Through their Google Merchant Account, retailers can make their products visible directly in Google Shopping and thus boost their sales. But to achieve this, they must first satisfy certain requirements. Discover here what these are.
A brief explanation of Google Shopping
Google Shopping is part of the advertising system from Google Ads and therefore an additional option for displaying ads – ultimately increasing sales numbers. During a search, the ads in Google Shopping are blended in next to or above the well-known results hit list and feature the product, including a photo and information about the price and provider. What’s more, at the top in the search bar is a shopping tab where only products appear.
The difference to other ad campaigns: the results with Google Shopping are triggered by the entering of keywords, but the matching to the search request takes place through the Merchant Center, where attributes and product specifications are listed. No pre-defined text or image ads are blended in, but instead standardised data from the advertiser’s online shop is approved for Google.
The huge advantage for the provider: the attention of users who don’t know the shop can also be grabbed in this way and made aware of the offering. If they are convinced, they are led directly to the product on the website or the retailer’s online shop at a click.
Requirements for Shopping campaigns
To set up Shopping campaigns and create Shopping ads, retailers have to satisfy certain requirements. First, they must set up an account in Google Merchant Center and then connect this with their Google Ads account. What’s more, the provider must send the latest product data to the Merchant Center at least every 30 days. Generally speaking, this can take place via an automated upload from the shop’s system or be triggered through a Google Table that can be frequently viewed.
Which requirements these data must fulfil are provided by Google in the product data specifications. The approval of product data takes place via so-called feeds, which contain the relevant data about the products. Primary and secondary feeds have to be created and then uploaded. Google Help explains how this works.
By the way: if you are still uncertain if Google Shopping is truly the right solution for you, you can create a test campaign first. The Merchant Center gives you access to such a functionality: free test feeds help to test it out, without the product ads being made available to the public on the Internet.
Google Shopping for the B2B segment: what to keep in mind
Business customers, too, like to use the advertising networks of Google to search for the right product. In the B2B segment, however, retailers must keep special guidelines in mind:
- The customer must have an online shop.
- The prices must include VAT. The request for the EU VAT ID number, however, may not be obligatory and must remain optional
- The gross price provided in the feed must match up with the price on the landing page.
- When it comes to a minimum quantity, the full price is to be provided which the potential customers must pay when purchasing this minimum quantity.
- For certain product categories, the price per unit can also be provided.
- The shop must provide information regarding availability, for example “immediately available”.
- Easy-to-understand return and refund guidelines must also be included
- Each product must haven an own URL, which can then be provided in the product feed
- Also when it comes to the shops primarily designed for B2B, everyone must be able to order – even private persons. This means there may not be a log-in function only for B2B companies.
- Google Shopping must be available in the customer’s country.
