Netflix. The couch has a pull-out bed, which is perfect for when her mother comes to visit.
Link – The URL for your landing page. Starts with http or https. Example: https://www.alliessofa.com
image_link – The URL for your main product image. Should start with http or https. Example: https://www.alliessofa.com/image1.jpg
availability — The availability of your product. Match the availability of the landing page. Example: In Stock
Price — The price of your product. The currency of the country where the product is sold and the landing page price should match. Example: $500.00
google_product_category — The Google-defined product category for your product. Include only the most relevant category. Sectional > Sleeper
Brand — The name of your product. Name the most popular name that customers will recognize. Example: Allie’s
Google’s Product Data Specification can be found here. You should read the full list, as we could not fit all required and optional attributes into this blog post.
The spreadsheet already contains the column headers for the attributes of the products if you use the template from Google Merchant Center.
Enter the desired product attributes in the header columns of your spreadsheet. Fill in the data for each product. Leave the cell blank if a feature does not apply to a particular product. Upload the document into Google Merchant Center once it’s complete.
Voila! You can now access your feed in your Google Merchant Center under Product > Feeds > primary feeds.
- Google AdWords Account Link
Google Shopping is a form of advertising.
Google Shopping is a paid service. Google AdWords, not Google Merchant Center, is how consumers will see your products.
Google AdWords must be linked to your Google Shopping account to get your product in front of customers.
Log in to your Google Merchant Center. You’ll see three vertical dots in the upper right corner. Click on those dots to expand the menu. Then click Account Linking.
You can create a Google AdWords Account from this screen if you do not already have one. Click Link Account if you don’t have a Google AdWords account. Enter your Google AdWords ID. After you finish, your AdWords should be linked.