Best Practices for NEW Google Shopping Campaigns

Yesterday morning the Google Shopping Team, including Partner Education Manager, Nicole Premo, and Product Specialist, Chris Azalde, held their second Google+ Hangout where they discussed best practices for Shopping campaigns and AdWords Editor support.

During the informational session, the Shopping Team reviewed a few items to keep in mind when managing the new replacement of PLAs and Shopping Campaign benefits. Whether you’re new to Product Listing Ads or a PLA master, the following takeaways and recommendations will help you with the Shopping campaign transition taking full effect in late August.

Below you’ll find takeaways from the Google+ Hangout including:

• Best practices for implementing a Google Shopping campaign feed
• A heads-up on updated data feed attributes
• Shiny new features coming to the AdWords Editor (version 10.5!)

And, if you’re interested in talking about how Bruce Clay, Inc. can help you manage your Google Shopping or other paid search campaigns, let’s get in touch!

Best Practices for an Optimized Shopping Campaign Feed

Ensure “product data is complete, fresh and accurate”

• Upload data regularly to keep information current
  • Once a day, or depending on changes, schedule frequent uploads
• Feeds should be kept updated to reflect any new price changes and availability
• “Product eligibility can improve your impressions”
• Match the data feed to the information found on your website
• Submit Unique Product Identifiers

Keep “titles, descriptions and images user-friendly”

• Use high-quality, clear images for products
  • Use white, gray or light gray backgrounds
  • Avoid watermarks and logos
• “Relevancy can improve your click through rate”
  • Use Search Query Reports to hone relevancy of products’ keyword lists
• No keyword stuffing

Keep “product type and custom labels in good shape”

• “Bid based on your product group’s relative value”
• Organize your inventory by product type for easy management of your shopping campaigns
  • Create a product catalogue or taxonomy
• Five custom labels are available and they make management control of new and old products that much easier
  • Each product can be assigned up to 5 labels

Resource: AdWords Best Practices Series on Search Engine Land

Updated Specifications for Data Feed Attributes

• Landing Page Policy
• Image Quality Recommendations
• Attribute Character Limits

Resource: Google Merchant Center Product Feed Specification

Note: The Google Shopping Team will be reviewing feeds on Google Merchant Center.  Google strongly recommends reviewing the Feed Summary Page for any warnings or messages. GST also mentioned to update account contact information to receive email notifications. You will be hearing from them this summer if your account is in need of any immediate changes.

Note on “is_bundle”: A good example for the best use of this attribute is a bundle including a camera and case. Clearly, the camera is the dominate product in the bundle.

NEW! 10.5 AdWords Editor Features

• Manage and edit campaigns offline
• Bulk Management: Bids and URLs of Product Groups
• Bulk Management: Negative Keywords
• Update promotional text for many Ad Groups

Note: Shopping campaigns or product groups cannot be created or deleted.

Things to Consider

• Adding negative keywords to your Shopping campaigns directly from the Search Query Report is currently not available, but, like PLAs, you can still add keywords lists also available for bulk management
• Review your Search Query Report to see how your customers are searching
• Backend Auction Activity and Algorithm remains the same and has not changed
• How can you get your product to be displayed for highly competitive keywords?
  • Submit Unique Product Identifiers
  • Update titles and optimize by relevancy
  • Submit Product Group Category

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES

“AdWords Best Practices Series” for checklists, whitepapers and more!

Diana Becerra is an SEM Analyst at Bruce Clay, Inc., a marketing enthusiast, and non-profit activist. She has a B.S. in Business Management with a concentration in marketing and is currently attending graduate school in focus of obtaining a Masters of Business Administration. Before joining Bruce Clay, Inc., Diana worked in many areas of marketing, including public relations, communications, community program development, software development and brand management. She loves marketing, sports and sprinkles. Connect with Diana on Google+.

See Diana's author page for links to connect on social media.