Google Shopping: What is it and Why You Need it for Your Ecommerce Store

Nowadays, with so much information so readily available, almost all consumers will make a purchase only after doing some level of research Online. As an Ecommerce Store Owner, the trick is knowing how to stand out from your competition and appeal to your potential customers.

It sounds easy enough, but with the increasing level of fierce competition Online, this has become a growing hurdle for almost all Small Business with an Ecommerce Store. Not only do you need to stand out from the thousands of other Small Businesses in your industry, but you also have to compete against retail giants too.

While it can seem like Mission Impossible at times, there are ways that you can elevate your Business and brand Online so you can get noticed by your target market, increase your sales and strengthen your branding. One of these is with Google Shopping: with Google Shopping Ads, you have the opportunity to put your products directly under the nose of potential buyers who are looking for exactly what you’re offering.

Google Shopping gives searchers a convenient and streamlined Online shopping experience that’s fast, allows them to immediately compare prices, access product information and reviews. By displaying all the need-to-know details upfront, the Google Shopping Ad format eliminates the need for much of the research that consumers do on their own. And, as a result, this will likely mean more customers, more leads and more sales for your Business.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Google Shopping and how it can take your Ecommerce Business to new heights!

What is Google Shopping?

Essentially, Google Shopping is a service provided by Google that allows customers to search for, view and compare products online. These products are displayed to a user when they search for a product in Google, and can appear either in the main search engine results page, or under the shopping tab.

Google Shopping Ads consist of an image of your product, along with the product title, cost, name of your Business and a star rating if the product has been reviewed by your prior customers on Google.

It’s important to know that Google Shopping is powered by two platforms: Google AdWords, and Google Merchant Centre. Google Merchant Centre is where your product feed lives. This is basically where all the details of your products are stored in a Google-friendly format. And Google AdWords is where you can perform actions, such as tracking results, tweaking your budget and optimize your Campaigns.

Google Shopping Ads have really changed the way Ecommerce Businesses catch the attention of Online Shoppers and have given Small Business the opportunity to compete amongst the retail giants. Now that you know the what, let’s look at why Google Shopping can be so beneficial for any Small Business with an Online Store.

Google Shopping Gets you to the Top

One of the biggest drawcards of Google Shopping is that Ads are placed right at the very top of the search results, even ahead of traditional Search Ads.

This is what is called the ‘prime shelf’ position in the Digital Marketing World. Think about it like a supermarket: the most popular and expensive items are always placed halfway down the shelf, right in the direct eyeline of the consumer, as this will likely increase that particular products sales.

This is the same principle regarding your Google Shopping Ad. It basically means that your product is being positioned in the best possible place to get you noticed by your potential customers. And the best part about these customers is that they’re primed and ready to buy!

You Attract People Ready to Buy – NOW!

If you’re receiving traffic to your Store, but still aren’t seeing many sales, then it could be that you’re getting a steady stream of ‘low quality’ leads to your Store. This means that the visitors coming to your Site are either still in the research stage of the buying process, or else have little intent to actually buy anything.

Google Shopping is a great way to attract more qualified leads. These are people who have already done the research and have a high intent to buy. They’ve considered the options and decided your product is the solution to what they’re needing. And Google Shopping gives you the best chance of displaying your particular Online Store as the best place for them to buy it!

Shopping Ads present all the relevant information to a user, including the price, name, size, colour and availability of your product, so they’ll know instantly whether or not they want to buy it. In this way, you’re arming them with all the info they need to feel empowered to make the choice to buy. Your Ad answers all their questions, so there’s nothing more to ask!

Google Shopping Ads Let Visuals Do the Talking

They say an image is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to Digital Marketing, this couldn’t be truer. And this is one of the main reasons why Google Shopping Ads out-perform traditional Search Ads, as they’re accompanied by attention-grabbing images of your product.

Shopping, by nature, is a very visual activity. Consumers like to be able to experience as much of the product as possible before buying, which is why they’re more likely to gravitate towards an Ad accompanied by an image, rather than one without.

Just remember, you need to make sure your image adheres to the recommended sizing specified by Google and is of the highest quality. You’re going up against a lot of other Online retailers, so in order to stand out you need to make the best first impression. Display a low-quality image and you could even run the risk of harming your brand and turning potential customers off your Business completely.

Lower Cost-per-Click

One of the great things about Google Shopping is that you don’t get charged for advertising unless a customer expands your Ad and remains on it for at least 10 seconds, or if they click through to your Store.

In this way, you’re only paying for advertising which could really result in a sale. Consider traditional advertising for example: if you advertise in a newspaper or a billboard, you’re paying for people who might not even be interested in your product to see your Ad. Instead, Google Shopping will only charge you when you’re most likely to actually make a sale through your advertising efforts.

And even if a user clicks on your Ad and doesn’t make a purchase with you, they’re still being exposed to your Brand, Business and products. This means that the next time they want to buy a similar product, they could very well remember your Business and visit your Online Store again!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the benefits of Google Shopping for a Small Business Ecommerce Owner. There’s a plethora of rewards you stand to gain from this powerful Marketing Tool. Now that you understand Google Shopping a little bit more, and how it could dramatically increase your customers, leads and sales, it could be time to start thinking about implementing it for your Business.

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