For the majority of Small Businesses, the festive period is the most important time of the year. This is doubly true for Businesses who operate an Ecommerce store. In fact, it’s the favourted time of many Online merchants as sales can be reasonably expected to go through the roof. People flock to the Web in the approach to Christmas to find the perfect gift for their loved-ones, and Google is where most people go when they don’t have that perfect idea just yet.
With a little time left before Christmas kicks in, you need to be doing everything you can to make sure that you boost your Online sales as much as possible. You can’t afford to wait until the last minute to work on your strategy to draw in Customers. If you do, there’s a good chance your competitors will have made your late play redundant. In order to cut through all the noise, you need to stand out and appeal to your market right now by using Google Shopping.
WHAT CAN GOOGLE SHOPPING DO?
Google Shopping allows users to view and compare offerings when they search for product names or descriptions. The results will then appear in both the main Search Engine Results page and under the shopping tab.
Even if you haven’t heard of it before, you’ve definitely seen Google Shopping in action. Let’s say you’re looking for a “blue camping tent”. You just type your keywords into the search box and almost immediately, you’ll see sponsored ads appearing at the top of the page. If you click on the shopping tab, you’ll arrive at a wider range of options with different prices, different brands, and different product descriptions. If you happen to be the entrepreneur selling blue camping tents, you want to be trying to capture as much of the traffic that Google is generating as possible.
Google Shopping is the current pinnacle (although watch out for advancements in VR) of a convenient and streamlined shopping experience for the consumer. Customers can can easily compare product prices, information, and even reviews. All of this information is going to influence their buying decision.
DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS WELL
Now that you’ve learned about the massive opportunity that Google Shopping brings, we’ll talk you through some of basics you need to be doing to keep your campaign running effectively.
Firstly, you need to ensure you’re properly optimising product titles and descriptions.
When choosing the right words for your Google Shopping ad, focus on the first few words in the title and description, as this is where you might win or lose a visitor to your ad, and then your page. Be thorough and descriptive without going overboard. Obviously, this means no keyword stuffing.The display of your ads will depend on the product information you provide, and how it relates to the specific search terms entered by the person conducting the search. Make sure to only supply relevant information in your product listings. Doing so will increase the chances of getting your ad in front of only those consumers who are looking to purchase what you’ve got to offer.
GO FOR QUALITY IMAGES
Humans are, basically, visual creatures. Which means no matter how impressive your product description is, if you don’t have a quality image that supports it, then it’s good for nothing.
Pick a product image that’s eye-catching and, whenever possible, taken by a professional. Don’t make the mistake of using half-lit, poor resolution pictures… it will make potential purchasers doubt your validity. The better-looking your product photos, the greater the chances of your target market picking you, and not the ad nextdoor.
CONSIDER COMPETITIVE PRICING
Although margins are what are going to keep your Business afloat, the brutal truth is that the Internet has given people more visibility on price than they’ve ever had. With this in mind, you need to be wary of what your competitors are charging Online. Google Shopping will give anyone who is keen to compare a snapshot of what relevant Online providers are charging for their products Online.
Try to be as comprehensive as possible in your market research. Consider the shipping, taxes, and other ancillary costs and not just the listed price of your product. Most Online shoppers these days are savvy enough to look into all the details, and will be on the hunt for extras such as free shipping or a first-time discount.
Google Shopping can be very beneficial for your Small Business, especially through the weeks leading up to Christmas. If you feel like you need a little bit of help when it comes to making the most of this gift-giving season, give us a call and let the experts talk you through your options.