Google Shopping in 2012

Google Product Search Adopts P2P Format in Fall 2012

Latest Update August 23, 2012

When Fall comes this year, Google Shopping (formerly Google Product Search) will switch over to the pay to play model. This leaves online retailers using the service two options, either join the new program and start paying for the listings. Or optimize their product pages so that those pages appear in the organic search results. There are lots of good quality articles that to read on this issue, this article will focus more on accurate details and not on opinions.

Definite Facts about the new Google Shopping

1. In Fall 2012 the free listings in Google Shopping will be removed.
2. The new paid system will work similar to Adwords Product Listing Ads.
3. Update: Bids are not keyword based but rather how much you are willing to pay when listing (product or group of products) is shown and clicked on. It will also be influenced by your feed file, so keeping it up to date with quality information will be important.
4. Right now this only affects the US with worldwide implementation planned for next year.
5. The new shopping ads will appear on the top of the page replacing some of the adwords listings on the top of the page.
   To see this in action just search for telescope on Google.
6. Where appropriate the Google Shopping Ad will appear in the right hand Ad area instead.
7. Google is pushing the Google Trusted Store badges with this new system.
8. Update: Google is currently offering promotions for early adoption. Read up on them here. The cutoff date was August 15th so these promotions are no longer active.
9. Update: Product Listing Ads will be the way to get your items onto Google Shopping.
10. Shopping Ads will use CPC bidding with CPA bidding planned to be an option in the future.
11. Position in the new system will be determined by bid price and relevance.

New Verified Facts

1. Google Shopping will change on October 1st, 2012.
2. Google Shopping will require a Google Merchant Center and Adwords Account.
3. You must submit a data feed to Merchant Center that meets their new specifications, with optional adwords fields.
4. As of right now Google Shopping will use PLAS and those can be managed from Adwords, or Merchant Center
5. You can use any combination of the data fields in the feed file to set up and manage the Product Listing Ads.
6. Shopping feed management programs are ready for the new Google Shopping feeds. We recommend using GoDataFeed if you don’t want to manage it manually. Click here to learn more about GoDataFeed and how it can manage your product feeds.

Facts that need to be verified.

1. The new system will use the Adwords interface and just be an expanded PLA area.
2. Submitting a data feed to Google Merchant center is still required.
3. Google Shopping will have its own dedicated login area separate from Adwords.

With all the changes Google is making, you really need someone to do managed SEO work to improve your online success. We have many successful clients using our SEO services and we would be happy to answer your questions or give you a quote on a managed plan.

If you were getting sales and traffic from Google Shopping then you will have to adapt to these new rules if you want to keep using it. If you would like some help with this new system or updating your product pages to make sure they rank organically, feel free to Contact Us.

Google Shopping Articles

• Google Shopping’s new feed specifications and policies
• General information page about Google Shopping

Good Reference Articles

• Google Product Search To Become Google Shopping, Use Pay-To-Play Model
• Google Shopping: Preparing for Paid Listings
• Pay your way to the top of search results with Google Shopping
• 3 Reasons Why the New Google Shopping is Bad for Ecommerce Merchants
• Getting Your Products Seen in the New Google Shopping