All free traffic from Google shopping has stopped
Google Shopping has moved to a commercial model built on Product Listing Ads. Here, Adam Chard, Shopping Comparison Manager at Summit, a provider of consulting, online marketing and ecommerce to retailers in the UK and Europe, provides six top tips to help retailers optimise their product feeds.
Under the changes all of the free traffic currently received through Google Shopping will stop, and only continue if retailers’ product data feed is linked to a Google AdWords account via the paid Product Listing Ads (PLA). Here are my recommendations to optimise your Google Shopping feeds.
1. Ensure your product titles and descriptions are relevant
It is a very simple concept, but something that gets majorly overlooked. If your product title doesn’t contain the type of product you are selling or an accurate description, users simply won’t find it as Google won’t deem it relevant. Think like your customer – how would they search for your products?
2. Include Unique Product Identifiers
Unique Product Identifiers (UPIs) are defined by Google as Brand, Global Trade Identifier Numbers (GTINs) and Manufacturer Part Numbers (MPNs). At least two out of these three attributes need to be included for each product in your feed if you want your listing to appear.
Again, it should be a simple process to include the brand for your product but you would be amazed how often it gets left out or simply added incorrectly.
The most common form of GTIN is the European/International Article Number (EAN), which you will recognise as a barcode found on most products. It usually contains 13 numerical digits. MPN is the code that a manufacturer often supplies to differentiate its own products.
3. Ensure your product image is the right size
Do you know the minimum or optimum size of product image for Google Shopping? If not, it’s high time you found out!* Images which are below the minimum size or simply not available will mean your listing will not appear. Small images, lacking in quality will also not render well on mobiles. (*Minimum size is 250×250 pixels. Optimum size is at least 400×400 pixels.)
4. Extra required attributes for clothing retailers
If you are a clothing retailer, you now need to ensure Gender, Age Group and Colour are present in your feed. These attributes, that were formerly recommended, will now be required for all clothing items from the beginning of March. Size will also be required for shoes. Without these attributes your listings simply won’t appear.
5. Update your feed regularly
Online retail is a 24/7 industry and your stock levels and pricing will undoubtedly change frequently. To keep your listings accurate, you must ensure your feed is updated in the Merchant Center on a regular basis. This may mean once a day or perhaps several times a day, dictated by the fluidity of your pricing and stock levels.
6. Quality data from start to finish
The need for quality data should be impressed upon whoever it is in your organisation that enters product data in the first place. This responsibility may sit with category managers, buyers or an IT team. Education around the end usage of product feeds is essential to ensuring your feed contains comprehensive data from the very start.
Further information on the Google Shopping changes can be found at: www.summit.co.uk
