The current situation in the world is quite complicated, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. After the closure of physical stores, the digital stores (e-shops) has become a lifeline for retailers. People are increasingly buying online, whether they are toys, appliances, or household items. While this is an opportunity for businesses to reconnect with their customers, many cannot afford it either because of delivery, goods, or something else.
How will Google intervene?
For Google, this is a huge challenge to help merchants around the world. Google has decided to launch a plan that will allow you to sell on Google for free. Early next week (U.S.), search results on the Google Shopping tab will consist primarily of free listings to help merchants better connect with customers, whether or not they’re advertising on Google. With hundreds of millions of searches a day, Google recognizes that many retailers have the goods people need and search every day, but are less discoverable online.
What does this mean for merchants and their customers?
For retailers, this change means free exposure (advertising) to millions of people searching every day on the Google Network. For shoppers, this means more products from multiple stores, which can be found on the Google Shopping tab. Paid campaigns can now be expanded with free lists. If you’re already an existing user of Merchant Center and Shopping Ads, you don’t need to do anything to use these free listings. Google has said it will continue to streamline the coming weeks and months for new Merchant Center users.
When and where will it be available?
These changes will take effect in the U.S. by the end of April, and Google aims to expand them globally by the end of the year. Since 7.5.2020 it is also available for Slovakia and other EU countries, you can see how it looks on the Google Shopping website. In Slovakia, this can be a huge success especially for those e-shops that do not have extra money for advertising due to the current crisis.
Where can you find it?
As we mentioned, if you already have a Merchant Center account and advertise through Google Shopping Ads, it will be activated automatically. For now, however, this only applies to the United States.
To opt in, select “Growth” and then “Manage programs” in the left navigation menu and select the “surfaces across Google” program card. You can also add products to your product feed, to make even more products discoverable in these free listings.
Google partnership with Paypal
Google is launching a new partnership with Paypal so merchants can link their accounts. They want to speed up the boarding process and ensure that the highest quality results are achieved for Google users. This is also one of the steps that Google wants to help its advertisers advertise successfully, despite today’s situation.
