It’s a fact that eCommerce is here to stay and has an honest shot to take over the world. These days you can literally buy anything online, from groceries to pharmaceuticals, small appliances, large appliances, furniture, alcohol, and even cars. If you buy it, they will come to deliver it to you somehow.
However, the digital world is constantly evolving and Google Merchant Center (GMC) is naturally at the forefront as one of the most successful eCommerce platforms in the world. So, whether you are getting ready to dip your proverbial corporate toe into the eCommerce waters, or you are ready to take your existing eCommerce efforts to the next level, chances are good that you have a lot of questions.
What Is Google Merchant Center?
Google Merchant Center (GMC) works in lock step with its partner entity Google Shopping, which has been boosting the eCommerce efforts of millions of businesses since 2010.
Google Merchant Center is a product feed that serves as an effective bridge for eCommerce stores and Google Shopping. It provides just about any type of online retailer a fluid pipeline for increased eCommerce sales.
Google Merchant Center even allows online retailers to upload their product information to Google Shopping, making it possible for customers to find them in the first place.
The product feeds of Google Merchant Center contain a file with all of the necessary data for each of your products, such as titles, descriptions, images, price, and other essential information. This is also the same data that Google Shopping uses to populate its search results with your products. The way the two work together hand-in-hand boosts their ability to get your products directly in front of people who are actively searching for them.
Is Google Merchant Center Worth It?
If you are going to sell your products online and you want to make the most out of your eCommerce efforts, then it only makes sense to make sure you are represented on the most used search engine in the world. A Google Merchant Center Account gives you a seat at the eCommerce table, while still letting you maintain your current eCommerce site.
Who Benefits From Using Google Merchant Center?
Google Merchant Center was designed to work with just about any business that operated an online store and also wants to list its products on Google Shopping. This helps drive more customers and means more traffic to your website, which translates into more potential sales.
Does Google Merchant Center Work For Any Size Business?
It serves as an effective eCommerce platform for any business regardless of scale. Startups, mom-and-pop shops, and even massive corporate retailers all maintain a presence on Google Merchant Center. In fact, it can be a great opportunity for a smaller business to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a larger corporate retailer in ways that you simply can’t access on other platforms.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Google Merchant Center?
Google Merchant Center’s benefits go beyond data collation and cooperation with Google Shopping. This includes things like:
- Access to millions, if not billions of potential customers.
- Free listings on Google Shopping
- Google Analytics Support
- Increased eCommerce Site Traffic
- Edit ads in Real-Time
- Google AdWords Integration
Is It Hard To Get Started With Google Merchant Center?
Getting started with Google Merchant Center is relatively easy. Google has spent decades learning how to make its online ecosystem intuitive to use at every level, and that’s just as true with GMC. You’ll need to provide them with up-to-date information about your company, as well as answer some key questions about what you offer.
There is a bunch of basic legal agreements that need to be approved. Then you’ll be directed to an overview page that keeps all your account information in one place. There is a bevy of helpful links and resources to help streamline the process from there through a series of easy-to-follow steps.
What Is In A Google Merchant Center Data Feed?
Once you have a Google Merchant Center account, you can get to work developing a highly effective data feed. This starts out as a relatively simple file that contains all the relevant information about your product line. It helps to take time setting this up as all the information in your data feed will be used to match your products with relevant searches on Google Shopping.
What Are The Different Types Of Data Feeds?
Google Merchant Center has a variety of data feeds. Taking the time to accurately manage them will go a long way toward optimizing your visibility in relevant searches.
The Primary Feed is the main data source that Google uses to access and display your product information. It is relatively easy to edit and uses customized language and country targeting, to establish baseline feed rules for your product data.
The Supplemental Feed includes information that can be added to one or more primary data feeds to supply more comprehensive information. This can help boost your visibility on relevant searches.
The Regional Product Inventory Feed is another type of supplemental data feed that GMC utilizes to highlight regional pricing or availability for a particular range of items in your predefined regions.
Is It Hard To Upload My Feed To Google Merchant Center?
Google has made every effort to make it as easy as possible to upload your initial data feed to the Google Merchant Center. Most of the time it can automatically retrieve a feed from any URL you provide. So long as the URL is publicly accessible.
At any time, you can change the location of your feed at any time by updating the URL in your Google Merchant Center account. GMC can also work with other data entry applications like Google Sheets, or Microsoft Excel.
It’s also possible to connect Google Merchant Center to your FTP server. Though this is a little more technical and might require the help of an experienced IT professional. This technique is most effective for an eCommerce retailer who needs to update their feed frequently.
Can I Link My Google Merchant Center to Google Ads?
It is possible to connect your Google Ads account and your Google Merchant Center accounts. This can help boost your existing advertising campaigns.
Where Will My Products Be Displayed?
If you are currently engaged in a Google Ads campaign, your products will be displayed primarily on Google Search. They will show up as either one of the tops of organic search results or to the right of all results. This is connected to Google Merchant Center’s partner-in-business, Google Shopping.
What Are The Requirements For A Google Merchant Account?
To qualify for a Google Merchant Center account, you will need to have an active Google Account, a verified google business profile, and a store product list with inventory and shipping information. You will also need to be able to integrate your eCommerce site via a popular platform like Shopify, Big Commerce, Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, or Wix.
