Google Shopping is a powerful e-commerce tool that allows businesses to target consumers through Google search results. Google Shopping ads are placed in the Sponsored Links section, above the organic Google search results. This can be a very effective way to reach customers, as Google Shopping has an edge over Amazon in terms of consumer preference. In this blog post, we will discuss how to target consumers with Google Shopping campaigns, build marketing funnels with these campaigns, and why Google Shopping is a better choice than Amazon for e-commerce businesses.

Google Shopping is a section of the search results on certain keyword search queries where ads and free product listings are shown.  These are often shown in a carousel format where you are competing for side by side with competitors selling the same products.  The product listings are also competing for your attention in the search results alongside regular google search ads as well as organic placements.  They often show you a picture of the product, price, reviews, shipping options, and more all before you even click through. Once a consumer clicks through they are often driven right to the website where you can purchase the item.

Google Shopping can also be found on the Google search engine. Simply type in “Google Shopping” and the Google Shopping page will come up. From there, you can browse through the various products that are available for purchase. In this experience, google acts more like a website giving you options to filter price, color, size, and more! You can even shop online or from local retailers.  As you can see, this is a great place to showcase your products and market to someone while they are in the browsing stage of their buyer’s journey. 

Lastly, Google shopping ads also show up on Google Partner websites. The search network is compromised of thousands of websites that allow Google ads to be placed on them through a program called Google Ad-sense.  It’s essentially how so many blog-driven websites survive and make money by allowing ads on them.  Any time you soo a little blue icon on an ad it’s likely part of Google partner sites.  Partner sites though can also include google’s own properties like Youtube.  Your ads will show on search results pages, site directories, and other pages related to a person’s search. Example partner sites can be places like ask.com, bizrate.com, excite.com, and more.

When it comes to Google Shopping ads, there are two types: paid and free. Paid Google Shopping ads appear in the Sponsored Links section on the Google search engine, while free organic Google shopping results appear in the regular search results. So, how do you know which one to use?

Well, it depends on your business goals and your ad strategy. If you’re looking to control more of how, when, and where your products show, then paid Google Shopping ads may be the way to go. However, free is free, and getting your product in front of as many people as possible is what you want.

How does Google know your products and keep up with what you have? This is where Google Merchant Center comes in.  This is a free Google product that connects with your existing website shopping to pull in products.  You can adjust many items to ensure that your product listings are just right.

While it sounds simple there are lots of details that do need to be managed to even show and show correctly.  Google Shopping is a powerful tool but should not be underestimated in the time and resources it takes to manage.  It is another store for you to manage with details such as taxes and shipping options.  Whether you want to do ads or not, you can connect your products with the Google Merchant center to show your products for free.  Hiring a Google ads agency can be worth the investment of learning everything yourself.

One of the great things about Google Shopping is that it offers a variety of targeting options. Businesses can target customers by location, time of day, device type, and even by shopping behavior. Google Shopping also offers the ability to create marketing funnels. Funnels allow businesses to target potential customers at different stages of the buying process. For example, a business could target customers who have shown an interest in a product but have not yet made a purchase. It’s important you have studied and understand what your paths to purchase are with audience targeting tools prior to starting any marketing campaign.  These can be built with Google’s Shopping remarketing options to target consumers who have already shown an interest in what you’re selling. By remarketing to these consumers, you can increase the chances of them converting.

Google Shopping ads can be a great way to build a marketing funnel. For example, you can use Google Shopping ads to target customers who are in the research phase of their buyer’s journey. By doing this, you can get your product in front of them and make them aware of your brand.

From there, you can use remarketing campaigns to target those same customers with more specific ads further down the funnel. By targeting potential customers who have already shown an interest in what you’re selling, you can significantly increase your chances of making a sale.

Another example is you can also target customers who have already purchased a product with an ad for a related product. This creates opportunities to upsell or cross-sell to your customers.

Overall, Google Shopping is a great choice for businesses because it offers an easy way to generate sales and build marketing funnels.

There are a few reasons why Google Shopping has an edge over Amazon. First, Google Shopping is more consumer-friendly. This means that consumers are more likely to purchase products from Google Shopping than they are from Amazon.  Google Shopping is more transparent about the products that are being advertised and the prices of those products. This is important because it allows consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases. 

Second, Google Shopping offers more flexible targeting options. This allows businesses to target consumers based on their specific needs and interests.

Google Shopping ads are less expensive than Amazon ads. This makes Google Shopping a more cost-effective option for businesses, which can lead to higher ROI.

Third, Google Shopping is preferred by consumers. In a recent study, Google Shopping was found to be the preferred choice for online shopping by a wide margin. Google Shopping was preferred over Amazon by a margin of 50% to 20%. This is due in part to the fact that Google Shopping offers more transparency and options than Amazon.

Fourth, Google Shopping offers a better user experience, more payment options, and more customer service options. Additionally, Google Shopping is less likely to have fake reviews and scams.

Fifth and finally, as a business owner you know the pain felt by Amazon and all their fees.  This doesn’t happen with Google Shopping.  They do not take any cut of your revenue when you run ads with them.  In Amazon Shopping you can run ads and pay for them as well as when you sell a product you have to give Amazon part of the profit and numerous other fees. With Google shopping, you are only going to pay fees for the ads, and don’t forget you can set it up for free organic search results too!

When it comes to e-commerce, Google Shopping is the better choice for businesses. Google Shopping offers more targeting options, transparency, and consumer preference. If you are looking to get an edge over your competition, Google Shopping is the way to go.

Curious what a top advertising agency can do for you? We were recently named again a google partner agency!

Rather Listen?

Listen to “Ep #40 – Tips and Tricks of Google Shopping Ads” on Spreaker.