Product feed optimization

Product feed optimization is the various actions used for optimizing the virtual catalog of an ecommerce, so that the product cards appear in the best positions in the search results.

Google Shopping ranks the results it offers based on multiple aspects, in addition to the bidding itself. This is why having the product feed optimized and correctly structured will allow you, among other things, to increase ROI.

1. What should a product feed include?

The product feed is responsible for the way in which the results (content and images) are presented in the area that Google has set aside for it in the search results.

For this reason it is necessary to include some specific data in the feed or file of the products you want to promote: title, description, product category, image, price and GTIN (Global Trade Item Number or identification number of commercial items worldwide).

2. Tips for product feed optimization

Undoubtedly, product feeds are the key to achieving success in Google Shopping and rank it properly. The more complete and detailed the information is, the better the ranking will be. Let’s take a look at several tips and tricks to boost product relevance:

• Optimize titles. Taking into account the category of the products, create a structure or nomenclature that best describes your product based on the sector, trying to include keywords of interest and not exceeding 150 characters.
• Complete the GTIN code correctly (Global Trade Item Number). This is essential for the feed to be effective and the visibility of the product to be better.
• Use the correct category. There are more than 6,000 default categories in Google Shopping. Therefore, it has to be selected as accurately as possible and for this you should not use main categories, you have to use specific subcategories.
• Adjust prices with dynamic pricing in data feeds. This will put you ahead of the competition in the results, since Google Shopping is essentially a price comparator.
• Always use quality images for the product listing. It is obvious, but the image is one of the most important elements of the product, take care and avoid including unnecessary logos and watermarks.
• Pay attention to the color of the product. The color of the product in the feed must be the same as the color that the visitor will find in the landing page or destination page. Use commonly used color names.
• Review the product feed regularly. It is vital to clean up and optimize the product feeds on a regular basis in order to fine-tune their performance. This improves ranking and profitability in general.