
Are you looking for the best way to get your products listed on Google without spending thousands of dollars on paid ads? When optimized properly, organic Google Shopping listings provide huge benefits for e-commerce business owners and marketers. Keep reading to learn how to list on Google Shopping to reach more customers, increase sales, and grow overall visibility for free with Google Shopping SEO best practices.
How Does Google Shopping Work?
Google Shopping–formerly known as Google Product Search–pulls product listings from participating e-commerce websites and displays them to users searching for related items. It works as a price comparison tool for customers, helping them to make informed purchasing decisions.
When a customer uses Google Shopping to search for a product, Google displays multiple relevant product listings from various retailers. Listings are displayed side-by-side in a grid and include information on pricing, features, reviews, and availability. This allows the customer to compare prices and features of the products without needing to visit individual store websites. By doing so, Google Shopping listings simplify the process of finding the best value for the customer.

How are Google Shopping Free Listings Different from Paid Product Ads?
Google made the decision to make their shopping platform completely free for retailers, in addition to their paid product ad option. So what's the difference between the two? The answer lies in the word "paid."
Essentially, with paid product ads, retailers pay for their products to show up higher in the search rankings. Paid product ads also appear on the initial Google search results pages, while Google Shopping free listings only appear under the “Shopping” tab.

Types of Google Shopping Free Listings
Listing your products on Google Shopping offers several benefits for your business, including increased visibility, higher click-through rates, and improved conversions. With Google Shopping, you can choose between two listing types: Enhanced listings and Standard listings.
Enhanced listings offer additional features such as product ratings, promotion badges, and more prominent placement in search results. Enhanced Google Shopping free listings will appear on the Shopping tab, as well as Google Search, Google Lens, Google Images, YouTube, and more. However, they take more time to set up and require users to comply with more policies.
Enhanced Listing Attributes Requirements
Description [description]
Availability [availability]
Condition [condition]
Brand [brand]
Gtin [gtin]
Mpn [mpn]
Multipack [multipack]
Bundle [is_bundle]
Color [color]
Size [size]
Age group [age_group]
Gender [gender]
Item group ID [item_group_id]
Shipping [shipping]
Tax [tax]
Pattern [pattern]
Material [material]
Additional image link [additional_image_link]
Condition [condition]
Size type [size_type] & Size system [size_system]
Link in Google Search Index [canonical_link]
Standard listings may not offer the same enhanced features, but they still provide an excellent way to showcase your products to potential customers. Standard Google Shopping free listings also require fewer product data attributes, and you can submit these listings in two days.
Standards Listing Attributes Requirements
Id [id]
Title [title]
Link [link]
Image link [image_link]
Price [price]
How to List on Google Shopping in 3 Steps
To list your products on Google Shopping, you will need to create a Google Merchant Center account, upload your product data, and configure your settings. Keep in mind that it's crucial to ensure your product information is accurate and up-to-date to maximize the effectiveness of your listings. Follow these three steps to get started:
1. Create a New Account or Check Current Account Settings
If you don’t yet have a Google Merchant Center account, you’ll need to create one and sign up for free listings when submitting your product data. If you already have an account, you can check whether or not you’re opted into free listings by
Signing into your account
Clicking “Products” in the navigation menu
Clicking “Feeds”
If you see “Free Listings” under the “Destination” column, you have already opted into free listings. If you don’t see this option, go to “Settings,” “Destinations,” and select the box next to “Free listings.”
2. Enter Business Information
For your products to show up on Google Shopping free listings, you’ll need to supply information about your business, stores, and products. Follow the prompts when creating your account and ensure all the information is accurate.
3. Create a Primary Feed
Lastly, you’ll need to create a primary feed that lists the products you sell, along with the required product attributes for each one. It’s important to review the product attributes requirements and follow all required, recommended, and optional requirements for each product listing. Once you do, you can register and submit your feed.
Google Shopping SEO Best Practices to Boost Organic Reach
Signing up for Google Shopping listings does not guarantee your products will appear in organic search results. To increase the likelihood of your products popping up for relevant search queries, it’s essential to optimize for Google Shopping SEO. Here are four ways to do that:
Optimize your product titles and descriptions with relevant keywords that shoppers might be searching for.
Utilize unique and high-quality images to showcase your products, and consider utilizing videos as well.
Regularly update your product feed to ensure your listings are accurate and up-to-date.
Encourage happy customers to leave reviews for your products to increase social proof and visibility.
By implementing these Google Shopping SEO best practices, you can improve your organic reach, increase the likelihood of your products appearing on Google Shopping listings, and drive more sales for your online store.
Get Help Setting Up Organic Google Shopping Listings Today
Learning how to list on Google Shopping–and getting every detail correct–takes time. And without careful optimization, your listings can fall flat and won't attract the attention they deserve. As a freelance SEO specialist, I can help you set up your organic Google Shopping listings and make sure they're optimized for SEO. Through careful analysis of your target audience and industry, I will create listing titles, descriptions, and product images that capture your audience's attention and boost your search rankings. If you’re interested in utilizing Google Shopping to promote your products for free but need help setting up your account, reach out to me today.
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