Google Shopping

Google Shopping offers merchants the possibility to quickly and easily display products within the Google search and shopping area. In addition to images, other attributes such as price and name can be specified.

What are the advantages and functions of Google Shopping?

What are the advantages and functions of Google Shopping?
The benefits of Google Shopping are twofold. With a little luck, your own products will appear on two different Google services. This not only generates significantly more impressions for the articles, but also increases the chance of reaching a user who is interested in buying. Probably the simplest formula in marketing: the more users see the offer, the more users buy the product. Accordingly, not only the impressions increase, but most likely also clicks and conversions. Google Shopping’s main function is to show Google users a specific product and lead them directly to this product with just a single click.

Google Shopping also makes sense for SEO. This is because it can effectively improve local SEO in particular. This means that it is possible to present products only to users who are in the neighborhood of the store and to lure them into the store with the current store stock. But also SEO in general and thus the entire marketing benefit from a good Google Shopping campaign.

Find out in our white paper Shopping Ads – Google and its alternatives in the spotlight which alternatives to Google Shopping are available and how you can successfully use different shopping ads for your business. 📖

Sponsored Google Shopping results

Sponsored products usually occupy a very prominent position on the search results page, as they are usually displayed above the classic paid text ads. For many online stores, these ads are a key sales channel for driving qualified traffic to their website and thereby increasing sales. Users who click on shopping ads often already have a specific purchase intention, which makes them particularly valuable for advertisers.

Competition within the Google Shopping tab remains high, which is why continuous optimization of the product data feed is essential. A/B testing helps to identify which feed elements perform particularly well. It is important that relevant search terms are already included in the product title. Product-relevant attributes such as brand, color, or material should also be clearly specified to improve the visibility and relevance of the product presentation.

Another important lever for effective campaign management is the use of custom labels. These enable, for example, the transfer of margin information per product, thus forming the basis for a differentiated bidding strategy within Google Ads.

Last but not least, high-quality product images are a central element of a successful feed, as they have a significant impact on the click-through rate. Product videos are also becoming increasingly important, as they improve the user experience and build trust.

Successful feed optimization is based on providing complete, accurate, and search-intent-driven product data. This is the only way to sustainably increase visibility, relevance, and ultimately sales.

Set up campaign with Google’s Merchant Center yourself

Without setting up a Merchant Center entry, Google Shopping would not be possible. This is because in order for Google to display the products in such a detailed and appropriate manner, they must be uploaded to the Merchant Center in the form of a file. This is far less complicated than it sounds, and even inexperienced users are able to create such a file.

Most store systems offer the possibility to generate a ready-made list for the Merchant Center with just a few clicks. Afterwards, the file can either be uploaded directly or the information can still be edited. After all, you may not want to submit some information to Google. In general, however, attributes such as stock and price must always be in the document, as Google even explicitly requires them. You must then update the so-called data feed regularly. Google then knows all products and some attributes, but this is only the current status and especially with values such as stock, the numbers change more frequently. Therefore, we recommend updating the product data in the feed at least once a week.

Google Ads and Google Shopping are directly linked

Once all products have been fully entered into Google Merchant Center, campaign creation in Google Ads can begin. To promote products in the Google Shopping environment, advertisers today typically rely on Performance Max. This campaign type combines various Google channels – including Google Shopping, Search, Gmail, and YouTube – into a single, comprehensive campaign.

The decision on which channel an ad is displayed is made by Google’s AI based on numerous user signals and conversion probabilities. This ensures that the advertising message is placed where the highest purchase intent is expected.

AI control is at the heart of the Performance Max campaign. It handles automatic delivery, bid optimization, and selection of the appropriate assets. Nevertheless, one key success factor remains in the hands of advertisers: the quality of the product data feed. The structure, relevance, and completeness of product information have a significant impact on how effectively the campaign performs. Even the best automation cannot compensate for weaknesses in the feed.

CSS in Google Shopping results

Are you familiar with the Google CSS program? Google Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) is a program that allows comparison shopping services to advertise their products in Google Shopping results. This program was introduced in response to regulatory requirements in the European Union to ensure a level playing field and allow more variety in the shopping ads displayed to users. CSS allows comparison service providers to present their products in a prominent and effective way by appearing directly in Google Shopping search results. This helps consumers compare products more easily and make informed purchasing decisions. For merchants, the CSS program provides an additional platform to increase their reach and drive traffic to their websites by benefiting from visibility in Google Shopping results.

Once all products have been entered in the Merchant Center, the Google Shopping campaign can begin. A free Google Ads account is required for this. A campaign can then be created. Since all products are already stored in the Merchant Center, you only need to define the location and the budget. Where do you want to place ads and how much money are you willing to invest?

Google Shopping is very suitable for online stores, as the tiles with the product images are more visible than normal text ads and also tend to generate more sales. Customers mainly buy visually appealing items and with Google Shopping, the first step towards conversion is already taken here.