How to set up Google Shopping?

When a user enters a query into Google, the search engine returns a list of relevant links to pages with the information they need. However, in most cases, this information is described only by a title and a short description, which, you'll agree, isn't very informative. But with Google Shopping, you can display not only text descriptions but also photos with additional information in search results. 

This way, users can see your product selection, including photos and prices, even before landing on your website. This makes it easier for them to select the item they're interested in and place an order. This, in turn, can increase your sales and profits. We'd like to explain what Google Shopping is and how to set it up correctly.

What is Google Shopping?

Google Shopping (GS) — is a type of advertising campaign that allows advertisers to display their products in Google search results based on a user's request.

It looks like this:

• Products from Google Shopping are displayed at the top of the search results, along with photos, prices, ratings, and store names.
• There are advertising links below the Google Shopping results.
• Even lower are the organic search results.

Thus, Google Search allows you to rank higher not only than organic search results but also than Google's contextual advertising. And this is a truly significant advantage. 

The user can also go to the «Shopping» tab in the search window to view additional product ranges, filter products by a number of specifications, and compare them with each other.

How does Google Shopping work?

If we were to describe the operating principle of GS very briefly, it would come down to six components:

1. Online stores upload their product catalogs to the platform through Merchant Center, and Google then indexes this data to display it informatively but concisely in search results.
2. Users enter queries into Google search or directly on the Google Shopping platform, and the service displays the most relevant products taken from various online stores.
3. Users can also filter results by various parameters, such as price, brand, rating, and more. They can also compare prices for the same product across different online stores.
4. Buyers can view reviews and ratings from other members, which helps them make the final decision and make the right choice.
5. Online store owners can create additional paid advertising campaigns to improve the visibility of their products in Google Search. These offers then appear at the top of search results.
6. After selecting a product, the user is redirected to the seller's website to complete the purchase.

In this way, Google Shopping helps customers find products that are relevant to them, and businesses can more effectively promote and advertise their products on Google Search.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Google Shopping

There's no such thing as a perfect advertising platform, and Google Shopping is no exception. It has both clear advantages and obvious drawbacks, which we should discuss.

Benefits of Google Shopping

The main strengths of the service include the following: 

• Wide coverage. As a seller, you gain access to a large audience of Google users and can more effectively attract new customers both domestically and internationally.
• Increased visibility. GS allows you to increase the visibility of your products in search results, and even at the top of the list.
• Convenient interface for product management. Merchant Center makes it easy to add new products and manage your catalog. Built-in analytics tools allow you to continuously monitor campaign performance.

Other benefits include extensive options for setting up targeted advertising and integration with other Google tools, particularly Google Analytics.

Disadvantages of Google Shopping

If we talk about disadvantages, then GS also has them:

• High competition. If you offer popular products, be prepared for very high competition for a place in search results.
• Advertising expenses. Paid advertising campaigns can be quite expensive. For small businesses, the costs can sometimes be unjustifiable.
• Some difficulties with setup. Precise and accurate product feed customization in Google Shopping requires specific knowledge and skills. Regular monitoring and improvement of ads is also essential to achieve the best results with the same budget.

In many cases, these shortcomings aren't critical for businesses. However, you should be aware of them if you plan to use Google Shopping as an additional advertising and sales tool.

Site requirements for Google Shopping integration

You can find a full list of rules for using Merchant Center and Google Shopping features in Google Help. Here you'll find all the information you need. We'll focus on a few of the most important requirements:

1. You can only advertise products that you actually sell.
2. Product information must be posted only in supported languages. The description language must match the target page language. Multiple language posts are permitted, but be sure to match the target page language.
3. Information about return and refund policies needs to be added.
4. Security must be ensured when collecting and storing data. Sensitive information may only be collected on SSL-enabled pages, and it may not be used in any way without the client's consent.
5. To use Google Shopping, you must verify your website ownership by claiming it in Search Console.

There are also additional requirements for websites:

• accuracy of contact information;
• security of the purchase process;
• indication of available payment methods;
• a clear and fully functional purchasing process.

Google also recommends logging into your Merchant Center account at least once every 14 months. Otherwise, the platform will consider your product information outdated.

Setting up Google Shopping

Initial setup can be a bit challenging for beginners. With a little practice, preferably under the guidance of a more experienced specialist, you'll be able to easily handle this setup yourself. Alternatively, you can delegate this task to a third-party specialist. We'll explain the basics of how to set everything up yourself.

