Google Shopping Ads are a powerful tool that can help businesses of all types increase visibility and drive more sales. These ads use product information and images from a business’s website to create visually appealing ads that can appear in search results on Google and other Google properties.
In this article, we will take a closer look at Google Shopping Ads and explore the benefits they can offer for New Zealand businesses.
What are Google Shopping Ads?
Google Shopping Ads are a type of paid advertising that allows businesses to display their products directly in search results on Google. These ads use product information and images from a business’s website to create a visually appealing ad that helps potential customers find the products they’re looking for.
Google Shopping ads typically appear on the Google Search results page and on Google Shopping, which is a separate section of Google where users can browse and compare products. They can also appear on other Google properties such as Google Images and YouTube. Additionally, Google Shopping ads can also appear on other sites through the Google Display Network, which includes a wide range of websites and apps that have partnered with Google to display ads. These placements include:
- Google Search results page
- Google Shopping
- Google Images
- YouTube
- Google Display Network
Why should New Zealand businesses use Google Shopping Ads?
Increased visibility: Google Shopping Ads allow businesses to reach a wider audience by displaying their products in search results. This can help increase brand awareness and drive more traffic to a business’s website.
Targeted advertising: Google Shopping Ads use a business’s product information to target specific audiences, making it easier to reach customers who are most likely to be interested in a business’s products.
Measurable results: Google Shopping Ads provide detailed reporting on ad performance, including click-through rates, conversions, and ROI. This allows businesses to see how their ads are performing and make adjustments as needed.
Which types of New Zealand businesses would benefit from Google Shopping ads?
Google Shopping Ads can benefit a variety of New Zealand businesses, particularly those that sell physical products online. Some specific types of businesses that can benefit from using Google Shopping Ads include:
- E-commerce businesses: Online stores that sell a wide range of products can use Google Shopping Ads to increase visibility for their products and drive more sales.
- Specialty retailers: Businesses that sell specific types of products, such as clothing, electronics, or home goods, can use Google Shopping Ads to reach customers who are specifically searching for those types of products.
- Local businesses: Businesses with physical storefronts can use Google Shopping Ads to promote their products and attract local customers.
- Online marketplaces: Online marketplaces can use Google Shopping Ads to promote their products and increase visibility to their sellers products and attract customers to their sites.
In short, any business that sells physical products, and want to increase their visibility and drive more sales through online advertising, can benefit from using Google Shopping Ads.
What requirements are there for a business to run Google Shopping ads?
There are a few requirements for a business to run Google Shopping Ads:
- An e-commerce website: Businesses need to have a website that is active and has the ability to purchase products to run Google Shopping Ads.
- Product data: Businesses need to have accurate and up-to-date product data, including product names, descriptions, prices, and images, to create effective Google Shopping Ads. This data must be uploaded to a Google Merchant Center account.
- Compliance with Google policies: Businesses need to comply with Google’s policies for Shopping Ads, including its policies on prohibited content, trademarks, and pricing.
- Google Ads account: Businesses need to have a Google Ads account to create and manage Shopping Ads.
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) or MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) : Product should have a GTIN or MPN for Google to identify the product, this helps in targeting the right audience with the correct product.
- Businesses should be ready to provide tracking information for the product.
- Businesses should be able to accept payments and deliver products to customers, Google will not be responsible for any transaction or delivery.
In addition, to run Google Shopping Ads, the business should be legally operating and in compliance with the laws in their country, including tax laws.
What is Google Merchant Center?
Google Merchant Center is a tool provided by Google that allows online merchants to upload their product information and make it available to Google Shopping and other Google services. It allows merchants to manage their product data, including pricing and availability, and helps to ensure that their products are displayed accurately on Google Shopping and other Google surfaces. This helps to increase visibility and drive sales for the merchant.
How can New Zealand businesses get started with Google Shopping Ads?
- Create a Google Merchant Center account: This is where businesses will upload their product information and images.
- Connect the Merchant Center account to a Google Ads account: This allows businesses to create and manage their Shopping Ads.
- Create Shopping Ads: Use the product information and images from the Merchant Center account to create visually appealing ads that will be displayed in search results.
- Set a budget and bid for ad placement: Determine how much you want to spend on your ads and bid on the placement of your ads in search results.
- Monitor and adjust: Use the reporting provided by Google Ads to monitor the performance of your ads and make adjustments as needed to optimise results.
How do you set up a Google Merchant Centre account with Shopify?
To set up a Google Merchant Center account with Shopify, you will need to follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Shopify account and go to the Shopify app store.
- Search for the Google Shopping app and install it.
- After installation, go to the “Google Shopping” tab in your Shopify admin and click “Connect to Google Merchant Center.”
- If you don’t have a Google Merchant Center account, you’ll be prompted to create one. Follow the prompts to create your account.
- Once you’ve created your Google Merchant Center account, you’ll be prompted to link it to your Shopify store.
- Click on the “Link your Google Merchant Center account” button, and sign in with the Google account you used to create your Merchant Center account.
- Select the account you want to link and then accept the terms and conditions.
- After linking your accounts, you will be prompted to select the products you want to submit to Google Shopping.
- Select the products and then click on “Submit products” button.
- After that, you need to verify and claim your website on your Google Merchant Center account.
- After verifying your website, you will be able to set up your Google Shopping Campaigns and start promoting your products on Google Shopping.
Please note that this is a general overview of the process and it may vary slightly depending on your specific needs and the version of Shopify you are running.
Summary
Google Shopping Ads are a great way for New Zealand businesses to increase visibility and drive more sales. They can benefit a wide range of businesses, including e-commerce businesses, specialty retailers, local businesses, and online marketplaces.
To run Google Shopping Ads, businesses need to have a website, accurate and up-to-date product data, compliance with Google’s policies, a Google Ads account and a GTIN or MPN for their products. With the right strategy, Google Shopping Ads can help businesses reach a wider audience, target specific audiences, and measure the success of their ads. If you’re looking to boost your online sales, consider using Google Shopping Ads as a part of your advertising strategy.
