Google Shopping is one of the most powerful tools for online advertising, allowing brands to display their products directly in Google search results, along with their price and other key features. To be successful on Google Shopping, it's crucial to understand how to create an optimized feed and continuously track the competition.

In this article, we'll explore the essentials for improving your Google Shopping campaigns, from creating a high-quality feed to analyzing the competition. In addition, we'll show you how advanced tools like Catalog Health from Feeds by Adsmurai Marketing Platform can help you identify and fix problems in your catalogs to improve performance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Understanding Google Shopping

Google Shopping acts as a price comparison platform, providing users with the ability to search and compare products from different stores based on their specific queries. For advertisers, this platform offers the opportunity to reach qualitative audiences that are further along in the buying process.

google shopping

Ads in Google Shopping are generated from product feed data that brands submit to Google Merchant Center. As users search for terms related to a specific product, Google uses the feed data to display ads that are relevant to those queries.

 

Creating a high quality feed for Google Shopping

The product feed is the file that contains all the detailed information about the products you want to advertise on Google Shopping. The more accurate and detailed information you include, the more likely your products will appear for relevant searches. To optimize performance, be sure to include the following fields in your feed:

Field

Description

id

A unique identifier for each product

title

The title of the product, ideally rich in keywords

description

A detailed description of the product highlighting its features and benefits. It is important to ensure that it is well written and contains relevant keywords.

image

The URL of the main image of the product. Designs, texts, logos, etc. are not accepted.

product_type

The custom product category reflecting the taxonomy of the store. This field can be used for better campaign organization and offer management.

google_product_category

Assigning products to the most accurate Google product category can help improve ad relevance.

availability

The availability status of the product (e.g., in stock, out of stock, or pre-sale).

price

The price of the product, along with the currency, formatted according to Google's requirements (e.g., 19.99 USD).

sale_price

The discounted price of the product, if applicable, along with the currency (e.g., 15.99 USD).

item_group_id

This identifier is used for products with multiple variations, such as size or color, to group them together.

condition

The condition of the product (e.g., new, used or reconditioned).

color

The color of the product.

size

The size of the product, which can be in different dimensions, such as clothing sizes or dimensions for electronic products.

gender

The size of the product, which can be in different dimensions, such as clothing sizes or dimensions for electronic products.

age_group

The target age group for the product (e.g., adult, children).

link

The URL of the product page on the website where users can purchase the item.

gtin

Global Commercial Item Number (if applicable)

mpn

Manufacturer's part number (if applicable)

identifier_exists

Include for products without GTIN/MPN to avoid disapproval.

brand

The brand name of the product

short_title

A concise version of the product title. Ideal for display ads, email, etc.

additional_image_link

URL for additional product images

lifestyle_image_link

URL to additional product imagesURL to lifestyle images showing the product in use

product highlights

Key product features and highlights, in the form of bullet points

custom labels (0 to 4)

Up to five custom tags that can be used for better campaign organization, bid management or reporting purposes.

shipping

Shipping information, including shipping cost, service, and shipping label (if applicable). You may choose to share this information directly through the Google Merchant Center.

 

 

Factors affecting the visibility of products on Google Shopping

The visibility of your products on Google Shopping depends on several factors. Some of the most important ones include:

  1. User behavior: Users' preferences, search history and shopping patterns influence which products are shown to them.
  2. Campaign optimization: Factors such as bidding strategy, proper targeting and product selection play a crucial role in the success of your campaigns.
  3. Compliance with Google Shopping requirements: Google has strict policies about what products can appear in its listings. This includes visible pricing, compliance with legal regulations (such as SSL encryption on your site), and clear shipping and return policies.

 

Competitive analysis techniques

To stand out on Google Shopping, you must not only optimize your own feed, but also monitor the competition. Here are some key techniques to maintain a competitive advantage:

  1. Comparison of prices and product listings
    Compare the prices and product listings of your competitors. If your prices are significantly higher, your ads may lose relevance. Use this information to adjust your prices and promotional offers.
  2. Analysis of creative and copy in competitors' ads.
    Review how your competitors write their ads and visually present their products. Identifying trends in copywriting and imagery will allow you to tailor your ads to better capture the attention of your audience.
  3. Track promotions and discounts
    Stay on top of promotions and discounts offered by your competitors. This includes special offers, free shipping or quantity discounts. If you can match or beat these offers, you will increase your chances of attracting consumers.
  4. Use of competitive keywords
    Research the keywords your competitors are using. Keyword research tools can help you identify terms you haven't yet considered, allowing you to increase the visibility of your products on Google Shopping.

