A 3-step framework for product feed optimization

Almost every eCom brand I know runs shopping ads.

But very few optimize it to their fullest potential.

And in 80-90% of brands we audit, we find one consistent profit killer:

Poor product feeds.

That’s a big problem because Google pulls data from your product feeds to decide when and where to show your ads.

So the quality of your feed directly impacts your sales.

The equation is simple:

Better feeds = More relevant clicks = Higher conversion rates = More profits

Yet so many brands get lazy with it, and they wonder why Google doesn’t push their ads.

So how do you optimize product feeds?

It comes down to 3 key areas:

1. The Foundation

First, tackle any disapproved products in your Google Merchant Center.

If you don’t resolve them, Google won’t advertise your products.

Next, address product warnings as they can limit impressions.

Make sure product identifiers (brand, GTIN, MPN) are set correctly.

These help Google understand what you’re selling and match your products with the right searches.

2. The Performance Boosters

These are the attributes that directly impact your results.

The most important one is product title.

(I wrote a guide on how to write product title that gets the click, check it out here)

The second thing is product images.

Your ads need to pop in search results.

Experiment with lifestyle images, product-only shots and different backgrounds.

A slightly different variation can lead to significantly higher CTRs.

Another important thing is price.

If someone knows what they want, price is the deciding factor.

Use the Price Competitiveness report in GMC to compare your price with competitors.

And make sure your ad price matches the landing page.

Next, product descriptions.

Most users won’t see them, but Google does.

The algorithm uses them to find which search queries are relevant to your products.

This is your chance to include keywords that didn’t fit in your product title or landing page.

Lastly, don’t neglect additional attributes like size, color, etc.

They’re not as critical as the elements above, but they still influence performance.

The more Google understands your product, the better it performs.

3. The Management Tools

Finally, you have some tools to manage and organize your products.

These won’t boost your performance directly.

But they give you more control over your products and let you customize your strategies.

Which leads to better results down the line.

The 2 most valuable tools here are Product Type and Custom Labels.

Product Type lets you assign categories and subcategories.

For example:

You can have a category “Lamps” with 2 subcategories “Table Lamps,” and “Floor Lamps.” 

Custom Labels provide a flexible way to segment products based on price, stock status, seasons, product margins, best sellers, etc.

Extremely useful as you can have different biddings and budgets for each segment.

That’s the full guide to product feed optimization.

I understand this isn’t exciting stuff and takes a lot of time to set up & optimize.

But it’s necessary to get the most out of your Shopping Ads.

Google rewards brands that play by its rules.

Optimize your feeds, and every other part of your Shopping Ads will get much more effective.

Jackson

Founder and CEO of Echelonn.

P.S

In case you haven’t grabbed our GMC & Product Feed Optimization checklist, get it here.

Inside, you’ll find:

✔ 15 essential elements you need to get the most out of Shopping Ads

✔ Step-by-step fixes for common errors

✔ Advanced optimizations to increase CTRs

So you can get higher rankings, more high-quality clicks, and more sales.

Download your GMC & Product Feed Optimization Checklist here.

How we can help:

• Get a free Google ads audit: For brands spending more than $20k/mo. or making over 1 million annually, we’ll identify the key bottlenecks in your account, and turn it into a free 90-day scaling plan. Click here.

• Get a 1-time Google ads buildout: For brands that are new to Google or looking to add another revenue model WITHOUT a retainer. We’ll do a one-time buildout over 30 days for you to profit from day 1. Click here for more info.

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