In our previous article about Google shopping we presented 3 Key Drivers For Growth On Google Shopping, along with two additional bonus tips! In this follow up article, our focus becomes more specific as we look into how to optimise inventory for Google Shopping.
It’s highly important to choose an appropriate category from the Google Taxonomy. The Taxonomy is a list of categories that Google uses to filter products into a shopping feed. Using the Google Taxonomy allows Google to determine which search terms your product should show up for. Your products are more likely to appear in search results if the search terms match your product, so this categorisation helps customers to find it.
The Google Taxonomy improves the relevancy of your product to the search results. This may well improve your cost per click and increase your click through rate especially if your product is shown in multiple searches.
Each of your products will require a unique product title and description and it’s crucial to include relevant keywords in each. Keywords are the words or phrases that are most commonly searched for in search engines when shoppers are looking for your product. This is key to making your products relevant to shoppers because it’s one of the first things they will notice when searching online. Your product title and description needs to be specific, unique and as noticeable as possible whilst including these keywords. This helps to make your products easier to find and stand out against similar listings.
The images that you provide for each product must be accurate and high quality. If they are poor quality or don’t match the product advertised then you could lose potential customers.
You should use images with the highest resolution you can find, usually at least 800 pixels in height and up to 10mb file sizes. Products showing high quality images are more likely to grab a shopper’s attention and will allow them to zoom in and get a closer look at the finer details without looking pixelated or grainy.
It’s best to avoid placeholder images and those that have promotional messages and logos or watermarks.
Unique product identifiers help to define your product and match it to search queries. Each product will have certain identifiers, often assigned by the manufacturer. Not all products will have the same identifiers but if they are available then it’s important to use them where possible.
Identifiers to include:
This is an opportunity to differentiate your products and attract more shoppers. Google Merchant Centre enables you to create promotions and offers to engage more customers and get more clicks. Promotions allow you to distribute online offers. By adding a promotion to the products you sell on Google, shoppers will see a special offer link. This can make your product more appealing and encourages shoppers to click your advert.
Top Google Merchant Promotions could include:
Google checks all shopping ads submitted to ensure that they are safe, secure and compliant with their legal standards. Any products that do not comply can be disapproved and therefore will not be available to shoppers. It’s pivotal to identify the reason behind any disapproval and take appropriate steps to resolve the problem. Product data must match that on your website and comply with product data specification in order to be approved. It is vital to yield accurate data, for your products to show on Shopping ads.
If you receive a disapproval, follow the steps to make any corrections and then you can re-submit your products. You should take this opportunity to implement a longer term solution to prevent any future disapprovals.
In order to make the most of Google Merchant Centre and advertise your products efficiently you will need to provide key information about your business. This process is straightforward enough, just follow the steps and fill in the boxes. You’ll need to provide information such as your store’s name, address and contact details. You will also need to verify your ownership of your URL. For some types of advert, you will also be required to upload a store logo, just make sure that it meets the expected requirements.
Alongside your business information, you should also provide your delivery and returns information. You can input delivery costs, speed and the type of carrier. Shipping speeds and costs are often the reasons why customers will not go through with their purchase, so it’s worth making sure that this information is accurate. When you submit product data you can also include your returns and refund policies. This can also be a key factor for shoppers still making a decision about whether to go through with their purchase. Showing this information on your ads could improve the performance of your products.
Optimising your Google Shopping Inventory is the most efficient way to increase your conversion rates and sell more products. If you think that Google Shopping is the way forward for you and your business, there are a few factors to consider. If you’d like our ecommerce experts to help you make the most of the platform, get in touch with us at hello@verticalplus.co.uk.
Article three in this Google Shopping series will focus on How To Run An Effective Google Ads Shopping Strategy and is due for release in January 2022.
Sources:
https://www.datafeedwatch.com/academy/google-taxonomy
https://tinuiti.com/blog/shopping-feed/google-shopping-feed-optimization/
https://www.adnabu.com/google-shopping-feed/optimization
https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/9668403?hl=en-GB#zippy=,help-google-understand-the-products-that-youre-selling