by Lesa Seibert, President, Xstreme Media
You need to keep a few things in mind when setting up your data feed to get the best results from Google Product Extensions. As Google uses an algorithm to determine what keyword phrases will prompt the display of a plusbox in your AdWords ad, you won't have complete control over what products are displayed with specific keyword phrases. You can, however, optimize your feed to gain some control.
The most effective method is to include the popular, relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions. For example, if a pen supplier sells a popular style of Bic pen know as both the "Bic Clic Stic" and the "BIC Retractable Pen", then they will want to address both of those phrases somewhere in the product title or description.
This becomes more critical when searchers use generic keywords. If you know that some people search for "custom pens", some of your products should include the term "custom pens" in either the title or description.
AdWords advertisers are only charged when a visitor clicks on the ad, a product image or the short descriptive copy below each image. There is no charge when a visitor clicks on the plus-box to view the products. Also, there is no cost to upload or make changes to your data feed. This all might seem great but advertisers must carefully measure and analyze how the display of Google Product Extensions impacts everything from clickthrough rates, bounce rates, conversion rates and return on ad spend, as well as engagement metrics such as average time on site and average page views per visit.
In our next insallment on GPE(Google Product Extensions), we will look at tracking, paid search tactics and impact on SEO.
You need to keep a few things in mind when setting up your data feed to get the best results from Google Product Extensions. As Google uses an algorithm to determine what keyword phrases will prompt the display of a plusbox in your AdWords ad, you won't have complete control over what products are displayed with specific keyword phrases. You can, however, optimize your feed to gain some control.
The most effective method is to include the popular, relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions. For example, if a pen supplier sells a popular style of Bic pen know as both the "Bic Clic Stic" and the "BIC Retractable Pen", then they will want to address both of those phrases somewhere in the product title or description.
This becomes more critical when searchers use generic keywords. If you know that some people search for "custom pens", some of your products should include the term "custom pens" in either the title or description.
AdWords advertisers are only charged when a visitor clicks on the ad, a product image or the short descriptive copy below each image. There is no charge when a visitor clicks on the plus-box to view the products. Also, there is no cost to upload or make changes to your data feed. This all might seem great but advertisers must carefully measure and analyze how the display of Google Product Extensions impacts everything from clickthrough rates, bounce rates, conversion rates and return on ad spend, as well as engagement metrics such as average time on site and average page views per visit.
In our next insallment on GPE(Google Product Extensions), we will look at tracking, paid search tactics and impact on SEO.
