Almost every eCommerce brand runs Google Shopping ads – and if they aren’t they should be! Surprisingly, very few optimise their Google Shopping ads to their fullest potential. After auditing countless WooCommerce and Shopify stores, we’ve identified a consistent issue in a large portion of sites and accounts we encounter: poorly optimised product feeds.
Ignoring product feed optimisation can be serious as Google pulls data directly from your product feeds to determine when and where to show your ads. The quality of your feed has a direct impact on sales and profitablity. To put it simply:
Optimised feed = More relevant clicks = Higher conversion rates = More profits
At Herdl, we’ve helped eCommerce clients achieve ROAS metrics well above 10x and even 20x by focusing on feed optimisation.
Fix the Foundation
Before anything else, address the basics:
- Resolve any disapproved products in Google Merchant Center – if you don’t, Google simply won’t advertise them
- Address product warnings as they significantly limit impressions
- Verify product identifiers (brand, GTIN, MPN) are set correctly to help Google match your products with relevant searches
If you don’t have this foundation, you’re limiting the reach of your campaigns before you even start optimising anything.
Implement Performance Boosters
There are well-known attributes that directly impact your Shopping ad performance:
Product titles
Product titles are known to be the most powerful element in your feed optimisation arsenal. Create titles that include:
- Primary keyword at the beginning of the title
- Include your brand name
- Key product features (size, colour, material)
- Model number for technical products
- Benefits that differentiate from competitors
Platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce will use variables, overrides and field mapping to build well-optimised titles but other tools are available.
Product Images
Your ads need to stand out in crowded search results. Experiment and test:
- Clean, product-only shots against white backgrounds
- Lifestyle images showing the product in use
- Multiple angles to showcase key features
Image variations can dramatically increase click-through rates and improve conversions.
Competitive Pricing
For many online shoppers, price is a major deciding factor. When searchers have the whole internet to compare pricing, shop around and find the best deal – why should they buy from you if the same product is available for less at a dozen other sites?
To see how your site measures up, use the Price Competitiveness report in GMC to compare pricing with competitor sites and start making strategic decisions about pricing. Ensure your ad price matches your landing page to prevent wasted clicks or even products being disapproved.
Strategic Descriptions
While it’s true that most users won’t read descriptions, Google’s algorithm uses the content in your descriptions to determine relevance. Descriptions are a great opportunity to reinforce keywords and include other keywords and phrases that couldn’t fit in your product title to expand your reach.
Leverage Management Tools
These won’t boost performance directly in auctions but will give you greater control over your campaigns, which will in turn improve performance:
- Product Type – create logical category hierarchies (e.g., Lighting > Table Lamps > Desk Lamps)
- Custom Labels – segment products by profit margin, bestseller status, price point, or seasonality to create a logical structure in your Google Ads account
Achieving Unrivalled ROAS
We understand that feed optimisation isn’t the most exciting aspect of eCommerce marketing, and is probably why it’s often overlooked. However, it can be what separates an underperforming ROAS campaign into a top performer.
Google rewards brands that play by its rules. By optimising your feeds, every other aspect of your Shopping ads becomes more effective – from bidding to budget allocation.
Get in touch to find out more information on our approach to Google Ads optimisation or any of our other digital marketing services.