{"id":12003,"date":"2023-12-08T19:20:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T14:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/?p=12003"},"modified":"2024-12-19T18:38:14","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T13:38:14","slug":"google-shopping-feed-optimization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/google-shopping-feed-optimization","title":{"rendered":"Google Shopping Feed Optimization: A Quick Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

While most people realize that you need a Google Shopping feed to make a successful Google Shopping campaign, few realize you could focus on other strategies like ad groups and your bids in the auction<\/a>, but you will not see the results you want without also optimizing your feed.<\/p>\n

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Get a quick refresher on what your Google Shopping feed is and how to set it up, then explore what you can do to optimize it. We include a range of strategies, from those that any beginner should be able to adapt with ease to those that only experts will want to try.<\/p>\n

What Is Your Google Shopping Feed? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

When you first set up your Google Shopping in the Merchant Center, you will need to create a feed. This feed is the file that contains all of the products you sell. That file includes attributes for each product, with those attributes defining products so that they are unique.<\/p>\n

Primary vs. Supplementary Feeds<\/em><\/h3>\n

There are two types of feeds for Google Shopping and the Merchant Center: primary and supplemental.<\/p>\n

Primary feeds provide the data that the Merchant Center requires to show your products. As long as your primary feed meets the policies and specifications for product data from Google, you can just submit a primary feed and be done. If it does not meet the requirements for the Merchant Center, you can adapt it with supplemental feeds and other advanced feed features.<\/p>\n

Supplemental feeds can also help by overriding or enhancing product data to improve the performance of both free listings and paid ads.<\/p>\n

You should use your primary feed to define, add, and remove product data. You also use them to set the country targeting and language, as well as to organize the feed rules that the product data will follow.. Another important note is that you should have each individual product listed in one primary feed.<\/p>\n

Remember that supplemental feeds cannot remove or add products. They also cannot stand alone. Instead, you use them for updating product data or for providing extra information. One supplemental feed can even add information for more than one primary feed.<\/p>\n

You connect supplemental and primary feeds with the \u201cid\u201d attribute. Always confirm that the \u201cid\u201d attributes match exactly. Otherwise, the supplemental feed will not update the product data.<\/p>\n

How Do You Make a New Feed? <\/em><\/h3>\n

As with most things, Google makes it easy to create a new shopping feed. Go to the navigation menu and click on \u201cProducts\u201d and then \u201cFeeds.\u201d You can choose whether you want to make a feed that is primary or supplemental. You then check the box next to the name of the programs you want to send the feed to.<\/p>\n

You can send Google your product data in a few ways. The easiest method is to use an e-commerce platform supported by Google and then import the product data. If you are tech-savvy and use the Google Content API for Shopping, you can also send the data in the form of a feed.<\/p>\n

Attributes in the Google Shopping Feed<\/em><\/h3>\n

The attributes are one of the most crucial parts of your feed as they define your product.<\/p>\n

Some of the attributes will have set values that are accepted or standardized. Examples include \u201ccondition\u201d and \u201cavailability.\u201d Others let you add any value you want, such as \u201ctitle\u201d or \u201cID.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that information in mind, it is time to look into strategies that can help you with Google Shopping feed optimization.<\/p>\n

Consider Your Customers Strategically<\/h2>\n

No matter the type of marketing campaign you are creating, you will always want to make sure you think about your customers and keep them in mind as you create a strategy. Your Google Shopping feed is no exception to this rule.<\/p>\n

Think about which products are the most popular among your customers or have the strongest effect on your performance and prioritize your resources on those products. Whenever you are working on the products and their attributes, make these a priority. However, do not ignore other products.<\/p>\n

Provide Accurate Product Data<\/h2>\n

You always want to provide accurate product data, not only to optimize your Google Shopping campaign but also to help attract and maintain customers. After all, they want to know that they will find the product they expect when they click on the link and place an order. Providing accurate product data can also reduce your return rate, as the product is likely to work as the customers expect.<\/p>\n

Providing accurate data for your products includes a few key components.<\/p>\n

i-Accurate Data for Pricing and Availability<\/em><\/h3>\n

There are several ways that you can ensure your products always show accurate information regarding prices and availability. You can use structured data markup, the Content API, or automated feed delivery.<\/p>\n

Do not overlook the importance of this step, as there tends to be latency between when your website updates and the data in your Google Merchant Center updates. The latency increases with more complex structures.<\/p>\n

ii-Consider Google\u2019s Automatic Price Update <\/em><\/h3>\n

Google even has the Automatic Price Update feature to help ensure you display accurate pricing data. When you use this feature, Google will use your website\u2019s structure data to crawl the website. Then, it uses that information to keep your product listings updated.<\/p>\n

Just keep in mind that the Automatic Price Update only updates price and availability, nothing else. Another factor to consider is that if the system has to update your prices too frequently, Google may disapprove of the full feed or just some products. Luckily, Google will show you if this is an issue when you look at the diagnostics tab.<\/p>\n

