SEO Guide for Google Shopping: what it is and how it works to position your products for free on Google

Problems positioning your products on Google without a big budget? Rodanet has the solution. In our SEO guide for Google Shopping, we show you how free listings can increase the visibility of your products and boost your sales, all without extra advertising costs.

What is Google Shopping?

Google Shopping is a Google platform that allows merchants to promote and sell their products directly from Google search results. They are displayed as image ads and are integrated into the results page, showing a product image, price and store name.

Google Shopping free vs. paid

Although Google Shopping started as a paid platform, Google introduced a free option in 2020. This means that you can now list your products on Google Shopping organically. However, if you want your products to stand out or be among the first results, you can consider the paid option, through Google Ads campaigns.

What are Google free tokens and how do they work?

Google’s free tabs are a powerful tool for online stores that want to stand out in Google’s search results.
Google Analytics 4
(GA4) identifies this traffic as the “Organic Shopping” channel.

This means that when users search for products on Google, your products can appear organically in the search results, without the need to pay for ads.

Customer example (Last 2 months)

As you can see in the image, despite generating a small volume of sessions, there have been 5 sales, so this is the channel with the highest conversion rate.

In the search results of the Shopping section, there will always be a row of sponsored ads (Shopping Ads), but subsequently several rows of Organic Shopping will appear.

Where do the products appear in Organic Shopping?

Your products can appear in Google search results and in the Shopping tab. This provides broad exposure for your products, which increases the chances that users interested in what you offer will find them.

• In search results, as images, with labeled products.

• In the Shopping tab results.

Configuration to activate Google free tokens

Activating Google’s free tokens is a relatively simple process. Here are some key steps:

1. Activate the free tokens in Google Merchant: this is essential to get started. Make sure your online store is connected to Google Merchant.

2. Activate the “free product listing” program: this is the key to start taking advantage of Google Free Listing. It is not necessary to run Google Ads campaigns to activate them.

3. [OPCIONAL] Include structured data: If you have already added structured product data to your online store, your free product listings will be displayed on all Google surfaces except the Google Shopping tab. To have a presence in the latter, you must add additional attributes that allow the generation of“Enhanced Tokens“.

Types of chips: standard and enhanced

There are two types of cards:

Standard listings

Standard chips only need essential attributes:

• id [id]
• title [título]
• link [enlace]
• image_link [enlace_imagen]
• price [precio]
• availability [disponibilidad]

Enhanced listings

Enhanced tabs show richer results and require additional attributes in addition to the above:

• description [descripción]
• availability [disponibilidad]
• condition [estado] -> for used or reconditioned products
• brand [marca]
• gtin [gtin]
• mpn [mpn] -> required if there is no GTIN
• multipack [multipack] -> if applicable
• is_bundle [es_lote] -> if applicable
• color [color] -> for clothing and accessories
• size [talla] -> for clothing and accessories
• age_group [edad] -> for clothing and accessories
• gender [sexo] -> for clothing and accessories

How to analyze the performance of Google’s free tokens

Once you have activated Google Free tokens, it is important to track their performance. Google Merchant provides performance reports on product listing clicks. This allows you to measure the effectiveness of your efforts and adjust your strategy as needed.

10 Additional tips to keep in mind

Google Shopping has evolved over the years, and with the introduction of free listings, the opportunities for ecommerce have grown exponentially. However, like any marketing tool, its success lies in the way it is used.

Best practices to stand out on Google Shopping:

1. 1. High quality images: make sure your product images are clear, high resolution and representative of the product. A good image can influence the customer’s purchasing decision.
   2. Clear and concise descriptions: avoid technical and confusing language. Your goal is for the customer to immediately understand what you are selling and why they should buy it.
   3. Regularly update the product feed: prices, availability and other product details may change. Keep your Google Shopping feed up to date to avoid misunderstandings and customer issues.
   4. Integrate user feedback: positive reviews and ratings can increase confidence in your products. Encourage user feedback and respond to criticism in a constructive manner.
   5. Establish a competitive pricing strategy: research the competition and consider offering promotions or discounts to stand out in the market.
   6. Trends in Google Shopping: being aware of trends will allow you to adapt quickly and take advantage of unique opportunities in the market.
   7. Seasonality: during certain times of the year, such as Christmas or Black Friday, you may see an increase in demand for certain products. Be prepared in advance.
   8. New features: Google is constantly updating and improving its tools. Staying on top of what’s new will give you a competitive advantage.
   9. The “Buy on Google” option, formerly known as Google Express in other countries, will sooner or later reach Spain. Therefore, it is crucial that you prepare yourself to make the most of this opportunity.
   10. Audience segmentation: if you decide to use the paid option in Google Shopping, it is essential that you correctly segment your audience so that your ads are more effective.

Remember that every detail in Google Shopping can be the difference between a sale and a lost customer.

Maximize your sales with Google Shopping

Google Shopping is more than a tool, it represents a great opportunity for ecommerce. Taking advantage of its features, understanding its tabs and following best practices can exponentially increase your sales. In this article of
Rodanet article
we have provided you with the guidance; now, the direction you take is up to you.

Tamara Rigotti

Copy & Content Strategist en Rodanet | tamara@rodanet.es | + posts

Tamara es redactora #seo y la boxeadora de la oficina. 🥊
Siempre escribe textos con gancho 😉

• Tamara Rigotti

  https://rodanet.com/en/author/tamara-rigotti/

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