For the business owner trying to be found online, it can be dizzying to keep your terms straight for affiliate marketing, social media advertising, and paid search advertising! Even if you are familiar with paid search advertising and are starting your first Google Shopping campaign, get ready! You have more terminology to learn. Here are seven essential terms to start you out on the right foot:
- Product Listing Ads (PLAs)
The Google Shopping platform has gone through a couple of name changes since its inception. The first iteration was called Froogle, but that was soon replaced by Google Product Listing. In 2012, the platform was rebranded as Google Shopping.
- Merchant Center
Every e-commerce site has an administrative side that the customers don’t see and Google Shopping is no exception. Google Merchant Center is where you get signed up, maintain your merchant feed, and link to your AdWords Account where you will manage the campaign.
- Product Feed
Whether you are a large retailer or a small merchant, all Google Shopping information is submitted through a ‘Product Feed.’ This may be an automatic feed that you set up through your e-commerce platform, or a manual feed you upload in a spreadsheet with all the product specifications. If you are used to the AdWords platform, think of this as your keywords and your ads all rolled into one!
- Product Type
The Product Type is an optional product attribute for all items except Apparel & Accessories, Media, and Software. These are predefined categories from Google that assist with product search settings. For example, if you are selling hoses you can choose to appear in categories for Watering & Irrigation, Garden Hoses, Garden Hose Fitting & Valves, etc.
- Ad Groups
Not to be confused with product categories, Ad Groups are the groupings that you assign to your products. Your feed can be in one single Ad Group, but to optimize your campaigns consider adjusting these groupings to separate your best selling products or identify new vs. used products.
- Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs)
There are currently 50 designated brands that Google requires the identification of GTINs in your feed. If a designated brand is being sold in ‘new’ condition and is missing the GTINs, Google will disapprove the item and it will not appear.
- Negative Keywords
Keywords for your items in a Google Shopping campaign should be found within your product descriptions, but you still have the ability to designate terms that you do not include in searches for your products. These can be controlled in AdWords account for your shopping campaigns at both the campaign and ad group levels.
Once you get off on the right foot, prepare to set off into a run! Find more information about Google Shopping campaigns on our blog or contact Informatics Inc. today.
