Google product categories act like keywords in Google Ads search campaign and will show results for relevant keywords/ searches. That is the reason why they are quite important.
Setting product feeds randomly and Google campaigning won’t get you far and you need to know what you should do in order to track traffic on your products.
Publish your products using Google Merchant Center and add required product data before running campaigns. Optimize product titles and descriptions for Google Shopping search listings. Confused?
In this blog post, we will explore how to add Google product category in Shopify and Google product category shopify in general.
Let’s get rolling.
Table of Contents
Add products to the Google Channel using GMC (Google Merchant Center)
A very helpful feature of Google channel is that when you set-up for the first time with Google Shopping app, all of the products available on your Shopify store sync automatically with the GMC. However, you prefer changes manually or in bulk, you can change the availability of the products.
Classification based on product data, add required product information
After product synchronization, Google needs classification of each product based on data. You may find a few products without data while the synchronization happened and you can add that data by going into Google Shopping app.
1-Custom product scenario
A custom product may not have an identifier like GTIN and for that, mention your product as custom before approval.
2-Product category
There are chances that your products aren’t categorized into specific categories. This is an essential part of Google Shopping campaigns.
3-Labels for identification
Gender, age, or any custom label can be added for Google to better and quickly understand and categorize products.
Editing process
1-Shopify admin> Sales channels > Google.
2-Overview page > product feed.
3-Product status > view product > edit Google fields
4-Check if custom products data is updated or you need to add. Also check GTIN for the product. If missing, add and save.
5-Product categorization > Google product category. Pick the best suited one.
6-Adding labels, check if the labels are in place. If not, add custom labels wherever needed.
7-Go through every change and then hit ‘save’.
Add keywords in product titles and descriptions
Keywords help customers in finding the product they want on Google Shopping. Make sure you add relevant keywords in product titles and descriptions.
Here a pro tip is, use search engine listing title tag and description. This way you will be able to add more keywords also without changing product information on an online store.
Editing process
1-Shopify admin> Sales channels > Google
2-Google > Merchant Center account.
3-Product title preference > SEO product title
4-Product description preference > SEO product description
Product status – approved or pending
You will see three types of product statuses in Google > Products page in Shopify store.
1-Approved – products are synced with GMC (Google Merchant Center)
2-Not approved – products are not synced with GMC (may be because of missing product data)
3-Pending – products requiring change in Shopify
Incomplete product requirements
After products are imported into Google channel, there is some additional information which is required in any case. Incomplete product information won’t let you get your products listed into Google Merchant Center or run an effective Google Shopping campaign.
First, Google product category – as we mentioned earlier, if you haven’t assigned a relevant category to your products, Google may assign itself. So make sure you pick the right category yourself.
Second, Unique product identifiers – Google GTIN identifiers help in matching your product with similar products on Google Shopping, thus helping you get listed in such search results.
Remember, if your identifiers are not correct Google won’t publish your product and may suspend your account.
GTIN – Global Trade Item Number, if missing, add this in the details of product variants.
1- Specific requirements – Apparel and accessories, follow Google Merchant Center Help guidelines if any of this information i.e. age group, gender, color and size is missing.
2- Specific requirements – media products, such products include movies, video games, songs, audio, etc and require UPC, EAN / JAN label as GTIN.
3-Specific requirements – book products, such products must have ISBN as their GTIN (unique identifier). Learn about GTIN and unique product identifiers from Google Merchant Center Help.
Final verdict
Google product category helps your products rank better. Your store products are shown in similar product categories while your potential customers search on Google. Not only this, providing all the product category information as taught above, will improve performance of your products overall in Google Shopping listings.
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