As an online seller, you’re always on the lookout for new ways to reach customers and increase sales. One selling platform that you may be interested in is Google Shopping. Compared to Google Shopping alternatives, this shopping search result page offers a unique opportunity to showcase your products to millions of shoppers worldwide.
But what is Google Shopping, and how can you take advantage of it? In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of this selling channel, including:
- What is Google Shopping & its benefits
- How much does it cost to start selling on Google Shopping
- How to add products to Google Shopping
- And best practices when selling on this platform.
Without further ado, let’s start!
A Quick Glance at Google Shopping
In this section, we’ll provide an overview of Google Shopping – one of the top online marketplaces in 2023 and highlight some of its key features.
What is Google Shopping?
Google Shopping is an online shopping platform that allows users to search for, compare, and purchase items from online shops. Powered by Google Merchant Center and Google Ads, it offers a streamlined shopping experience with detailed product information, images, and prices all displayed in one place.
By utilizing Google’s search technology, vendors can expand their customer base and increase sales by showcasing their products to a wider audience through various channels.
How does Google Shopping work?
Google Shopping allows retailers to upload their product data to the Google Merchant Center, which is then used to display product listings to potential customers. Users can search for products on Google, and the platform will display relevant products with information such as price, availability, and retailer information.
Moreover, retailers can pay for their products to be featured at the top of search results through the use of Google Ads, and customers can click on products to view more detailed information and make purchases.
Benefits of Google Shopping for Merchants
In addition to answering “What is Google Shopping,” this article shows you the noticeable benefits of the platform for retailers.
Brand credibility gain
Being listed alongside big-name brands on the Google feed gives your brand some authority and provides strong social proof for online stores. The high quality of products and brands in the shopping tab further enhances this perception.
1. Metrics tracking
Google Shopping provides comprehensive reporting and metrics for businesses running Google Shopping ads, helping them track performance and optimize their campaigns. The platform’s emphasis on quality businesses and products ensures a higher ROI for businesses investing in the platform.
2. Qualified leads
Google Shopping users are more intent on making a purchase than random individuals browsing Google Search, leading to higher chances of conversions and sales. The platform’s focus on displaying product images and features also helps potential buyers make informed decisions, further boosting conversion rates.
3. Mobile responsiveness
In today’s world, more and more shoppers are turning to their mobile devices to browse and buy products online. Google Shopping’s mobile-first approach ensures that mobile users can see and purchase your products easily. This means that you can reach more customers who prefer to shop on their mobile devices, leading to a higher conversion rate.
You might want to check out our detailed Etsy review to know whhich marketplace is right for your business!
How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Google Shopping?
Continuing with this review, let’s discuss the Google Shopping pricing for business.
When you sell on Google Shopping, it can cost you as little or as much as you want, depending on the services you use.
Since April 2020, Google has made it easier to list products on Google Shopping through Surfaces. This service allows qualified businesses to display their products for free, increasing the chance to be seen by millions of customers who tend to buy on Google Shopping.
However, keep in mind that Surfaces by Google only acts as an advertisement and doesn’t process orders, which means you’ll need to handle the transaction process yourself. Or else, you can make use of Google Shopping Actions, an excellent service that handles the order processing, shipping, and customer service on your behalf. Businesses that want to use the Shopping Actions service have to pay a percentage (5-15%, with an average of 12%) for each completed transaction.
Moreover, if you decide to invest in additional marketing efforts, such as sponsored advertisements, you can use Shopping Ads to promote your products further (usually $1 to $3 for each click). After entering your product catalog into Google Merchant Center, your products will be exposed to millions of customers.
So you’ve got the answer to “What is Google Shopping” and learn about its cost. Now we’ll explore how to add products to this platform.
How to Add Products to Google Shopping?
Adding products to Google Shopping involves a few important steps as follows.
Are you still looking for products to sell? Check out the 7 most Google popular products.
#Step 1. Create a Google Merchant Center account
In order to have your products showcased in the search results, you need to create a Google Merchant Center account. This will serve as a central hub where you can manage how your product catalog appears throughout Google.
Here’s how you create one in 4 simple steps:
- Go to Google Merchant Center and click on the Sign up for free button.
- Next, provide basic information about your business.
- It’s time to choose how you want your customers to check out. Then, make sure to verify your website.
- Lastly, you’ll also be given the option to opt-in for free product listings.
#Step 2. Create high-quality product images
All your product images should be of high quality, present the product clearly and accurately, and have a clean background. You should avoid any image overlays, image borders, or multicolored backgrounds.
#Step 3. Upload your product feed
To create your product feed, navigate to your Google Merchant Center account, select Products, and then click on Feeds. Finally, click the blue plus icon to get started.
Submit your product feed, which is a file that lists all the products you want to promote through Google Shopping. Format the product feed in a spreadsheet, giving each product its own row and specifying the product attributes in different columns.
