Google Shopping has revolutionised the way people shop online. With its enormous reach and user-friendly interface, it has become an indispensable platform for retailers wanting to showcase their products to a wide audience. To fully leverage the potential of Google Shopping, it's crucial to carefully optimise your product listings. Below is a checklist in the form of concrete do's and don'ts to help you successfully manage your clients' shopping campaigns.

Why are Google Shopping product listings important?

Google Shopping is based on a Cost-per-Click (CPC) model, where you pay for interactions rather than impressions. For your products to appear to the right customers, the quality of your product listings plays a central role. Google uses the data you provide to decide when and where your ads are displayed. This means you must provide detailed and precise product data to be correctly categorised and presented by Google.

Do's and Don'ts for Product Titles

Do:

• Use relevant keywords: Ensure that your product titles contain relevant and specific keywords that appeal to potential buyers.

• Structure titles sensibly: Prioritise important information such as brand, gender, product type, and attributes (e.g. colour, size, material) in your titles.

• Keep titles short and concise: Use a maximum of 70 characters for the visible title to ensure that the most important information is readily apparent.

Don’t:

• Avoid abbreviations: Abbreviations can be confusing and diminish the value of your products.

• Refrain from irrelevant information: Titles should not be overloaded with unnecessary details that distract the buyer from the essentials.

• No inconsistent titles: Ensure that the titles on your landing page match the titles in Google Shopping to avoid confusion.

Do's and Don'ts for Product Images

Do:

• Use high-quality images: Ensure that your product images are large, clear, and taken with a high-quality camera.

• Use a white background: A plain white background helps to highlight the product and draw focus to it.

• Offer different perspectives: Show products from various angles to provide buyers with a comprehensive view.

Don’t:

• No watermarks or text: Watermarks, text, or other visual elements that disrupt the product image should be avoided.

• Avoid unclear or small images: Blurry or poorly resolved images can diminish the interest of potential buyers.

• No distracting backgrounds: Avoid backgrounds that could distract from the product.

Tip: Connect with product photographers to whom you can refer your clients if no suitable product images are available.

Do's and Don'ts for Google CSS

Do:

• Use your own CSS for your clients: Provide your clients with a custom Google CSS from your agency to give them a bidding advantage and generate visibility for your agency.

• Enable opt-ins: Ensure that the CSS opt-ins are activated so that the shopping ads can be displayed across all channels.

Don’t:

• Don’t use no CSS: Without CSS, your clients automatically pay a margin of the click price to Google Shopping Europe.

• Don’t use third-party CSS: This strengthens another company's brand and gives you less control over your clients' ads.

Do's and Don'ts for Product Data and Availability

Do:

• Regularly update your product data: Ensure that your Google Shopping product listings are always up-to-date and accurate.

• Make exact availability statements: Use the availability statuses provided by Google, such as "in_stock", "out_of_stock", or "preorder".

• Provide accurate pricing information: Ensure that the price you indicate in Google Shopping matches the price on the landing page.

Don’t:

• No inaccurate availability statements: Vague statements such as "generally available" should be avoided.

• Avoid price information without VAT: VAT should be included in the specified price to avoid misunderstandings.

• Don’t use inconsistent data: Inconsistencies between your Google Shopping data and the landing page can result in your ads being removed.

Do's and Don'ts for Google Shopping Filters

Do:

• Use specific filter options: Adjust your product data to match the Google Shopping filter criteria to ensure that your products appear in filtered search queries.

• Use automation tools: Use tools to manage your Google Shopping feeds to ensure that filters and product data are correct and up-to-date.

Don’t:

• Avoid unspecific categorizations: Unclear or overly general categories can lead to your products not appearing in relevant search results.

• No manual maintenance of large data sets: Do not rely solely on manual processes for maintaining your product data, especially with large product catalogs.

Integrate your Google Shopping strategy into your overall e-commerce campaign

A successful Google Shopping strategy should not be viewed in isolation but should align with your overall e-commerce strategy. This includes other platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and social networks. It is crucial to maintain a central, always up-to-date data repository to ensure efficient campaign management.

Conclusion

Optimising your Google Shopping product listings is a continuous process that requires time and resources. However, the effort is worthwhile: with precise and well-structured data, high-quality images, and a well-thought-out strategy, you can increase your visibility and boost your sales numbers.