01
Google Shopping: getting products listed
Merchant Center requires verified business details, website, delivery and returns. Feed attributes need stable IDs, precise titles, GTIN where available, clear images, matching prices and live availability. Diagnose systematic errors at source rather than editing products one by one.
Free listings and paid Shopping campaigns share the same product foundation. Use variants and custom labels carefully, monitor disapprovals after catalogue changes and treat the feed as a maintained integration.
02
Performance Max or Standard Shopping?
Standard Shopping provides clearer product and bid control. Performance Max combines the feed, assets and audience signals across Google inventory with more automated bidding. The latter depends heavily on reliable conversion values.
Choose according to catalogue size, margin differences, data maturity and the need for control. Avoid fragmenting learning across excessive campaigns, and compare both approaches on the same commercial outcome.
| Area | Standard Shopping | Performance Max |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | Shopping surfaces | Multiple Google surfaces |
| Control | Higher | More automated |
| Needs | Strong feed | Feed, assets and value data |
03
Conversion optimisation for online shops
Make product choice clear through imagery, variants, availability, delivery and returns. Keep checkout fields necessary, explain errors near the cause and test guest purchase, discounts, payment return and confirmation on mobile.
A/B test one meaningful hypothesis with a declared primary measure. Button clicks are not a gain if refunds or support increase. Combine behavioural evidence with completed, valuable orders.
- 01Clarify product and variant
- 02Show delivery and returns
- 03Remove needless fields
- 04Test payment errors
- 05Protect speed
- 06Measure order quality
04
SEO for online shops
Category pages should satisfy grouped search intent while faceted navigation is controlled to prevent endless thin URLs. Product pages need distinct information, stable category links and an intentional policy for discontinued stock.
Product and Offer structured data must match visible price, currency and availability. Crawlable pagination, breadcrumbs and internal links help search engines understand priority. Monitor indexing and product results in Search Console.
05
Measure profit, not only revenue
Define conversion value consistently across analytics, advertising and order systems, including tax, delivery, discounts and refunds. Margin can be applied in a controlled value feed or reporting layer. POAS is useful only when the cost basis is stable and understood.
Returns arrive after the initial sale, so import adjustments or reconcile cohorts after an appropriate delay. Validate coverage against finance data before using profit signals for bidding.
06
Choosing an ecommerce platform
Shopify offers a managed ecosystem, while PrestaShop offers more control of code and hosting. Other platforms may suit complex catalogues or B2B workflows. Evaluate markets, currencies, ERP, PIM, payments, editorial work and internal skills.
Compare total ownership cost, app dependence, security responsibility, export options and migration risk. Prototype the riskiest integration before committing the whole catalogue.