You can find a template data feed within Google Merchant Center. Attributes like SKU, title, description, availability, price, link, and image link are essential.
#Step 4. Link your Google Merchant Center and Google Ads accounts
To promote your products through Google Shopping ads, you’ll need to set up an Ads account (if you haven’t already) and connect it to Google Merchant Center.
Click the Account Linking option within the Google Merchant Center settings menu to link both accounts.
From this screen, you can create a Google AdWords account if you don’t have one. Or click on Link Account and enter your Google AdWords customer ID. Once done, your AdWords account will be successfully linked.
#Step 5. Set up your Google Shopping campaign
To create a campaign, you can utilize your Google Merchant Center account. Once you link your Google AdWords account through the Account linking page, you can easily access it from the same location. Simply click on Create Shopping Campaign to initiate the process.
Then, specify your campaign settings, such as campaign name, locations, bidding strategy, daily budget, and campaign schedule. Next, choose which type of ad group you want to build for your campaign, name your ad group, specify your maximum CPC bid, and save!
You can also use Google AdWords to set up your campaign. Simply sign in to your account, go to the Campaigns tab, click the blue “+” icon, and select New Campaign.
Best Practices for Google Shopping
Each sales channel has its own rule; for example, it’s better to list musical instruments on Reverb rather than other products. So, let’s go through some of the best practices that help make the most of this channel and drive sales for your business.
1. Optimize your campaign structure
To optimize the performance of your Google Shopping campaigns, it’s important to focus on campaign structure. By creating multiple product groups based on factors like brand, product type, and item ID and using custom labels to factor in more granular information like sales volume and profit margin, you can set different bid levels and avoid losing money with every click.
A good rule of thumb is to replicate the structure of your eCommerce store with different campaigns for different product categories, subcategories, and brands.
2. Create appealing product titles
Creating appealing product titles is a critical Google Shopping best practice that can significantly impact your campaign’s performance. keeping your titles to the optimal length of 75-100 characters, using digits instead of spelling out numbers, capitalizing titles, and adding relevant keywords and symbols can help increase your click-through rate and improve the overall success of your campaign.
Additionally, including your brand name in the title can help build brand recognition and loyalty among shoppers.
3. Improve product imagery
Having high-quality product imagery is crucial for the success of your Google Shopping Ads. Google will block campaigns with low-quality visuals, and people are less likely to click on ads that don’t have good imagery.
To improve your product imagery, follow these guidelines from Google:
- Use a solid, light-colored background (preferably white or light gray).
- Ensure that your images are clearly and evenly lit.
- Show your product at the right scale (75-90% of the full image).
- Don’t overly edit your images (avoid blurring, pixelation, and vignetting).
- Depict the product sold clearly (avoid using close-ups and rear views as the main image).
4. Eliminate unprofitable keywords
Eliminating unprofitable keywords is essential in optimizing your Google Shopping campaigns. The Pareto Principle applies here, meaning that a small subset of keywords is likely driving the majority of your returns. By identifying and excluding keywords that aren’t performing well, you can focus your budget on the keywords that are generating sales and revenue.
There are many reasons why a keyword might be unprofitable. For example, it could be out of season or out of stock. It could also be that the product is only available in obscure sizes or colors which aren’t popular with your target audience. By excluding these keywords, you can ensure that your budget is being used to target only the most relevant and profitable keywords.
What is Google Shopping: FAQs
- Which can you sell on Google Shopping?
Google Shopping allows retailers to list their products and showcase them in front of potential customers who are searching for relevant products on Google. Almost any product can be sold on Google Shopping, including clothing, electronics, home goods, beauty products, and more.
However, there are some restrictions on certain products, such as adult-oriented or illegal items, which cannot be sold on the platform.
- Who can use Google Shopping?
Google Shopping is available to retailers and businesses who sell products online. Both small and large businesses can use Google Shopping to promote their products to a wide audience of potential customers.
Retailers must have a website with an eCommerce platform that enables the sale of products, as well as a Google Merchant Center account to connect to Google Shopping.
- Is Google Shopping free?
While it is free to create a Google Merchant Center account and set up a Google Shopping campaign, there are costs associated with advertising on the platform.
Retailers are charged on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, which means they only pay when a user clicks on their ad. The amount charged per click varies based on several factors, including the competition for the specific product, the bid amount, and the quality of the ad.
In addition, merchants also use Google Shopping Actions that allows selling product directly on Google. Selling on the platform is free of membership fees, and unlike Google Shopping which operates on a pay-per-click model, Google Shopping Actions only charges retailers when a product is sold. Retailers on Google Shopping Actions pay a commission fee ranging from 5-15%, with the average rate being 12%.
Conclusion
To sum up, Google Shopping is a key player in the world of eCommerce, offering a unique platform for retailers to showcase their products and reach new audiences. With its advanced targeting options, easy-to-use interface, and integration with other Google services, Google Shopping is a valuable tool for any business looking to boost its online sales.
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