Posted by Patrick Hare

A properly optimized Google Shopping Feed can be the difference between success and failure in the online world. Additionally, the lessons learned in feed optimization can be carried over to paid comparison engines like Shopzilla and Shopping.com.

Also know as a “Google Base Feed” or a “Froogle Feed,” the Google Shopping feed is basically a file containing a list of all your products along with relevant information like pricing, image locations, and so on. Google has a list of minimum requirements for a shopping feed, but it pays to provide as much information as possible.

How do you know if you need to optimize your feed? If you have an active feed which gets lots of impressions (views), but very few clicks, then you may want to make some adjustments. Likewise, if you have a lot of products listed, but aren’t getting many impressions, then you have an even greater need to fix the information in your feed.

Here are some hints for feed optimization:

• Do a little keyword research - By using the Google Keyword Tool, you can find out which keywords related to your product get the highest search demand.
• Be Original - Lots of people might be selling the exact same product using the manufacturer’s title and description. Originality can set you apart, and get more attention.
• Put Relevant Information First – Aside from appearing in the Google Shopping Results, a truncated title for your product may appear among general searches, so make sure that the first part of the title (product name) describes the product succinctly.
• Include Part Numbers – Many people know exactly what they’re looking for. This is especially true for people buying ink cartridges, batteries, and memory cards.
• Include Brands – This is very important in shopping. Brand searches have a very high conversion rate, and you can list items in shopping feeds that have trademark filtering in PPC engines. An item like the “HP 60 Combo Pack Ink Cartridge” illustrates relevance, part number, and branding, plus it ties in with the principle that someone looking for this item is a motivated buyer.
• Write Good Descriptions – Create a compelling, keyword-rich snippet encouraging the reader to buy the product. Note that descriptions in shopping feeds are also used to help the engine deliver relevant results. Once again, the best information should be at the beginning of the description.
• Check Images – Remember that people are doing their shopping from the pages of Google, so make sure that the image presented portrays the product as clearly as possible. Listings that show good images are far more likely to get clicked.
• Check Pricing - This can be the biggest reason you’re not getting clicks. If somebody else sells the exact same product for a dollar less, the consumer will consider the other site first!
• Add Attributes – More detail helps the search engine show more relevant products. You can add product attributes like color, compatibility, height, length, weight, year (useful for automotive accessories, collectibles), and custom attributes. If you sell products that are based around a variety of factors, you can gain a competitive advantage by being the most relevant.
• Disclose Shipping – For competitive items in Google Shopping, Google will show a list of base prices, a list of shipping costs, and then the total cost. If you have free shipping, you can float to the top of a vendor list when people are looking for the lowest total price. (For an illustration, type in “ipod touch 32gb” into Google Shopping and then hit the “compare prices” button.)

Optimizing a Google Shopping feed is not a one-time process, but requires a little tinkering. Basically, what you want to do is make a few changes, see how consumers react over the space of a week or two, and then make adjustments to products that aren’t showing results. Part of the process also involves searching for specific items and seeing how your competitors are describing the same item. Put yourselves in the shoes of a consumer, and ask yourself if the competing product listing has any features that should be part of your offering. Considering the high relative value of a click from Google shopping, a well optimized feed can improve your bottom line with very little additional cost on your end. If you’ve been running the same feed for a long time, and haven’t been getting the results you want, then a little feed optimization can go a long way.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 8:44 am and is filed under Online Retail. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author: Patrick Hare has been managing online and offline marketing projects since 1999. From 2005 to present, he has been with Scottsdale Arizona's Web.com Search Agency (formerly Submitawebsite). Patrick provides Search Engine Optimization and Marketing advice to in-house customers and Web.com Jacksonville’s web design group.