Google Alert | Why Your Product Pages Are More Important Than Ever
Google has changed how its shopping pages work.
If you’ve got an e-commerce store of any kind – fashion, beauty, interiors or anything else – you should be aware of the recent Google changes.
Until this week, and since 2012, the shopping page tab on Google has been home to paid-for listings only. A very difficult place to compete for any brand, especially lesser-known, smaller-budget and new retail sites.
This week, Google has announced a pretty significant change to the way it will display its shopping pages.
Organic and unpaid shopping listings will be eligible to appear in Google Shopping pages starting as early as next week.
Announcing the news, Google Commerce President, Bill Ready said, ‘It’s now free to sell on Google’. Led by the current coronavirus pandemic, Ready said Google has advanced its plans to make it easier for smaller businesses to sell on the biggest platform on the net.
He goes on to explain,
‘search results on the Google Shopping tab will consist primarily of free listings, helping merchants better connect with consumers, regardless of whether they advertise on Google’.
The change is clearly also a move in Google’s attempt to compete with the online retail giant, Amazon.
So – what does this mean for retailers?
Potential exposure to millions of people on Google. And for customers, it means more products to shop.
How do you get your product listings to appear?
If you already advertise on Google, you can use your existing Merchant Centre. If not, get signed up. From here, you’ll need to upload a product feed to allow Google to see what you’ve got on offer.
Starting in the US, this change will take place on a global scale gradually. Aiming to complete by the end of the year.
Paid ads will still be offered on the platform and will be placed at the top and bottom of the shopping tab in the same way as the main search tab.
Importance of Good Product Pages
Although Google shopping data will be taken from a product feed, your product page SEO importance will now be higher than ever.
Product descriptions are a huge part of getting your product pages right. Unique and relevant product descriptions make sure you’ve got the right keywords while also helping the customer with purchase decisions and reducing returns.
Alongside product copy, a good product page needs several more things locked down.
Things to consider for a good and effective product page:
Layout and formatting
Imagery
Image titles and alt tags
Page titles and SEO descriptions
META tags
CTAs
Internal links
Social sharing
Page speed
How good do you think your product pages are right now?
If you’re considering hiring a freelance fashion writer to update your product pages but need a couple more reasons why it’s SUCH a good idea, take a look at this blog → 7 Urgent Reasons to Hire a Freelance Copywriter.
If you want to find out about what we do and how we can help, check out our Fashion Product Descriptions page. Or hit me up at kate@lifestylecopywriting.co.uk and let’s chat about updating and upgrading your product pages to help your brand get seen on Google.
Hoping you’re all keeping well and managing to enjoy some of this delicious sunshine.
Until next time…
