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Since initially launching as ‘Froogle’ in 2002, Google Shopping has come an exceptionally long way. What started off as a service that simply indexed product data based on certain search terms shifted to a paid advertising model a decade later in 2012, when retailers started to pay to be featured in Google Shopping search results.
IN A RUSH? JUMP AHEAD
Google Shopping
Google Shopping
Google Shopping
Now, Google Shopping is considered a “branch” of Google AdWords and another way for retailers and e-commerce businesses to advertise their physical products online. Unlike text-based Google ads that show up based on keywords, Google uses product data uploaded by merchants to display Google Shopping ads.
At Platform81, our expert PPC team can help you discover how to use this popular Comparison Shopping Engine (CSE) to effectively advertise your products whilst driving leads, sales and web traffic.
The benefits
Ideal for consumers who bear no loyalty to a specific brand, Google Shopping allows you to search for, compare and shop for physical products across multiple retailers, much like an online marketplace – with the added benefit of filtering the results using a number of different criteria, such as price point, for example.
Not only is it a less ‘clunky’ process than jumping between multiple e-commerce sites, but Google Shopping also benefits retailers by sending the customer back to the retailer’s site to make their purchase after clicking on the link.
Proven to have 30% higher conversion rates than text ads, Google Shopping permits retailers to show up multiple times in Google SERPs – not only as a Shopping result but as a website and text-only PPC result too.
Setting up your first campaign
Once you’ve created your Google Merchant Centre account – which will essentially act as a ‘base’ to store all your products and product information – we will be on-hand to help you set up and manage your future Google Shopping campaigns.
Our customised step-by-step process begins with collecting your product data feed and linking your Google AdWords account, which is vital for getting your products in front of shoppers.
Once we’ve created your Shopping campaign and agreed on the main goal (sales, leads or website traffic), we implement a bidding strategy [manual CPC (cost-per-click), automated, or target ROAS], budget and clear targeting so that your ads will be seen by the right people at the right time.
Your ad spend will be driven by whether we opt for Product Shopping ads to promote a single product; or Showcase Shopping ads that allow you to advertise multiple products as part of a product or lifestyle ad that represents your brand or business.
The importance of imagery
Often described as a ‘digital shopping centre’, Google Shopping brings a visual element to an otherwise text-heavy searching and shopping experience – customers can enter, search for what they want and then access multiple brands and product types, all on one screen.
For this reason, we know how important your product photos are and what role they play on both your own website and Google Shopping results. Our team will work with you to ensure you provide a great shopping experience that only features images of the highest quality, boasting specifications that will allow you to sell on other marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay or Etsy.
Platform 81 provided us with an excellent service. From the start the communication was good, the team were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly and clearly keen to provide a solution that worked for us.