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When most people hear the word “Google,” their first thought is often of a verb: The fact has become rooted in culture for people to ‘google’ something means to search for information on the internet. It has been established that using Google is as simple as looking for a recipe, or getting Google to diagnose an illness; however, Google is not a search engine only.
One such example is Google Shopping which turns into an essential tool in the business toolkit for enterprises and startups willing to drive product sales and improve brand awareness.
As not all of Google’s attempts to enter new markets can be hailed as successes, increasing numbers of consumers are turning to Google Shopping for their online shopping needs. Consequently, owners of the business are only starting to consider the vast potential it creates for adding value and sales.
What is Google Shopping and why is it that most of the eCommerce retailers and marketers who own businesses are integrating Google Shopping for site selling and brand building?
In this brief guide, we’ll explain what Google Shopping is and why it has become an essential tool for businesses across various industries.
What is Google Shopping?
From a user point of view, Google Shopping is a specialized section of Google offering relevant products by local merchants or online stores.
Indeed, as Google itself says, “When you search using Google Shopping, you’re seeking products from advertisers and sellers who decide that your platform is the right place for their products.” Buyers have certain perceptions about the status of the merchant once accepted in Google Shopping in that it is considered to belong to a better class than the rest.
For businesses, Google Shopping operates through two key platforms: consisting of Google Ads and Google Merchant Center. Google Merchant Center is where your product feed is managed from which the products are propagated. Additionally, you can filter your listings according to their style and trends to maximize sales and increase the overall market share of your field.
The products you sell can be positioned to bring about this positive change depending on the user’s geographical location if you are featured in the Google Shopping tab. Since you have to be approved to join this platform you do not see all brands or products hence those that are vetted appear to be more credible.
You can sign up for a Google Shopping account irrespective of the fact whether you’re a marketer/marketing seller or a business person, and the signup process is free. However, similar to Google Ads services, you also have a chance to conduct paid promotions like Google Shopping.
Google Shopping enables you to either target prospective customers by creating local inventory ads or simply market some of your top-selling items. As with Google Ads, you’ll only be charged when a potential customer clicks on your products, and there is no cost to list products if you’re accepted into the Google Shopping program.
Benefits of Using Google Shopping as a Business Owner
There are four advantages a business owner can get from using Google Shopping:
Trust by Association
The major plus of partnering with Google Shopping is that your products will be displayed in the Google Shopping feed along with such giants as Walmart and Target, which can give your brand credibility. Given that Google Shopping functions based on an application, the platform is often used to market relatively better quality products and brands. Although, your store will not sell as many products as the large retail stores, being associated with Google Shopping provides you with a level of social proof that can go a long way in helping you to establish your online store.
Higher Quality Leads
As opposed to Google search, in which the user is not necessarily ready to buy or even search for a product, the user of shopping.google.com has indicated his or her willingness to make a purchase right or at the nearest opportunity. The audience on Google Shopping is more inclined to buy compared to an average searcher, and therefore exposure on the platform results in high sales. Compared with Google Search, users directly landing on Google Shopping are more likely to be in the buying process, even though not all of them necessarily will be buyers.
Designed with Shoppers in Mind
In addition, another advantage of Google Shopping is the platform layout that focuses on product images, and descriptions and helps shoppers to make comparisons. As you might expect, Google Shopping looks quite similar to standard web search but it is designed to show images and products’ features, first of all, in mobile view. This design makes it easy for the shoppers to access the information they want on a product to make a purchase decision. For instance, if you are looking for a tablet, the layouts of products in Google Shopping will present them in a very easily comparable way with information on distinct features and images.
The conspicuous layout of this kind of web store allows seeing and comparing key characteristics, reading reviews, and viewing more images right on the website where one is going to make a purchase, without distracting with unnecessary actions or offers.
High-Impact Performance with Google Shopping Ads
Two other benefits associated with Google shopping are the highly developed reporting and evaluation tools which allow you to monitor the success of the ads. The policy of Google is to help companies succeed in providing goods and services to users so that people will meet only quality products.
Even though Google Shopping remains rather young regarding some of the businesses, a high ROI is characteristic of most campaigns. While it is different from Google Ads, the general process is going to be very familiar to anybody who has used online marketing before.
Google Shopping: A Step-by-Step Guide
Google shopping campaigns, where your campaigns are housed, are the place where you’ll adjust budget and bids, view performance, and make improvements.
Creating Shopping ads is not the same process as creating ordinary text ads. Text-based advertising means that you develop campaigns, ad groups, and ads that are based on the keywords that interest you. On the other hand, it helps decide when your product listing ads show based on your feed, website, and bid amounts.
This process also resembles SEO because Google refines its algorithm all the time so that the search results only feature the most appropriate, reliable, and top-quality products. This way, it is critical to pay attention to the process of optimization of product listings.
Key Areas for Success with Google Shopping
Success on Google Shopping largely depends on three main factors:
- Feed Creation and Optimization: Known as “feed mastery”, this includes your product description, images, and prices. This is important for successful campaigns as explained in this paper.
