How to create a product feed for Google Merchant Center

What is Google Merchant Center?

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Google Merchant Center is a powerful platform provided by Google to allow businesses to upload, manage and optimize their online product catalogs. This is an essential tool for online merchants because it makes it easy to get your products across Google's various platforms, including Google Shopping, Google Ads, and Google Assistant. In summary, it allows you to showcase your products to millions of potential customers who use Google to search for products online.

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Preparing product data

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Now that we understand the importance of Google Merchant Center, let's dive into the first essential step to get the most out of this tool: product data preparation.

Collection of necessary data

Before you can create a product feed, you need to gather all the relevant information about your products. This includes :

High quality images: Sharp, attractive images of your products are crucial. Make sure they meet Google's specifications for resolution, size and format.
Informative titles: Your product titles should be clear, concise and descriptive. Use relevant keywords to help customers find what they are looking for.
Detailed descriptions: Provide complete descriptions of your products. Explain the features, benefits and technical specifications. Avoid vague or misleading descriptions.
Price : Include current prices for your products. Make sure they match those on your website to avoid confusion or customer dissatisfaction.
Link to product page: Each product should have a link to the corresponding page on your website, where customers can learn more and make a purchase.
Unique identifiers: Use unique identifiers, such as EAN codes or UPC codes, for each product. This ensures that Google correctly identifies each article.
Availability information: Indicate whether a product is in stock, out of stock or on pre-order. Accurate availability information is essential to avoid negative customer experiences.

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Tips for normalizing and structuring data

Once you've collected this data, it's time to standardize and structure it for efficient integration into Google Merchant Center. Here are some essential tips:

Use a compatible file format: Google accepts different file formats, such as CSV and XML. Make sure you choose the format that best suits your business and technical skills.
Organize your data coherently: Keep a consistent and uniform data structure across all your products. Use the same tags and attributes for each article.
Follow Google standards: Familiarize yourself with Google's specific requirements for product data. This includes strict guidelines regarding titles, descriptions, images, etc.
Avoid duplicate data: Make sure no information is repeated in your product feed. Each item must have unique and distinct data.
Regular updates: Schedule regular updates to your product feed to reflect price, availability, and description changes.

Carefully preparing your product data is the crucial first step to success with Google Merchant Center. High-quality, well-structured data that complies with Google standards increases the visibility of your products and improves the customer experience, which can translate into increased sales and better brand awareness.

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Creating a product feed

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Now that you have your product data prepared, it's time to create a product feed in Google Merchant Center to put it live. Here are the steps to achieve this:

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Step 1: Create a Google Merchant Center account

If you don't already have a Google Merchant Center account, follow these steps to create one:

Go to the Google Merchant Center website (merchantcenter.google.com).
Sign in to your existing Google account or create one if you don't have one.
Once logged in, you will be taken to the Google Merchant Center dashboard. If this is your first time, you will need to go through the initial setup process.

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Step 2: Configuring Basic Settings

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Now that you have a Google Merchant Center account, configure the basic settings for your product feed:

Go to the "Settings" or "Configuration" section of your Merchant Center account.
Fill out your business information, including name, address, contact details, and other relevant information. Make sure this information is accurate because it will appear in your product ads.
Configure payment and billing settings, if applicable, for your advertising campaigns on Google Ads.
Make sure the currency and language settings match your target audience.
Configure notification settings to receive important alerts about your Merchant Center account.

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Step 3: Choosing Product Feed Type

Google Merchant Center offers two options for product feed management: manual and automated. The choice depends on your needs and preference.

Manual product flow: This option allows you to manually upload a file containing your product data. This is a good option if you have a relatively small product inventory and want full control over managing your feed.
Automated product flow: If you have a large inventory of products that changes frequently, it may be more efficient to use an automated product feed. It can be connected directly to your inventory management system or e-commerce platform, ensuring your data is always up to date.

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To set up a manual product feed, follow these steps:

Go to the "Product Feeds" or "Data Feeds" section of your Merchant Center account.
Click "Add Product Feed" or a similar option.
Select “Manual Flow” as the flow type.
Follow the instructions to download your data file prepared in the previous step.
Configure feed update schedules based on how often your data changes.

To set up an automated product feed, you'll need to follow the specific instructions for your inventory management system or ecommerce platform, as the steps vary depending on the solution you're using.

