Google Shopping is a win-win for shoppers and sellers alike. It’s a convenient, intuitive webshop for consumers to discover the best deals on products they’re eyeing and a powerful marketing platform for brands to reach new customers.
This blog will help you maximize the platform through Google Shopping ads by taking a look at:
• What Google Shopping Is
• What Google Shopping Ads Are
• Reasons To Invest in Google Shopping Ads
• Setting Up Google Shopping Ads
• eCommerce Tips To Maximize Google Shopping Ads
• Generating Leads That Lead to Sales
But First, What Is Google Shopping Exactly?
Google Shopping is a service that enables users to search for products on online shopping websites. It’s like a giant online marketplace where shoppers can compare prices from different retailers all in one place. The platform uses a variety of factors to rank products in its search results, including the price, shipping costs, seller ratings and availability. Users can filter their search results by product type, brand and price range.
Brands should take advantage of the opportunity to reach new customers, generate sales and thus, raise revenue through Google Shopping. What’s more, merchants can list their products for free on the platform.
So, now let’s talk about the search engine giant’s pay-per-click (PPC) marketing for eCommerce businesses, Google Shopping ads.
What Are Google Shopping Ads?
Google Shopping ads are promotions that brands can run to showcase their products in Google’s search results and in front of people actively looking to buy. It is a pay per click advertising model where businesses only pay when a user clicks on an ad, as mentioned above.
When someone searches for a product on Google, your Shopping ads appear right alongside the organic search results, encouraging sales and lead generation. Your ad will include a product image, title, price and shop name so potential customers can see exactly what you have to offer without having to click through to your website.
In such pay per click marketing, the cost of a click is determined by several factors, including the keywords the business is targeting, the competition for those keywords and the quality of the business’s ad. You should also consider these aspects for a better clickthrough rate (CTR) and sales lead generation.
Why Your Brand Should Invest in Google Shopping Ads: Who Doesn’t Want To Increase Revenue?
Pay per click marketing is a powerful sales and lead generation tool. Google Shopping ads are particularly beneficial for businesses to generate sales and raise revenue. A study by Google found that brands that use Shopping ads see an average of 25% increase in online sales.
If you need more convincing, here are more reasons why eCommerce businesses should invest in Google Shopping ads:
• Reach a wider audience. Google Shopping ads are displayed at the top of Google’s search results, which means that your ads are seen by more potential customers who are actively looking for products to buy.
• Generate sales. Google Shopping ads have been shown to increase revenue for businesses of all sizes. Again, a Google study found that businesses that use Shopping ads see an average of 25% increase in online sales.
• Get more clicks. Google Shopping ads are more likely to be clicked on than traditional text ads because they include details like images and prices, increasing not only click through rates but also website traffic.
• Improve your return on investment (ROI). Since Google Shopping ads are pay per click advertising, you improve your ROI and ensure you’re not wasting money — provided you perform eCommerce conversion optimization.
• Track your results. Google provides detailed reports that show you how your Shopping ads are performing. Collected insights help you to optimize your campaigns and get the most out of your investment.
Remember, though, that these benefits are only yours to enjoy if you conduct eCommerce conversion optimization for your Google Shopping ads to ensure you increase revenue through them.
How To Set Up Google Shopping Ads
1. Sign up for a Google Ads account.
2. Link your Google Merchant Center account.
3. Create a Shopping campaign.
4. Add your products to your campaign.
5. Set your bidding strategy.
6. Set your budget.
7. Review your campaign settings.
8. Start your campaign.
Here are the steps in more detail:
1. Sign up for a Google Ads account. If you don’t already have a Google Ads account, you can create one for free here.
2. Link your Google Merchant Center account. Your Google Merchant Center account is where you will store your product data. If you don’t have a Google Merchant Center account yet, learn how to sign up for free here.
3. Create a Shopping campaign. Once you have linked your Google Merchant Center account, create a Shopping campaign. To do this, click on the “Campaigns” tab in your Google Ads account and then click the “+” button. Select “Shopping” as the campaign type.
4. Add your products to your campaign. Once you have created a Shopping campaign, you can add your products. To do this, click on the “Products” tab and then the “+” button. Select “Add products from your Google Merchant Center.”
5. Set your bidding strategy. You can choose to set your bidding strategy manually or automatically. If you set it manually, decide how much you are willing to pay per click. If you set it automatically, Google will set your bids based on your budget and goals.
6. Set your budget. You will need to set a budget for your Shopping campaign. This is the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend each day.
7. Review your campaign settings. Once you have set your bidding strategy and budget, you should review your campaign settings to ensure they are correct. You can do this by clicking on the “Settings” tab.
8. Start your campaign. Once you have reviewed your campaign settings, you can start your campaign by clicking the “Start” button.
Once your campaign starts, your products will appear in Google Shopping search results. You can track the performance of your campaign by going to the “Reports” tab in your Google Ads account.
eCommerce Optimization Tips: Get the Best Out of Your Google Shopping Ads
It’s important to perform A/B tests to test different elements of your ads, such as headlines, descriptions and bids. Here are more tips to optimize your Google Shopping campaigns:
• Optimize your product feed. Make sure your product feed is accurate and up-to-date. This includes ensuring that your product titles, descriptions and prices are correct. You can also add product information, such as images, shipping details and reviews.
• Optimize your campaign structure. Divide your products into logical ad groups based on product type, price and brand. Doing so helps you improve your targeting and makes it easier to manage your campaigns.
• Set competitive bids. Set competitive bids so your ads appear for the correct search terms and you’re not overpaying. You can use the Google Ads auction simulator to help you set your bids.
• Use negative keywords. Negative keywords are words or phrases you don’t want your ads to appear for. For example, if you sell shoes, you might want to add the negative keyword “free” to your campaign so that your ads don’t appear for searches like “free shoes.”
• Track your results. Track the results of your Shopping campaigns to see what’s working and what’s not. You can use Google Ads reports to track metrics like impressions, clicks, conversions and cost per conversion.
Conversion Rate Optimization: How To Generate Leads That Lead to Sales Through Your Website
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of improving the percentage of visitors to your online store who perform a desired action – in this case, completing a purchase. eCommerce optimization may mean changing your website design, checkout process and marketing campaigns.
Note: We interchangeably used the terms “eCommerce optimization,” “eCommerce conversion optimization” and “conversion rate optimization” in this blog.
Here’s how to generate leads and sales through CRO:
• Testing different website designs. You can use A/B testing to see which design elements, like the layout, color scheme or call to action, have the biggest impact on conversions.
• Improving your checkout process. Use general language, provide clear instructions and offer multiple payment options such as electronic wallets and credit cards.
• Personalizing your marketing campaigns. Target your ads to specific audiences based on interests, demographics and purchase history for better click through rates and conversions.
• Make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. Ensure your search function is straightforward. Show a navigation bar that includes links to all of the important pages on your website.
• Provide comprehensive product information. Include detailed descriptions, high-quality images and customer reviews. Positive online reviews serve as a good salesperson for you.
• Offer competitive prices. Compare your prices to those of your competitors to ensure that you’re pricing your products competitively. And offer special promotions regularly.
• Provide excellent customer service. Respond to customer inquiries promptly and professionally. You could also provide customer support through email, phone or live chat.
Ultimately, eCommerce CRO aims to make it easy for your customers to make a purchase.
Ready To Launch Your Google Shopping Ads?
If you’re ready to raise revenue through Google Shopping ads, so is our eCommerce PPC team! Send us a message or call 866-908-4748.