- Bidding: Bidding strategies are of many types and thus the best one changes as time progresses. It’s been clear that search volume is not the only thing that determines the return on ad spend when changing bidding strategies.
- Monitoring and Optimization: It should be noted that similar to Google AdWords, Google Shopping offers an opportunity to observe detailed statistics, using which, managers can make specific optimizations. Therefore, the ability to watch your campaigns is a great way to go from a good effort to a great effort.
How Does Google Shopping Work?
For the command of your Google Shopping ads, you are going to use Google Ads. In Google Ads you can choose the kinds of Shopping ads to run and your bid control options at the same time.
While most ads focus on keywords, Google Shopping ads are initiated based on the product information in the Merchant Center. Google then employs this data to decide which of the products that you offer is most suitable to the user’s search.
Types of Google Shopping Ads
There are three main types of Google Shopping ads you can choose from:
- Product Shopping Ads: These are the most simple type of Google Shopping ads also known as product listing ads. They simply feature an image of one single product and other relevant product info such as the title of the product, the price thereof, and the store.
- Showcase Shopping Ads: In shopping ad developments, you can offer similar products in a single ad. These products can be compared side by side within the frame of the ad by the users before choosing the appropriate product.
- Local Inventory Ads: Local inventory ads are also useful for bringing attention to products you sell to people in the user’s area. When users click on these ads, they are taken to the local store page where they can also view your current stock and store information including, hours of opening.
Google Shopping Ad Costs
Advertising is similar to the rest of the Google ads; in the sense of how and which Shopping ads show up, Google uses the ad auction process. The auction mechanism is used because when a user types in a keyword to search for something, Google evaluates which advertiser has bid how much to have its ad featured on the search results page alongside relevant keywords.
Google charges advertisers differently depending on the type of shopping ad:
- Product Shopping Ads and Local Inventory Ads: These ads use the cost-per-click (CPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
- Showcase Shopping Ads: These industry types are the cost-per-engagement (CPE) model. The second way through which you’re charged is each time a user interacts with the ad by opening the expanded one and viewing it for 10 seconds or more or clicking on it.
With your Google Shopping Campaigns, you can always set your maximum cost per click or engagement. The amount you have to pay is only as far as ranking above the next highest bidding client.
Where Google Shopping Ads Appear
Google Shopping ads can show up in various locations:
- In Google Search specific to the keyword within the SERPs either at the top of the SERP page or to the right of text ads and organic search results
- Specifically in the shopping tab of Google search
- On the Google Display Network, this can encompass Gmail, YouTube, Google Discover, and more.
- In Google Search Partner websites where you choose to include them in your campaign settings
What Exactly are Google Shopping Management Services?
Google Shopping management services make sure products are served in relevant search results improving CTR and subsequently driving sales. These services are used in maximizing your Google Shopping campaigns.
What Services Are Included In Our Google Shopping Feed Management?
At Softtrix, we offer Google Shopping management services as well as a wide array of other direct response solutions such as PPC services, retargeting, and SEO.
When you partner with Softtrix for Google Shopping management, we provide the following:
- Custom Campaign Strategies: Our approach is strategic and its design is anchored to the putative goals and objectives of the business in question.
- Product Data Optimization: We make sure correct product information is submitted to Google Merchant Center and is properly indexed for the relevant searches to be made.
- Image Optimization: You can benefit from our increased ad effects: We optimize your product images.
- Campaign Setup and Ad Selection: We help you get started with your campaigns and make recommendations regarding the most fitting ad formats and options for targeting.
- Bidding Strategy Management: Some of the services we deliver as pertains to ads include coming up with and implementing bids that ensure we get the highest possible returns for the amount spent (ROAS).
- Ongoing Campaign Optimization: I have provided a copy of your product feed and Google Shopping campaigns which I update and rewrite for you from time to time.
- Performance Reporting: We offer monthly or weekly reports of your campaign status or any other customized report depending on your requirements.
As well as assisting with the management of Google Shopping, we also assist with the management of other shopping feeds while using online coupons to increase the conversion rate and overall ROI.
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Conclusion
Softtrix possesses vast experience in all e-commerce marketing aspects and can help optimize your feed to meet Google’s standards and specifications. Our team provides sophisticated techniques to manage product listings, and bid mechanisms, and optimize Google shopping campaigns. Softtrix’s use of data increases its capacity to assess performance, review strategies and optimize its returns on investments. Through cooperation with Softtrix businesses and companies will be able to reach the full potential of their Google Shopping presence, increase the exposure of their brands, and optimize their online advertising for better results in the saturated world of online trade.
In conclusion, Google Shopping Management can be considered a powerful instrument for all sellers who want to optimize their positions and sales using the infinite possibilities of Google search and display networks. With proper management of product listings, a campaign setting, and proper analysis of the performance indicators, more target traffic can be achieved thereby leading to better conversion rates. As a result, Google Shopping helps retailers reach potential customers by featuring their products while getting the highest return on the investment. The concept of Google Shopping Management, its crucial aspects like feed optimization, bid strategies, and campaign structure, enables marketers to manage highly efficient and directly beneficial advertising campaigns most relevant for business development.
