While there are tons of successful e-commerce platforms available today, Google Shopping continues to be one of the most popular. Business owners can purchase Google Shopping Ads to bring in traffic, but getting organic results can be easier and more effective than you might think. 

Overview of Google Shopping Organic

To start, it’s important to define what Google Shopping Organic results are in the first place. In the past, retailers only had the option to run ads through Google, paying for placement in front of their target audience members. This method brings in paid traffic. Organic traffic, on the other hand, comes to your business without you explicitly paying for access to customers. Google Shopping Organic Results involves unpaid product listings that can open retailers up to entirely new, previously untapped markets.

Google Shopping search results will still display paid product ads at the top and bottom of the user’s screen, as it always has. With the introduction of Google Shopping Organic, though, organic product listings will be available within the Shopping tab. Retailers can upload free listings in the same manner that they upload ads within the Google Merchant Center. 

Retailers using Google Shopping Organic can opt for either standard or enhanced listings. Standard listings require few product data attributes, which are submitted either in the Merchant Center or via structured data markup. These listings appear in Google Search, Images, and Lens, among a few other platforms. Enhanced listings, on the other hand, required more product data attributes and can only be submitted in the Merchant Center. These listings are also shown on more platforms, including on YouTube.

Benefits of Google Shopping Organic Results

Is it truly worth it to consider Google Shopping Organic for your business if you’ve already seen success with the traditional ad system? There are quite a few benefits for you to consider. First and foremost, your business can gain a more optimal placement at the top of the Google Search results page. Potential customers will be able to see your products directly on the search page without having to refer to the Shopping tab. 

On top of that, Google Shopping Organic results offer similar or improved performance compared to product listing ads (PLPs). Studies have shown that representation on Google Shopping can yield substantially higher conversion rates and lower cost-per-click ratios than traditional PLPs. The key, though, is proper optimization; we’ll touch on that in a bit.

Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to reach countless numbers of previously untapped audiences. Google Shopping as a whole is becoming more flexible and intuitive with each day, meaning that a user’s keywords will yield similar results instead of being so rigid; for example, a user searching for “high heels” will also see results for keywords like “stilettos,” “wedges,” and even broader keywords like “women’s shoes.” Best of all, retailers are not required to bid separately on each keyword. The keywords are grouped together automatically at no cost to you.

How to Appear in Free Google Shopping Listings

Now, how can you take advantage of the opportunities that Google Shopping Organic provides? It starts with a Google Merchant Center account. Many retailers have already set up Merchant Center accounts, but if you are new to the platform, it’s easy to get started. Simply visit the Google Merchant Center and answer a few quick questions about your business. The process of setting up your account should take no longer than 10 minutes.

Next, you’ll need to create product feeds for the products you wish to be included in Google Shopping Organic listings. This step is optional (but recommended) for standard listings, and it is required for enhanced listings. A feed includes all of the products that you want to advertise with Merchant Center, as well as attributes for each. These attributes will help appropriately group your products together.

You’ll have the chance to opt for “Free Product Listings” when you create your Merchant Center account. If you’ve already created an account, you can click the Products field in the left navigation menu on your dashboard. Then, click Feeds, Growth, and Manage Programs. Finally, click the feature card, and you’ll be prompted with instructions on how to opt-in your feed for organic listings.

Once all of your product listings are updated, your last step will be to submit your feed through the Merchant Center. Google recommends that retailers submit their entire inventory of products in their product data feeds; that way, users are able to see all products you offer, and your business can expand its reach to its highest potential. Once you’ve opted in your feed for organic listings, Google’s team will review the feed and set it up to appear in Google results.

Optimizing for Organic Google Shopping Results

To make the most of Google Shopping Organic, it’s important that your products and your website are optimized. Google’s algorithm keys in on specific criteria to ensure they’re showing the right products to the most promising potential customers.

First, spend time researching the best keywords for your products. There are plenty of keyword research tools across the internet, some free and some paid, that will help you with this step. You can identify the most competitive keywords in your industry, and you can also see where there are some gaps in coverage; if there are keywords that aren’t being targeted by others, you can integrate those words or phrases and stand out above your competitors.

Once your potential customers find your listings, they’ll likely head to your website. You want them to have a pleasing experience once they get there. Make sure your website is properly optimized as well, both in terms of SEO and in terms of usability. Your website should be easy to access from desktop or mobile devices, simple to navigate, and nice to look at.

You’ll not only want to optimize the text in your product listings, but you’ll want to pay attention to your photos as well. Your photos should be top-quality and should showcase your products in the best light possible (figuratively and literally). Google also specifies that your product photos should not include logos, additional text, or watermarks.

Lastly, you’ll want to pay close attention to your product descriptions. This text is what will convince your customers that they need your product, after all! Product descriptions should be relevant, accurate, and unique, and they should include some of your most important SEO keywords. (Just don’t include too many keywords; this practice is referred to as keyword stuffing and can actually negatively impact your performance.)

Conclusion

Google Shopping’s addition of organic listings is great news for businesses of all kinds, allowing retailers to take their marketing budget further and reach new, untapped audiences from across the internet. Luckily, taking advantage of this feature is quite straightforward and can be easily adopted into your current sales strategy. 

If you’re new to the concept of Google Shopping organic results or you aren’t sure where to begin, Doukas Media can help. Our team knows the ins and outs of Google Shopping and can help you utilize the platform to give your business the boost you’re looking for. We can also help you optimize product information and ensure your SEO strategy is bringing you closer to your goals every day. For more information about organic shopping listings, SEO strategies, or other digital marketing needs, contact Doukas Media today!