How to Optimise a Product Data Feed for Google Merchant Center

Google Merchant Center is a tool for eCommerce websites and it can help you increase their visibility on Google Shopping, Search, and Ads. Your product data feed must be correctly formatted and optimised according to Google’s requirements. This article outlines the essential fields, common mistakes, and key enhancements needed to ensure a product feed meets Google’s standards.

Why it Matters

A well-structured product feed can help improve:

• Better visibility in Google Shopping and Search results.
• Potential conversion through accurate product listings.
• Compliance with Google’s policies, avoiding feed disapprovals.
• Improved ad performance by providing structured data for campaign optimisation.

Product Feed Fields Required by Google

Google Merchant Center mandates the inclusion of several key fields to ensure product eligibility.

Field Name	Requirement	Purpose
id	Required	Unique identifier for each product.
title	Required	Concise yet descriptive product name with key attributes (brand, color, size).
description	Required	Detailed explanation of the product’s features, specifications, and benefits.
link	Required	Direct URL to the product page on your website.
image_link	Required	URL of the main product image.
availability	Required	Indicates stock status (in stock, out of stock, preorder).
price	Required	Product price with currency (e.g., GBP, USD, EUR).
brand	Required	Manufacturer or brand name.
gtin	Required if available	Global Trade Item Number (UPC, EAN, ISBN).
mpn	Required if no GTIN	Manufacturer Part Number.
condition	Required	Specifies whether the product is new, refurbished, or used.

Recommended & Optional Fields

To enhance product visibility and improve targeting, consider including the following additional fields:

Field Name	Recommendation	Purpose
sale_price	Highly Recommended	Specifies a discounted price when applicable.
google_product_category	Recommended	Classifies the product according to Google’s taxonomy.
product_type	Recommended	Custom category based on internal store taxonomy.
additional_image_link	Recommended	Adds extra product images for variations and angles.
size	Recommended for apparel	Defines product dimensions.
color	Recommended for apparel	Specifies the primary product color.
material	Recommended	Indicates the material composition.
pattern	Optional	Describes the pattern or texture of the product.
shipping	Recommended	Defines shipping costs and delivery estimates.
shipping_weight	Recommended	Helps determine shipping rates for bulky items.
product_highlight	Optional	Bullet points summarizing key features.
product_detail	Optional	Provides detailed specifications.

Common Mistakes

1. Using Incorrect URLs

• Ensure that the link field contains the correct public-facing URL.
• image_link should be a direct image URL without tracking parameters.

2. Missing GTIN or MPN

• Google prefers GTINs for accurate product matching. If unavailable, use mpn instead.

3. Inconsistent Pricing Data

• Ensure that price and sale_price values are correct and match the website. Google performs price checks and may disapprove mismatched listings.

4. Poorly Structured Product Titles

• Avoid generic titles like “Sofa” or “Table”. Instead, format them as “Brand + Product Type + Key Attribute” (e.g., “Velvet Chesterfield Sofa – Blue – Handmade”).

5. Not Using Google’s Product Categories

• Assigning the correct google_product_category improves targeting and performance in Shopping Ads.

How to Format a Product Feed

Your product data feed should be structured in either CSV, or XML, format. Below is an example CSV template:

title,brand,price,sale_price,availability,google_product_category,link,image_link
"Velvet Chesterfield Sofa - Blue","Luxury Sofas Ltd",1499.99,1299.99,"in stock","Furniture > Living Room > Sofas","https://www.example.com/sofa","https://www.example.com/images/sofa.jpg"

Final Optimisation Tips

• Regularly update your feed to reflect stock and price changes.
• Use structured data markup (Schema.org).
• Ensure high-quality images with a clean, white background.
• Enable Google Shopping promotions to attract more clicks.

Optimising your product data feed can help maximise visibility, improving ad performance, and driving potential sales. This is done by making sure that your product feed complise with Google’s requirements and implementing best practices.