Why You should be Using Google Merchant

If you sell a product online, Google Merchant is likely to be the most cost effective way of ensuring customers find your site. It allows you to submit content that will appear in organic shopping listings, Google images and enhance the overall rankings of your business.

But Google Merchant is not just for e-commerce sites. Whatever service you provide, it can help you optimise your internet presence and generate new business.

Read on to find out how to make the most of Google Merchant and what it can do for your rankings and your sales.

How Will Google Merchant Help My Business?

Google Merchant enables you to:

• Write detailed descriptions about your service or business. These are then indexed by Google and will be found in related searches.
• View performance reports, so you are updated on the success of your listing.
• Submit images of your products or services. Google Merchant feeds into Google image search - this means more valuable search results.
• See reviews of your business. This will allow you to engage with your customers and address any issues.

How Do I Use Google Merchant?

Using Google Merchant gives you the opportunity to optimise the description of your service and direct customers to your website.

For this you will need:

• A unique Google account. (This is straight forward and free to set up.)
• A site with a product, or service.

You will then be able to set up a data feed, which will require the details of your business and products. This is your chance to make your product or service as attractive as possible to your target market. It is important that you find out what your customers are searching for and then tailor your content to fit. This means taking some time to research keywords and search terms using Google tools like Insights and the Adwords keyword tool.

Apply your research to the following:

• The title of your product
• The price of your service
• A description of what you are providing
• A related image (this should carry a link attribute)

Google Merchant Tips

• Content: Don’t stuff your content with repetitive language, make it original and relevant.
• Don’t Forget Keywords/Search Terms: Write your descriptions by ensuring you use terms that will rank in Google and boost your views.
• Be Visual: Always use good images. It will help gain interest and set you apart from your competitors.
• Reviews: Encourage your customers to leave reviews. It is proven that it will enhance the visibility of your Google merchant listing.
• Performance Tracking: Use the performance tracker to edit your listing to make it more user friendly.

Google Merchant: Take Advantage

There are many obvious benefits to Google Merchant; first and foremost, it is a simple way of highlighting both your website, and therefore your services, to both search engines and users. Your site will have improved reach in search engines, allowing you to showcase your products to a larger audience and therefore attract a higher volume of traffic. If you are an ecommerce website or are offering a particular service, this increased visibility will hopefully also convert into additional sales and an increase in revenue.