Google’s Product Listing Ads were created with e-commerce in mind. They cannot be utilized to advertise news or blog content. They are all focused on increasing your store’s online sales. Because of this, they are a crucial component of any eCommerce brand’s marketing strategy.
Traditional search and display advertisements require different setup procedures than Google PLA ads. This is all you need to get going.
What is advertising for product listings?
Product Listing Ads – or PLAs – are advertising when someone performs a product-related search on Google.
The ability to add product photos, real-time pricing data, and reviews makes product listing advertising unique. Because Google gets its data directly from your product feed, it is constantly current.
An illustration of a product listing ad
An example of an advertisement for a “brown leather sofa.”
They are also placed prominently. These attractive product listing ads typically display above Google’s organic results and text-based search ads. As a result, searchers frequently notice them first.
These advertisements may also show up to the right of search results. Or, if users select the “shopping” tab on Google, they will be shown even more prominently.
Results for “brown leather sofa” in Google’s shopping section
Results for “brown leather sofa” in Google’s shopping section
Simply put, these product advertisements allow firms to engage consumers at a critical stage of the sales process. Prospects can discover new brands before purchasing because the modern customer experience is no longer linear.
Similar ad formats can be found on websites like Facebook and Instagram. Yet, when someone uses the term “Product Listing Advertising,” they typically mean Google.
The benefits of employing PLA marketing
According to 49% of consumers, they utilize Google to look up new products and items. So, it is the ideal location for product advertisements. Yet PLA advertising also offers some additional special advantages.
- They emphasize the importance of your items
Brands have the potential to connect with a larger but highly relevant audience thanks to product listing ads.
Shoppers will likely pay attention to Google PLA advertisements due to their prominent placement and appealing presentation.
These advertisements can help your brand get visibility even if they don’t click through. But, as PLA advertising only costs money when someone clicks to examine your product, you won’t have to pay for this benefit.
Moreover, a brand may display a number of its items in a single set of search results. Brands that are successful in doing this will become known as industry leaders.
- They detect business intent
If users click on a product ad with a price and an image, they presumably have already researched. They have an open wallet.
Brands should anticipate generating more sales than they would with conventional display ads since PLA advertising targets consumers as they search for products.
The Google Search Network outperforms the Google Display Network when comparing average industry conversion rates. They are, respectively, 4.4% and 0.57%.
Are no statistics comparing Google PLA advertisements to text-based search ads? Yet, because PLAs are more noticeable and eye-catching, this may increase click-through rates and brand exposure.
The ability for customers to view a product image before clicking your ad should increase conversion rates, qualified leads, and ROAS. Whatever eCommerce KPIs you monitor, all of these are advantageous for your brand’s bottom line.
Although identifying a consumer’s buying intent can be difficult, ChannelSight has assisted several major international brands.
- They give users a smooth experience.
Product advertisements assist firms in reaching the right consumers at the right moment, as was already mentioned.
While this is good news for businesses looking to increase sales, it benefits customers who want to complete their purchases swiftly.
Convenience is critical to offering an excellent online shopping experience. This is made possible with PLA advertising because customers may go straight to a product page. They won’t need to spend time looking through a ton of test results. Instead, users may quickly view a product’s rating, price, and image.
Ensure customers have a positive experience when they arrive at your website. Live chat is available for questions and inquiries. Please provide them with a list of related products so they can look through additional choices. Also, if your products can be purchased from a store, make in-store buying choices available.
According to Merkle’s most recent Digital Marketing Report, local product listing advertisements have increased over the past year. It predicts that as the pandemic subsides, the number of in-person retail visits generated by Google AdWords will also increase.
Customers are returning to stores to browse, make purchases, arrange curbside pickup, and pick up goods there. By offering location information, livestock updates, and click-and-collect alternatives, brands can make this as simple as possible. This can be accomplished using ‘Where to Purchase’ technology, which can also help move potential customers lower in the sales funnel.
How to get started with Google PLA ads in 4 easy stages
Unlike other search ad categories, PLA advertising requires a specialized setup process. Although keywords aren’t utilized similarly, you can start a campaign quickly. What you must do is as follows:
- Open a Google Merchant Center account.
You’ll need to go to Google and enter fundamental company data. This will be seen by everybody who views your product advertisements. Google will also request information about any additional users who require account access.
This first step requires a google account, which you will need.
- Check your shop
You must show Google that you are the legitimate owner of your store before you can launch any PLA advertising efforts.
You may easily accomplish this by integrating Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics with your website. But, if a third-party platform like Shopify powers your store, this isn’t always doable.
Instead, you might include a file or HTML tag on your website. Your developer might be able to assist you with this.
Return to your Google Merchant account and click the “Verify URL” button in the bottom right to complete the procedure. Once this is finished, you may begin making product advertisements.
- Put your products online
Google automatically uses your inventory data to produce product listing ads, saving you the time and effort of creating ad copy and carefully selected keywords.
A.txt file or an automatic feed are acceptable methods for submitting your product data to Google. So, you must ensure that they are present in your product titles and descriptions at this early stage if you want to see any relevant keywords in your ads.
Automated feeds are simple to set up with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WordPress, and PrestaShop. However, the required app or extension could need a charge to obtain when your product information changes and automated feeds immediately update your advertising, saving you a ton of work.
The manual.txt file method takes longer, but you may optimize your product adverts by modifying and improving each item. You must re-upload the document to Google when you change the pricing or a feature. Here you can get sample files to change or use as a guide.
Tech-savvy firms can use the Google Content API with their custom platforms to integrate their product streams. Going to need a developer’s help with this.
- Configure your Google Ads PLA advertising.
After you’ve submitted your products, go to Google Ads to create specialized ad groups and targeting guidelines for your products. You can also set ad bids from this page.
Although not using keywords, Google PLA advertisements are comparable to other advertising in that competitive auction bids determine placements. The cost per click will change depending on your sector and the things you sell.
It’s also important to note that the Microsoft Google Merchant Import tool makes importing your product ads to Bing simple after setting up Google’s PLA advertising.
last thoughts
Brands need to be present everywhere consumers look for items.
An excellent chance for consumer acquisition is provided by PLA advertising. Also, these advertisements are fantastic for raising brand recognition. Yet they’re also crucial for convenience and client satisfaction.
Whatever you can do to simplify customers’ lives will help your business.
Do you need assistance with your eCommerce plan? A team of professionals at ChannelSight can assist you in putting new ideas into practice to improve your eCommerce strategy. Call us now to find out more.