With Feedcast, allows you to facilitate all these integrations in just a few clicks. You also have native connectors to retrieve your product catalog whether on Shopify with the application Feedimport, on Woocommerce etc.

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Data import and management

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Once you've created your product feed in Google Merchant Center, it's essential to understand how to import your data and how to manage that data on an ongoing basis to ensure its accuracy and relevance.

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How to import your product feed into Google Merchant Center

Go to the "Product Feeds" or "Data Feeds" section of your Google Merchant Center account.
Select the feed you want to import or download.
Follow the instructions to download the data file from your computer.
Google Merchant Center will check the file to ensure it is correctly structured and meets Google's requirements. If errors are found, you will need to correct them.
Once the file is accepted, it will be processed by Google and your products will be added to your account.

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Continuous monitoring and management of product data

Managing your product data doesn't stop after the initial import. Here are some best practices to ensure their quality and relevance:

Regular updates: Make sure to update your product feed whenever there are changes to your inventory, such as new products, price changes, or out-of-stock products.
Data quality control: Monitor your data regularly for errors or inconsistencies. Make sure the images are always high quality and the information is up to date.
Using tracking tools: Google Merchant Center offers performance monitoring tools. Use them to monitor the performance of your products and identify areas for improvement.
Analysis of reports: Check Google Merchant Center reports to get insights into how your products are performing. Identify which products are working well and which need adjustments.

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Optimization for visibility

Optimization is crucial to improve the visibility of your products in Google search results and maximize the effectiveness of your online presence.

Here are some optimization strategies:

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Optimization strategies to improve visibility

Optimize titles and descriptions: Use relevant keywords and detailed descriptions to make your products more easily discovered by Google users.
Use high-quality images: Attractive, high-resolution images grab users’ attention and can increase click-through rates.
Highlighting promotions: Use the Google Merchant Center promotion features to highlight special offers and discounts.
Management of reviews and ratings: Encourage customers to leave reviews and ratings on your products, which can improve their visibility and credibility.

Our Feedcast solution allows you to manage the entire game enrichment of product flow to ensure optimal visibility of your products. The product flow is reworked and optimized and you have a manager for your catalog to rework all the elements relating to your products.

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Using Google Shopping Ad Campaigns

Google Shopping ad campaigns are a powerful way to promote your products. You can create visual ads that appear when users search for similar products on Google. Here are the basic steps to configure them:

Go to Google Ads and create a new “Shopping” campaign.
Link your Google Merchant Center account to your campaign.
Create product groups based on your advertising goals.
Set your daily budget and bids.
Create engaging ads with high-quality images, relevant headlines and compelling descriptions.
Track the performance of your campaigns and adjust your strategy based on the results.

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Compliance with Google Merchant Center policies

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It is crucial to follow Google Merchant Center policies to avoid account suspensions and issues related to non-compliance.

Overview of Google Merchant Center policies

Google has strict policies regarding the products and data displayed on its platform. This includes guidelines on data quality, prohibited products, deceptive advertising practices, and more. Before you start using Google Merchant Center, make sure you understand these policies.

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Tips to Avoid Account Suspensions and Non-Compliance

Review your data regularly: Make sure your data complies with Google's product and advertising policies.
Monitor reviews and feedback: Pay attention to customer comments and feedback, and take action to resolve issues quickly.
Be transparent: Provide accurate and transparent information about your products, pricing and availability.
Stay up to date: Google's policies evolve, so be sure to stay informed of changes and adjust your account accordingly.

By following these policies, you will avoid legal issues and ensure a positive experience for your customers, thereby strengthening your online reputation. Find a full article on the main rules to follow to validate your account.

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Conclusion

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In this comprehensive exploration of creating and managing a product feed for Google Merchant Center, we've covered many essential aspects to maximizing your visibility and online sales success. To recap, here are the key points you need to remember:

Google Merchant Center is a must-have tool for online merchants who want to expand their presence in the digital market.
Carefully preparing your product data, including images, titles, descriptions, and prices, is the crucial first step to success with Google Merchant Center.
Importing your data into Google Merchant Center and continuously managing that data is essential to ensure its accuracy and relevance.
Optimizing your data and using Google Shopping advertising campaigns are key strategies to improve the visibility of your products.
Compliance with Google Merchant Center policies is essential to avoid account suspensions and issues related to non-compliance.

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We strongly encourage you to put the tips and techniques presented in this article into practice. By using Google Merchant Center effectively, you can reach a wider audience, increase your sales and grow your online business.