You can find Automatic Price Update under Automatic Improvements in the Settings menu.<\/p>\n

iii-Detailed Product_Type Values<\/em><\/h3>\n

Your product_type values provide a great deal of detail regarding your products, so you want to ensure that they are as detailed as you can make them. Set up the product types, so they start with a general category and end with a specific one. Do not use promotional text, search query terms, or synonyms in your product types, and always aim to make them at least two or three levels deep.<\/p>\n

For example, if you were listing a short-sleeve shirt, it could go Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts > Short-Sleeve Shirts. You could add further categories for other details, such as brand, style, or size.<\/p>\n

Including detailed values for product_type can also help you with bidding as well as reporting. This is especially true for categories that Google does not predefine, such as \u201cSneaker\u201d as a sub-category for shoes. Since the lack of Google predefining the term means you cannot use it as a google_product_category, using it as a product_type attribute opens up more possibilities and helps you better structure your product feed. The categorization would look something like Women > Shoes > Sneakers.<\/p>\n

To get the most value from your product types, remember to create multiple levels. Creating the level for \u201cSneakers\u201d is a perfect example. This will let you evaluate the data for all your sneakers as a whole and compare them to other categories of product types, such as \u201cSandals\u201d or \u201cHeels.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is important because if you do not create that product type, you may miss valuable insights. After all, you would have to look at data for each of the sneakers you have separately and then combine that information. By creating a product type for them, you can get an overview at a glance.<\/p>\n

iv-Use Unique Title Values and Product IDs<\/em><\/h3>\n

To get those product_type values as detailed as possible, you want to make sure that each product has unique information for its product ID and title. Part of this is ensuring you use the same ID for a given product, as that lets you track historical data. Use the title to let shoppers know the main product specifications or features, as outlined below.<\/p>\n

v-Include GTIN Values When Possible<\/em><\/h3>\n

Whenever you can, be sure to include a GTIN attribute value. Google uses the GTIN (Global Trade Identification Number) value to better understand the product. This lets Google add details regarding your product. It also lets it serve free listings and Shopping ads in more relevant ways, boosting your visibility and likely your results as well.<\/p>\n

Following a Google update in late September 2019, your feed will not be disapproved for not having GTINs, but you may notice limited performance.<\/p>\n

vi-What to Do If You Cannot Use a GTIN<\/em><\/h3>\n

There are some cases where it is impossible to use a GTIN as it does not exist. An example would be a product without one, such as items you are selling with your own brand name or those you manufactured. If this is the case, just let Google know by going to the attribute called \u201cidentifier_exists\u201d and making sure it is set to \u201cFalse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Match The Product Data and the Landing Pages<\/h2>\n

For the best results with your Google Shopping feed, you should make sure that your landing pages<\/a> and product data line up. This starts with using the same product description and title in the product listing on your feed as you do on your landing page. This prevents confusion and reduces the risk of customers leaving your page because they think they did not find the product they wanted.<\/p>\n

i-Colors<\/em><\/h3>\n

One of the most important aspects of this matching to consider is the color name, as it is frequently overlooked. You want to use consistent color names instead of changing between terms, like \u201cDark Blue\u201d and \u201cMidnight Sky\u201d or even \u201cMidnight Blue.\u201d While most people understand that they are all functionally the same, you could confuse customers. This type of inconsistency could even lead to Google disapproving your account.<\/p>\n

That is a very important tip as it goes against what used to be common practice. In the past, experts would suggest changing unusual color names like \u201cMidnight Blue\u201d to something users are more likely to search for like \u201cDark Blue\u201d or something like \u201cPomegranate\u201d to \u201cRed.\u201d This made sense in the past, but with the requirement for matching information between landing pages and your product data, that is no longer the case. If you keep following that old advice, your product will likely be disapproved.<\/p>\n

ii-Variants <\/em><\/h3>\n

The landing page and product description should align in terms of the product variants and words. If customers click on the correct ad, they do not want to have to input the size, color, or another variant again. Requiring them to do so can increase the risk of them leaving your page without purchasing.<\/p>\n

Add the Most Important Attributes to the Title<\/h2>\n

The attributes of your products should do more than just appear in the feed you upload to Google Shopping. When used correctly, they can also help drive traffic.<\/p>\n

The best way to go about doing this is to add the most important attributes to the product title. Some of the important attributes include the brand name, gender, color, size, personalization options, and age group. For example, instead of just listing a shirt\u2019s title as \u201cShirt,\u201d it would be something like \u201cAdidas short-sleeve shirt in black, Medium.\u201d This way, you convey the brand, color, size, and extra attributes (such as short-sleeves).<\/p>\n

If you want to automate this process, you can try using the new DataFeedWatch AI features<\/a>. With DFW AI, you can generate optimized product titles and descriptions for thousands of products in minutes, ensuring all important information is included in the right order. You\u2019ll also have the flexibility to review the results and decide whether to use them or customize them further.<\/p>\n

The following are some of the attributes you should try to include in the title for various product categories:<\/p>\n