 

Connect your catalog to Google Merchant Center

Before you can take advantage of the full potential of Google Shopping, you need to connect your product catalog to Google Merchant Center. This step is crucial to ensure that your products are displayed correctly in Google searches. Here's how to create a feed in Google Merchant Center in 6 easy steps:

How to create a feed in Google Merchant Center in 6 steps?

  1. Sign in to Google Merchant Center
    The first thing you need to do is sign in to your Google Merchant Center account. If you don't have one yet, you can create one for free at Google Merchant Center.
    google merchant center overview
  2. Navigate to the feeds menu
    Once inside, in the menu located on the left side of the screen, select the Products > Feeds option. This is where you will manage the catalogs you want to connect to Google Shopping.
    google merchant center - feeds
  3. Add a new feed
    To start configuring your feed, click on the blue “+” icon at the top right of the screen. This will allow you to begin the process of setting up your feed.
    google merchant center - basic information
  4. Choose the type of connection
    After clicking continue, you must assign a name to your feed. Then select the appropriate connection option. The most common is Schedule Fetch, which will allow you to schedule automatic updates to your feed based on the information you submit.
    google merchant center - name and input method
  5. Configure the automatic feed update
    In this step, you must define some important parameters, such as:
    • The catalog name.
    • The update frequency (daily, weekly, etc.).
    • Remember to set the update frequency according to the changes in your inventory. Google recommends leaving at least 30 minutes between each update.
    • Enter the URL of the feed, which is usually provided by the platform that manages your product catalog.
    • In this step, you must define some important parameters, such as:

      google merchant center - new primary feed
  6. Create and review the feed
    Once you have finished the configuration, click on Create Feed. Google will process the data and you will be able to see how many products have been accepted and how many have been rejected due to an error in the configuration. It is important to review any products that have not been processed correctly and correct the errors, as these products will not appear in Google Shopping results.

To ensure that your feed is always up to date, it is essential that you connect it directly to Feeds by Adsmurai Marketing Platform. This way, any changes you make to Feeds will automatically be reflected in Google Merchant Center without having to wait for the next scheduled update. This ensures that you always have up-to-date information on pricing, availability and other key attributes.

 

Common errors in Google Merchant and how to fix them

Despite efforts to create an optimal feed, it is common to encounter errors in Google Merchant Center that can affect the performance of your ads. Here are some of the most common errors and their solutions:

  • Incorrect pricing and availability
    Google requires that the prices and availability in the feed match those of your online store. If there are discrepancies, Google may reject products.
    • Solution: Regularly check that the feed data is automatically updated to reflect changes in your store.
  • Incomplete or incorrect information
    Mandatory fields such as product ID, brand or GTIN must be correctly filled in. If this information is not provided, the product may be rejected.
    • Solution: Make sure all required fields are complete and follow Google's guidelines.
  • Problems with images
    Images that do not meet Google's guidelines (e.g. low quality, with overlapping text) are often rejected.
    • Solution: Make sure your images are clear, high quality and meet the requirements.

Salud del catálogo: Optimización del feed con Feeds by Adsmurai Marketing Platform

Managing a large-scale product feed can be complicated, especially when there are thousands of products involved. This is where Catalog Health, an innovative feature of Feeds by Adsmurai Marketing Platform, comes in.

catalog health adsmurai

Catalog Health allows you to perform detailed diagnostics of your feed, automatically identifying errors and incorrect fields that may be affecting the visibility and performance of your products. Some of the key features include:

  • Real-time analysis: Identifies problems immediately, allowing you to correct errors quickly before they affect your campaigns.
  • Automatic error correction: Automate key field optimization, ensuring that your feed meets Google's specifications at all times.
  • Continuous optimization: Constantly monitor the health of your catalog and receive alerts to correct any errors before they negatively impact your ads.

 

How to improve the health of your catalog with Adsmurai Marketing Platform

Feeds by Adsmurai not only identifies problems, but also suggests customized solutions to improve your feed. With its advanced Catalog Health functionality, you can optimize the following aspects:

  • Continuous feed attribute review: Verify that all key attributes, such as titles, pricing and availability, are aligned with Google standards.
  • Intelligent correction: Implements suggestions provided by the platform to continuously adjust and improve catalog performance.
  • Save time and resources: Automate tasks that would otherwise require hours of manual work, allowing your team to focus on other strategic areas.

Optimizing your Google Shopping Feed is an essential step to maximize the success of your campaigns on this platform. By following best practices, monitoring the competition and correcting errors in a timely manner, you can improve the visibility and performance of your products. In addition, using advanced tools such as Catalog Health from Feeds by Adsmurai Marketing Platform will provide you with the necessary solutions to effectively manage your catalog and ensure that it is always in the best possible condition.

 


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