Google Shopping: What is it, and how can I use it?
Google Shopping is a service that allows users to search for products right in the search engine, and they will be shown ads from different retailers who have paid Google to advertise their products. Google Shopping ads will show up as thumbnail images and you can click into each one to see more details on each product.
These are how Google Shopping Ads appear on the search engine results page:
More than 50% of Google Ad spend has shifted from traditional text ads towards Google Shopping ads. For brands that have physical products, and strong imagery they can be a brilliant tool.
How Can I Set Up Google Shopping Ads?
Google Shopping is powered by Google Ads and Google Merchant Centre. To get to grips with Google Shopping Ads you need to use both, as Google Shopping Ads run based on a product feed. You need to send Google a product feed of the products you want to show on Google Shopping – and this feed lives in Google Merchant Centre. Google Ads is where the actual campaigns and ad management takes place, based on the feed you’ve provided through Google Merchant Centre.
The set up and management of Google Shopping Ads is a bit different from traditional text ads. You don’t have to work with keywords or build ads with Google Shopping Ads – with shopping ads Google determines when your ads show up based on your feed, your website and your bids. And then they run the ad based on your product imagery and product feed supplied.
What Are the Steps For Setting Up Google Shopping Ads?
Set up your Google Merchant Centre account
Collect and input your product feed
Link your Google Ad account
Create a Google Shopping campaign
Place bids on your Google Shopping campaign
Target your Google Shopping campaign
Monitor and optimise!
Google Shopping can seem difficult to get your head around, a lot of online consumers are choosing to shop in this way. So if you’re not using Google Shopping as part of your marketing strategy you could be missing out on valuable leads and sales. Get in touch if you have any queries around this!
