Does your business use an e-commerce solution to sell goods online? If you currently sell products online or plan to in the future, then you may want to read more about Google’s recent introduction of Google Shopping.
In the past, Google’s product search would return both paid and free merchant listings of relevant items. In late May, the search giant announced that Google Shopping would replace regular product listings. Going forward, Google Shopping results will only incorporate paid product listings. With this change, Google hopes to create a better online shopping experience with higher-quality search results.
Changes are currently rolling out in the U.S. and the transition to Google Shopping is expected to be complete by October (just in time for the holiday shopping season!). Small businesses with e-commerce websites should consider the following three tips, in order to prepare for the Google Shopping updates:
1. Partner with Experts
Google Shopping will integrate the same bidding and pricing concepts as its Pay Per Click AdWords service. The only big difference is that Google Shopping advertisers will have a choice between paying on a cost-per-click or a cost-per-acquisition basis. Work with your trusted PPC advertising firm or e-commerce agency to apply the same best practices from online advertising to the new Google Shopping marketplace.
2. Investigate Google Trusted Stores
As part of its new shopping program Google is also initiating Google Trusted Stores. When online merchants hit certain benchmarks they can become eligible for Google Trusted Stores membership and will be able to display a badge on their website. This badge indicates that the company is trustworthy and vetted by Google. E-commerce business owners should visit the Google Trusted Stores website to find out more about how to take steps to get recognized as a trusted vendor.
3. Read up and Stay Tuned!
The internet marketing experts at Anchor Wave will be keeping up with industry leading websites such as Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal to follow any developments with Google Shopping. To get you started, here’s an article on Google Shopping tips for merchants, and another piece about preparing for paid listings. You can also check out this crash course on Google’s Trusted Stores program.
Is your e-commerce website ready to participate in Google Shopping’s paid listings? If your Tucson business needs help creating an e-commerce strategy, contact the internet marketing team at Anchor Wave. We have experience building e-commerce websites and helping businesses to market their products online. Call us at (520) 622-3731 or visit us online.