Creating a Google Shopping Ad Campaign

To create your first advertising campaign, you need to complete several mandatory steps:

1. Create a Merchant Center profile if you don't already have one.
2. Create a profile in Google Ads and link both accounts (more on this later).
3. Upload your product feed to Merchant Center and set up a new ad campaign in Google Ads, specifying the name, budget, and bid.
4. Create ad groups and select products for each individual group.
5. Set up targeting and ad delivery schedule.
6. Launch a campaign, monitor results, and optimize for better performance.

Additionally, you can set up remarketing and use smart campaigns in Google Shopping. This helps automate many settings and reduce your involvement in setup processes. 

Linking Google Ads and Merchant Center

Google Shopping supports a variety of integrations with other Google services. But perhaps the most important integration to start with is Google Ads and Merchant Center.

The easiest way to create such a connection is as follows:

1. Log in to your Merchant Center profile and click the gear (settings).
2. Go to "Linked Accounts".
3. Click "Link your Google Ads account.".
4. Click Create an account (if you don't already have one) and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you already have a Google Ads account, you can also link it in your Merchant Center profile. To do this, you'll need a unique client ID, which is displayed on all Google Ads pages. Next, in the "Linked Accounts" settings, select Google Ads, enter your ID, and submit the linking request. After that, all you need to do is confirm the new link in your Google Ads account. 

For more information on linking accounts, please see Merchant Center Help.

Creating and uploading a product feed

The main product feed is the primary source of data about your products. To create such a feed, you need to:

1. Collect information about products: names, descriptions, prices, images, categories, identifiers, etc.
2. Select the feed format: TXT, CSV or XML.
3. Create a feed file and ensure that each row in it represents one product, and the columns represent product attributes.
4. Fill the feed file with the required attributes: id, title, description, link, image_link, price, availability.
5. Fill in additional attributes to improve visibility: brand, gtin, mpn, condition.
6. Check your feed file for errors and ensure all data is correct and meets Google's requirements.
7. Upload your feed file to Merchant Center.

To upload the generated feed file, you need to log in to your Merchant Center account, go to the Products and Feeds section, click Add Feed, upload the prepared file, and follow the further instructions. 

Creating and Uploading a Data Feed (Required Attributes)

A data feed is a file containing detailed information about your products using specific attributes. The file itself can be in any of the following formats:

• TXT — a regular text document.
• XML — a text document in .xml format. 
• GZ — Gnu zip compressed text format.
• ZIP — compressed text format Zip.
• BZ2 — Bzip2 compressed text format.

In general, you can use any of the listed formats. It's much more important to correctly specify the required data feed attributes:

• Title — a short but descriptive product title. It should clearly describe the product and include keywords that users might use to search for it. For example, "Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black.".
• Description — a detailed product description, including key specifications, advantages, and features. The description helps users better understand what they're buying. For example, "A smartphone with 128GB of storage, equipped with a powerful Apple A16 processor and a next-generation 48MP camera for stunning photos.".
• Google_product_category — the product category according to Google's classification. This attribute helps Google correctly determine which category your product belongs to. Google's official category taxonomy is used for this. For example, "Electronics > Communications > Telephony > Mobile Phones.".
• Product_type — a product category according to your store's classification. This can be a more detailed or specific category that helps you better organize and manage your products. For example, "Electronics > Smartphones > Apple.".
• Custom_label_0–4 — fields for custom labels that can be used to organize and filter products within advertising campaigns. For example, you can use them to mark seasonal items, sale items, or high-priority items. For example:
  • Custom_label_0: "Seasonal Sale"«
  • Custom_label_1: "High Priority"«
  • Custom_label_2: "New Arrivals"«
  • Custom_label_3: "Bestsellers"«
  • Custom_label_4: "Expiring Soon"«
• Tax — information about the taxes applicable to the product. This attribute is mandatory, for example, in the US. It may look like this: tax_rate: 7.5% (the percentage varies depending on the tax system in the country or region).
• Shipping — information about the cost and delivery terms of the product. This attribute allows you to specify the delivery cost, delivery time, and regions to which you can deliver the order. For example:
  • shipping_price: «100 UAH»
  • shipping_region: "Ukraine"«
  • shipping_time: "1-3 business days".

Data feed attributes may seem a bit complex at first. But working with them is actually quite simple. With a little practice, you'll be able to create these feeds quickly and accurately, including using custom templates to speed up the process.

Once your data feed is ready, all you have to do is go to Merchant Center, open the "Products" section, then the "Feeds" tab, click the "plus" icon, and upload the file. If you encounter any difficulties preparing or adding your feed, you can find more information on the relevant page. Merchant Center Help.