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Google Merchant Center Next: Simplifying e-commerce with AI and Automation
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Google Merchant Center Next: Simplifying e-commerce with AI and Automation

In the world of e-commerce, efficient product and campaign management is key to reaching the right customers. Google Merchant Center Next emerges as a significant evolution of the classic Google Merchant Center, adapting to the current needs of brands. This change not only responds to increased competition in e-commerce, but also to the growing demand for simpler, more powerful and integrated solutions to maximise the visibility and impact of products in the Google ecosystem.

Google Merchant Center Next combines technological innovation, such as artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on accessibility, seeking to help both large brands and small businesses manage their inventory and campaigns more efficiently and effectively.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

What is Google Merchant Center Next?

Google Merchant Center Next is the new and improved version of Google Merchant Center, a platform designed to help brands manage their product catalogue, optimise advertising campaigns and improve the visibility of their offerings within the Google ecosystem. This tool is crucial for any business looking to promote and sell products on channels such as Google Shopping, Google Ads, YouTube Ads, and more.

Launched with the goal of simplifying the e-commerce process, Google Merchant Center Next integrates advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to automate complex tasks, provide deeper analytics, and personalise the user experience. This approach makes it an attractive solution for small businesses and large brands alike.

The purpose of Google Merchant Center Next is to facilitate the connection between brands and customers, enabling efficient management of products and advertising campaigns. This version aims to minimise the technical barriers that brands often face and boost the performance of their marketing strategies.

 

Differences with the Google Merchant Center Next version

Aspect 

Classic Google Merchant Center

Google Merchant Center Next

User Interface

Complex and technical, oriented to advanced users.

Simplified and intuitive, ideal for all levels.

Feeds Management

Requires more manual intervention.

Feed automation and proactive error detection.

Use of IA

Limited to basic functions.

Advanced AI for automatic suggestions, predictions and optimisation.

Integration

Connection to specific tools.

Extended multi-platform connectivity and enhanced APIs.

Data and Analytics

Basic reports, less detailed.

Rich, customisable real-time reporting.

 

 

Key features of Google Merchant Center Next

Google Merchant Center Next introduces a series of features designed to simplify and optimise the management of products and campaigns within the Google ecosystem. These tools are focused on facilitating the work of brands and maximising the impact of their digital marketing strategies.

Simplified product management

Google Merchant Center Next allows merchants to upload, organise and manage their product catalogues more efficiently.

  • Automatic inventory loading:

    The platform can automatically synchronise products from websites or e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify or WooCommerce, reducing the need to manually upload data.

  • Real-time update:

    Price and availability updates are synchronised in real time, avoiding problems such as displaying out-of-stock products.

  • Structured organisation:

    Customised categories and attributes to ensure products appear correctly in relevant searches and ads.

Detailed and customisable analysis

The platform offers advanced and customisable reports that enable brands to make informed decisions:

  • Product performance:

    Displays key metrics such as clicks, impressions, conversions and sales for each product or category.

  • Channel segmentation:

    Analyse performance on different platforms, such as Google Shopping, search ads or YouTube.

  • Real-time monitoring:

    It allows you to monitor campaigns live and adjust strategies quickly.

Automation based on Artificial Intelligence

Google Merchant Center Next uses AI to simplify complex tasks and improve campaign results.

  • Personalised suggestions:

    Provides recommendations for optimising product titles, descriptions, images and prices, maximising product performance.

  • Automatic error detection:

    Identify and resolve issues in product feeds, such as missing or inconsistent data, before they affect campaigns.

  • Campaign optimisation:

    AI automatically adjusts bidding and targeting strategies to improve return on investment (ROI).

Gestión multicanal desde un único lugar

With Merchant Center Next, brands can manage their product presence across multiple channels within the Google ecosystem:

  • Google Shopping:

    Show products directly to interested customers in the Shopping tab.

  • YouTube y Display Ads:

    It facilitates the creation of campaigns that integrate products into interactive visual ads.

  • Red de Búsqueda y Partners:

    Products can appear in Google searches and on partner sites, increasing exposure.

 

 

Ventajas de Google Merchant Center Next para las marcas

Google Merchant Center Next offers a number of benefits that make it a must-have tool for brands of all levels. These benefits focus on simplifying management, boosting performance and facilitating integration with Google's digital ecosystem, allowing businesses to maximise their results with less effort.

Greater ease of use

The new version of Google Merchant Center has been redesigned with accessibility in mind for all types of users, from small businesses with no technical expertise to large brands with extensive catalogues. Brands can spend more time on strategy and less time troubleshooting technical issues or repetitive tasks.

  • Intuitive interface:

    • The platform features a clean and organised design, reducing the complexity of navigation.

    • Tasks such as product upload, error resolution or campaign configuration are simplified with guided steps.

  • Process automation:

    • Automatic inventory synchronisation and proactive error detection minimise manual tasks, saving time.

    • Artificial intelligence-based recommendations facilitate product and campaign optimisation without the need for advanced knowledge.

  • Access to everything from one place:

    • It allows you to manage catalogues, analyse data and launch advertising campaigns from a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple tools or disconnected processes.

