In the modern era, online shopping is king. In decades past, retailers focused their attention on foot traffic, but today, web traffic determines whether a brand lives or dies.
With so many e-commerce stores online, most consumers turn to search engines like Google to narrow their results. Thus, Google Shopping was born. In this article, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of Google Shopping, including how to list items and sell on the platform. If you’re an e-retailer, you need to pay attention.
What is Google Shopping?
When searching for something on Google, you’ll notice a few tabs below the main search bar. These tabs include maps, images, and shopping. Users who look for specific products can click on the shopping tab to get more information and compare items side-by-side. These listings work the same as a sponsored ad. If a user clicks on the product, they’re taken to the retailer’s website to complete the transaction.
As of 2016, Google Shopping accounted for almost half of all online paid search clicks. Since then, the number has only increased. As more users become aware of this feature, they’re much more likely to use it. 66 percent of consumers said that they bought something online because of its convenience more than its price or value.
How to Sell on Google Shopping
First, you will need to set up a Google AdWords and Google Merchant Center account. Both options are easy to do, and you may have accounts already. You will have to upload your product listings to your Merchant Center account so that they can show up in the Shopping feed. However, don’t just copy and paste your entire directory. Doing this can lead to technical issues, which can damage your ranking and cause various products not to show up at all.
Instead, you want to use a smart feed tool to organize and list all of your products correctly. Use a consistent flow and structure for your descriptions. For example, you may want to place the item dimensions and colors first, then the price point. Make sure that everything follows that structure for your sake, Google’s sake, and your customer’s sake. Inconsistencies can lead to a negative shopping experience.
Listings are free, but you can upgrade to paid ads if you want more traffic. Fortunately, as of 2020, Google decided to list both free and paid ads in search results, so you can get traffic without needing a massive advertising budget. If you’re new to the platform, we recommend developing free listings first, then switching to paid ads once you’ve smoothed out any kinks.
How to Add Products to Google Shopping
There are two ways to add products to your Merchant Center account – individually or as a shopping feed. Feeds are ideal if you’re trying to sell similar products at the same time. Individual listings are great for top sellers or unique items that don’t fit in well with a feed.
The process for adding products is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is:
- Go into your Merchant Center account
- Go to the Products tab
- Click the plus button to add a new product
- If you have multiple styles, colors, or sizes, you can add variations through the “I have an apparel or variant products” button
- Enter all product information, including SKUs and prices
- Save your listing
You can find out more about how to do this by reading Google’s step-by-step guide here. You can also see what it takes to add variant items and how to ensure consistency across each listing.
Are You Looking to list your Products Online with Google Shopping? Work with the Professionals at BizIQ to Make Your Ads are Set Correctly
Although Google Shopping is pretty easy to use, the problem is when you’re trying to sell tons of items at once. There is a lot of back-end work to make sure that your listings are optimized for search results. On top of that, improving your ranking is a challenge, thanks to the massive competition from other retailers.
Fortunately, BizIQ can help. We have a team of professionals that can manage your Google Shopping listings and Merchant Center account. We’ll take care of all the details so that you can worry more about improving your customer experience. Contact us today to find out how we can elevate your e-commerce business.
