Product Listing Ads

What are Product Listing Ads?

Product Listing Ads (PLA) – Search ads that include rich product information, such as images, pricing, and business names, without requiring additional keywords or ad text. Ads of this nature appear under the Google Shopping results automatically for consumer queries relating to one of your product offerings.

Product Listing Ads are ads that display more detailed information to users than standard text-based ads. Which encourages them to click through to your website. The information in the ads come from your product data feed. They are sometimes also referred to as shopping ads and can appear on various Google properties. Such as Google Search, Google Shopping, Google Image Search, as well as on the Google Search Partner network.

You can also run a form of product listing ads on various other channels. Although, they normally have different names. For example, Facebook and Instagram call them Dynamic Product Ads. Some of the principles of how they work are similar to Product Listing Ads on Google.

First, they are usually PPC ads so you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

Next, they are based on product data feeds. So, display products you sell with images and real-time price information.

Product Listing Ads are Data Feed Driven

The crucial element in Google Product Listing Ads is the data feed. You upload your data feed to Google and then create your campaign. Google then decides which of your products to display to a user based on the content of your feed.

Setting Up a PLA

One of the key differences, from a management point of view, is the way keywords are used in PLA. This is compared to other types of ads, particularly in search. With a standard text ad, like the Montblanc pen ads in the example above, you must list the keywords you want to compete for when setting up your campaign.

However, you don’t do this when running Product Listing Ads. Instead, Google matches your ad with a user’s query using the information in your product data feed. Of course, it is still important to include keywords in your data feed. Particularly in the product title and description fields. However, you don’t have to list target keywords when you create your campaign.

The process of setting up a PLA campaign is as follows:

• Upload your product data feed to Google Merchant Center. DataFeedWatch can help by automating data feed updates and optimizing your feed.
• Create a new Product Listing Ad campaign in Google AdWords.
• Create Ad Groups to target specific products, product ranges, or product categories in your data feed.
• Set your bid.

Benefits of Product Listing Ads

Higher click-through rates – you can get more traffic to your website with PLA, as your campaign will get more clicks.

Higher conversion rate – your conversion rate will improve, as people clicking through will have already seen an image of the product and the price. So, they know exactly what they are clicking on.

Wider reach – you can reach a wider audience when you add PLA campaigns to your online marketing strategy.

Enhanced visibility – because of the prominent display of PLA and you can have multiple products appear on a single search or platform.

Like other ad products from Google, you compete for the display of your Product Listing Ads in a competitive auction. That competition does vary depending on the type of product you sell. If you sell directly to consumers, you should use Product Listing Ads.

Conclusion

Is your company in need of help? MV3 Marketing Agency has numerous Marketing experts ready to assist you. Contact MV3 Marketing to jump-start your business.

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