Integration with other Google tools

Google Merchant Center Next is deeply integrated with the Google ecosystem, which expands the possibilities for brands by allowing them to manage their marketing strategies holistically. Brands can coordinate all aspects of their digital marketing strategy in a single ecosystem, avoiding compatibility issues and duplication of work.

  • Connection with Google Ads:

    • Makes it easy to create Shopping Ads and Performance Max campaigns directly from Merchant Center.

    • Uploaded products are automatically synchronised, ensuring ads reflect the latest changes in pricing, availability and descriptions.

  • Compatibility with Google Analytics:

    • It allows you to track the behaviour of users interacting with your products and campaigns, providing valuable data on conversions and traffic.

  • Presence on Google Shopping and more:

    • Products are automatically published on Google Shopping, the Search tab and other relevant channels, increasing visibility without additional configuration.

  • Synchronisation with e-commerce platforms:

    • Seamless integration with platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and others, which simplifies uploading and updating catalogues.

Optimisation of advertising campaigns

Google Merchant Center Next is designed to significantly improve the effectiveness of brands' advertising campaigns through the use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics. Brands achieve better ROI and campaign effectiveness through constant, data-driven optimisation.

  • Personalised recommendations:

    • The platform suggests adjustments to titles, descriptions, prices and images to increase the relevance of products and their visibility in searches and ads.

    • It offers targeted insights based on historical performance and market trends.

  • Automation of offers and segmentation:

    • It uses AI algorithms to automatically adjust bids and targeting, maximising return on investment (ROI) without the need for constant intervention.

  • Advanced real-time reporting:

    • Brands can monitor campaign performance and make adjustments based on up-to-date data such as clicks, conversions and return rates.

  • Multi-channel optimisation:

    • It helps brands distribute their campaigns across multiple channels, such as YouTube, Display Ads and the Google search network, ensuring that products reach the right customers at the right time.

 

Google Merchant Center Next Setup Guide

Setting up your Google Merchant Center Next account is the first step to take advantage of its features and start managing your products and ad campaigns in the Google ecosystem. This process is simpler than ever thanks to its intuitive interface and automated tools. Below is a step-by-step guide to creating an account, setting up product catalogues and syncing with Google Ads.

Creating an account

Step 1: Access the platform

  1. Go to the official Google Merchant Center.

  2. Click on ‘Get started’ or ‘Create an account’.

Step 2: Complete the basic information

  1. Your business details:

    • Name of the company.

    • Country of operation.

    • Time zone.

  2. Website URL:

    • Enter the address of your online shop.

    • Verify site ownership using one of the suggested methods (HTML tag, Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager).

  3. Shipping and return policy:

    • Provide details of your shipping and return policies if applicable.

Step 3: Initial configuration

  1. Select the channels where you want your products to be displayed, such as Google Shopping, Google Ads or Free Search Results.

  2. Accept the terms and conditions of the platform.

Configuration of product catalogues

Step 1: Prepare product data

Before uploading your products, make sure they are organised with the necessary information:

  • Clear and relevant title and description.

  • High quality images (minimum resolution 800x800 pixels).

  • Up-to-date prices.

  • Categories and attributes (brand, size, colour, etc.).

Step 2: Choose a charging method

  1. Manual loading:

    • Ideal for small catalogues.

    • Upload products directly from the interface using a form.

  2. Automated feeds:

    • Google Sheets: Use provided templates to upload products in batches.

    • XML or CSV file: Upload a file with all your product data.

    • E-commerce platforms: Automatically sync your catalogue from Shopify, WooCommerce or other compatible platforms.

Step 3: Verify and publish

  1. Google will automatically verify that products comply with platform policies.

  2. Troubleshoot errors or warnings before products are visible on selected channels.

Synchronisation with Google Ads

Synchronisation with Google Ads will allow you to make the most of your advertising campaigns, such as Google Shopping Ads or Performance Max.

Step 1: Link the accounts

  1. From the Google Merchant Center, go to Settings > Linked Accounts.

  2. Click on Google Ads and select the account you want to link to.

    • If you do not have a Google Ads account, you can create one directly from this section.

Step 2: Setting up campaigns

  1. Once the accounts are linked, log in to Google Ads and create a new campaign.

  2. Select the objective ‘Sales’ or ‘Leads’ and the campaign type ‘Shopping’ or ‘Performance Max’.

  3. Google Ads will automatically use the products in the Merchant Center catalogue to generate the ads.

Step 3: Segmentation and budget settings

  1. Define target audience (location, interests, demographics).

    Set a daily budget and bid strategy (e.g. Maximise clicks or Maximise conversions).



Google Merchant Center Next represents a significant advance in the way brands manage their product catalogues and advertising campaigns in the Google ecosystem. With its focus on simplification, automation and detailed analytics, this platform is designed to adapt to the needs of an ever-evolving marketplace, where competition is increasing and customer experience is key.

By integrating advanced tools such as artificial intelligence and providing a more accessible user experience, Merchant Center Next not only helps businesses optimise their time and resources, but also improves their ability to reach the right audience with the right message at the perfect time.




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