Google is one of the companies that usually produces the most products, linked to the best known. However, some go a bit more unnoticed simply because they can be difficult to understand. This is what happens with Google Shopping.
And, despite this, do you know that it is a very useful tool for e-commerce? By being linked to a browser (one that is used by a very high percentage in the world), it allows your products to reach users. But, What is Google Shopping and how does it work? That and much more is what we are going to explain to you below.
What is Google Shopping
When you want to buy something, be it a plant, an appliance, a cream ... many times you end up reaching the browser (mainly Google), putting the product you want and looking for, right? Well, in the results, in the column on the right, we see a series of products that may be what you are looking for. And, if you look a bit at the title, this is: Google Shopping Results. Bingo!
Google Shopping is a kind of product price comparator, but it is also an opportunity for any online business to make its products known to all those who seek them. In other words, positioning.
What Google does is index the products of an online store in such a way that, when someone searches for that product, it shows it along with the price and the store, so that the user can compare the prices and see the products in the different stores «that Google has registered». What's more, this box is even more important than Google Adwords ads or even conventional searches, hence it is a very powerful weapon to publicize your business and your products.
How to put your store on Google Shopping
Before launching yourself and wanting to enter Google Shopping, it is important that you weigh the decision. And also that you meet the requirements that are asked to enter. We talk about:
- Have a Google Adwords account. This is important because it links to your Google Merchant account (say, the Google Shopping "company") and with which you can create campaigns for your products.
- Have a Google Merchant Center account. What is Google Shopping proper?
- Have a product feed, if possible in XML, so you can send it to Google and your products start to appear.
- Have an online store.
Once you have everything, and your decision is firm, the steps you must follow to enter Google Shopping are the following:
- Locate Google Merchant center. You have this here: https://www.google.com/retail/
- You have to register, and I recommend that you use the same email that you gave in Google Ads since, that way, everything will be much faster (and the two accounts will be linked easily). To sign up, you have to fill in all the requested information and, once verified, you can continue with the next step.
- Upload your data feed. That is, the file (in XML better) with the information of your products. In fact, when you have few products it is easy to do it, but if your store has thousands, then use a plugin to create it easily.
- Check that everything is correct. Especially before sending it so that there are no errors (especially in prices) that could negatively affect your store.
- Link Google Ads and Merchant. You will do this in "Settings", and from there to "Adwords". What do you need? Just the Google Ads ID.
And that's it, you'll have your store. The next step you can do is create a campaign to start appearing on Google Shopping and you do this with Ads.
Advantages and disadvantages
Now, not all that glitters is gold, and in the case of Google Shopping we cannot tell you that all are advantages. Because it is not true. Just as there are a lot of benefits, there are also drawbacks that you must weigh to make the best decision about your company. In this sense, and objectively, we talk about all of them.
Advantages of Google Shopping
Among the advantages that we highlight are:
- Visual ads. Because not only are you going to find a text, but it will show the image and it can be exactly what that person is looking for. In fact, being visual, and comparative, you have a much higher purchase intention than with other results.
- Priority. Because Google Shopping products are shown before Adwords ads and are prioritized with search engine results. In fact, it is possible that Google's trend is the same, giving it more and more prominence.
- Qualified traffic. A person who sees a product, or looks for it, is because he intends to buy it, not because he really wants information about it. So this usually turns into a sale (sooner or later).
The not so good
Now, there are several problems to take into account, which are:
- You compete with the price. Usually the "winners" are going to be those who offer the best price for that product. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to be successful with this tool. If your prices are not competitive, it will be almost impossible for you to achieve anything.
- Large companies. Amazon, Casa del Libro, Ebay, Mediamarkt, Carrefour, El Corte Inglés… they sound familiar, right? Well, know that you are going to have to compete with them, and this will reduce your opportunities, unless you give something of value to your product.
How to sell on Google Shopping
The great question, Is it sold on Google Shopping? His answer is complex, because there will be some who say yes and others who say no. What you should be clear about is that, if you don't do Adwords campaigns, being on Google Shopping won't cost you anything, and you may naturally start to get listed. So why not give it a try?
Of course, since we know that the time you spend informing yourself about Google Shopping is important, how about we leave you some "Tricks" that will help you sell more?
- Bet on a descriptive title. In fact, doing so will attract more attention. But what do you put in? there is a formula: Brand-Gender-Product-Color-Size. That way you don't waste that person's time.
- Recommendations. So important ... But we know that it costs a lot to get them, because people do not usually spend time putting opinions (with exceptions, and almost always bad) about products or stores.
- The best photo. We have already told you that Google Shopping is very visual. The problem is that, if you don't pay attention to this, you will end up with a bad image and in the end you will not be chosen. So bet on a good photo session of your products.
- Use the labels. It is a good strategy to attract attention, for example saying that you are on sale, that they are bargains, that you are the best sellers ...