6 easy steps to set up product campaigns in Google Ads

Promoting products online is an essential part of running a successful business today, and Google Ads offers a unique opportunity to reach customers right where they're looking for products like yours. Product Shopping Campaigns allow you to showcase your products, along with key information such as price and image, directly in search results or Google Shopping.

But how do you set up these campaigns correctly and get the most out of them? This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process - from setting up your Google Merchant Center account to optimizing your campaigns for the best results.

What are product campaigns in Google Ads?

Product campaigns are a type of ad campaign aimed at promoting specific products from your store. These ads include a product image, price, store name and other information. They appear directly in Google search results, in Google Shopping or on partner websites.

Step 1: Set up your Google Merchant Center account

Product campaigns require linking your store to a Google Merchant Center (GMC) account, which is used to upload and manage your product data.

How to set up GMC:

• Create an account: Visit Google Merchant Center and sign up.
• Upload a product feed: Create an XML or CSV file containing details about your products (name, description, price, availability, categories, etc.) and upload it to GMC.

• Site Validation: Link your e-store to GMC using an HTML tag, file or Google Tag Manager.

Step 2: Link Google Ads and Google Merchant Center

In Google Merchant Center, go to settings and link your Google Ads account. This will allow you to use your product data directly in your campaigns.

Step 3: Create a new product campaign

1. Sign in to Google Ads.
2. Click on the New Campaign button.
3. Select a Campaign Goal (e.g. Sales, Prospective Customers).
4. Select the campaign type Shopping.
5. Select the linked Merchant Center account and the country of sale.

Step 4. Set the campaign structure

Product campaigns can be set up according to your goals and product range. It is recommended to:

• Split campaigns by category: e.g. Electronics, Apparel, Accessories.
• Use ad groups: Divide products into groups by performance or types.

• Include priorities: You can set different priorities (low, medium, high) for multiple campaigns with similar products.

Step 5: Optimize bids and targeting

Google Ads offers two main strategies for product campaigns:

1. Manual bids: You set how much you're willing to pay per click for your products.
2. Automated bids: Google optimizes your bids based on the likelihood of conversion (recommended for beginners).

Other key steps:

• Exclude irrelevant search queries: Use negative keywords.
• Geo-targeting: Set your ads to show only in selected locations.

Step 6: Monitor and optimize the campaign

Campaign success depends on regular analysis and optimization. Focus on:

• Click-through rate (CTR): Monitor whether people are clicking on your ads.
• Conversion rate: Check how many clicks lead to sales.
• Return on investment (ROAS): See if your campaigns are generating a profit.

Conclusion

Setting up product campaigns in Google Ads is a great way to increase the visibility of your products and bring customers to your online store. The key to success is proper preparation, regular optimization and testing different strategies.

When set up correctly, these campaigns can generate a great return on investment. Don't be afraid to adjust campaigns based on performance and seasonality.