Google Shopping Actions: How to Increase Visibility with SEO

There’s been a lot of change for Google Shopping Actions. First, the search engine company changed it to “Buy on Google.” Now, it’s set for another revamp. I’ll talk some more about that later.

Originally, Google Shopping Actions gave retailers and advertisers a unique opportunity to get incredible product exposure.

After all, over 40 percent of shoppers turn to Google to find or discover new products, letting even small businesses put themselves in front of millions of new potential customers with just a few clicks.

Once shoppers arrive on the Google home page, one of the first tabs they saw at the top wass “Google Shopping.”

With that much visibility, it made sense for retailers to try it.

Before I explain what we know about Google’s new shopping model, I feel now is a good time to look at Google Shopping Actions, how it worked, and how it helped online sellers.

What Is Google Shopping Actions?

Google Shopping Actions partnered with several retailers to create a shopping experience in direct competition with Amazon. The program allowed retailers to upload products that appeared in organic searches across Google platforms. In turn, shoppers could find, compare, and buy products without leaving Google.

For example, if you burnt a pan while cooking, you could use Google Home to buy a new one, add it to your shopping cart to buy later, or browse and compare new pans on your phone and buy it immediately.

It all made for a seamless shopping experience with the potential to increase e-commerce sales, drive conversions, and decrease abandoned carts.

Note: Google Shopping Actions wasn’t the same as Google Shopping Ads. Retailers pay for their results to appear in Google Shopping Ads, while organic Google Shopping is free. 

What Did the Order Process Look Like on Google Shopping Actions?

Let’s return to the burnt skillet example to walk through the customer buying process. After you entered “skillet” and got a results page, you’d click on the “Shopping” tab at the top of the first SERP.

You’d then get a list of skillet options, along with filters on the left to narrow your search.

By choosing “Buy on Google,” you’d only get options to buy directly from Google. You would see which ones are part of the Buy on Google Program by the little shopping cart icon at the top left of each result:

Typically, Google organizes its results from the shopping tab using various methods and features. Products labeled as “Sponsored” appear first to indicate it’s a paid ad placement.

Organic listings appear under the sponsored ads according to relevance to the user and search terms. Shoppers can also interact with the listings to read reviews and compare prices for the item with other stores:

Let’s say you chose to look at this T-fal skillet that ships from Walmart. If you clicked on the stars, you’d see an overview that included a brief product description, images, reviews, and price comparisons from other retailers.

To learn more, you’d click the view product details link, and the page would direct you to the Google Shopping page for that item. This page provided more detailed information, including buying options, detailed product features, reviews, price comparisons, and buying suggestions:

Benefits and Drawbacks of Google Shopping Actions

Like any technology or platform, Google Shopping Actions had its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

The advantages of Google Shopping Actions included:

Increased visibility: When you listed items in Google Shopping Actions, they gained higher visibility in Google Search results, enabling retailers to reach a vast online audience.

Streamlined checkout: Buyers could put their items from multiple retailers and only have to complete checkout, making the shopping experience smoother.

Voice search: If you like the ease of asking for items rather than typing, you could just tell Google what you’re looking for.

Cross-device flexibility: Shoppers could buy from mobile devices and desktops, allowing businesses to reach a wider customer base

Additional product listings on Google Express: Shoppers could reach even more buyers by listing items on the Google Express platform.

Social proof: Retailers could build trust and credibility through Google reviews left by shoppers.

Some negatives of Google Shopping Actions included:

Competition: Retailers weren’t just competing by product; they were also competing by price.

Setting up: It was complex and time-consuming, especially if you wanted to appear in the comparison option, as you had to upload product identifiers and other data.

Some brands find they receive lower visibility and order volume because of competitor numbers.

Limited access: Google Shopping Actions was only open in France and the United States.

Less control: Naturally, when you’re listing on a third-party site, you have to follow its guidelines.

These negatives might be some of the reason that Google Shopping Actions as we know it has been sunset in favor of a new option.

What’s Changing With Google Shopping Actions?

With the launch of the new Google shopping program, it’s all changed.

Per Zenventory, Google made this statement:

“Buy on Google was a small feature that a very limited number of merchants used, so we’re investing in this new buying experience instead.

Instead of a multi-step buying journey, people who are ready to buy will now have the option to go directly from Google to the checkout flow on your website. Once there, they will see the chosen product already in their shopping cart and can checkout on your site with whatever payment method they select. We will be piloting this experience on Google and YouTube with select merchants and will share more information as we’re ready to take on additional partners.”

That means:

Google Shopping Actions (Buy on Google) sellers can’t access any of the Buy on Google features after September 26, 2023.

United States sellers can  “Buy on Google for YouTube” feature but have to meet Google’s Merchant Center’s standards.

Google is launching a new checkout pilot for select sellers. It aims to improve user experience by making the shopping process seamless.

Google’s revamp also means that listing your products organically comes as default; if you don’t want this option, you’ll need to deactivate it manually.

How to Get Started With Google Shopping’s New Platform

OK, so Google Shopping Actions, which later became Buy On Google, is a thing of the past. But don’t worry; you can still leverage Google’s reach to get your products out there with a Google Merchant Account.

Sellers interested in joining can fill out an application form. 

Once accepted, getting started with the new system is simple. Here’s how to do it:

Head over to https://www.google.com/retail/solutions/merchant-center/ and set up your account if you don’t already have one, and fill in basic information about your company. Then click on “Continue to Merchant Center”.

Next, you’ll come to your Merchant Center main dashboard. It should look something like this:

3. Check the status for shopping options under the “Organic” tab from the left menu:

To check whether your products appear across Google, select the “Organic” option from the left side menu in the merchant center and see if the option for “Your products can show organically across Google” is active:

The Google Merchant Center is very flexible. You can connect third-party tools and services you’re already using, such as Shopify and SureDone, and even link your Amazon feed to reduce work redundancy.

Optimizing Your Google Shopping Listings

As you would for your site, you want to use some Google Shopping SEO so buyers can find you in organic search.

First, ensure all your information is accurate, from your description to your price. If appropriate, use geotags to make sure you pop up in local searches.

Verify your title and description, and optimize images too.

Google Shopping Listings Product Titles

Use strong keywords that reflect user search queries in your title. Do keyword research to see what users are searching for when they look for products similar to yours. You can use a keyword tool like Ubersuggest or simply look at the “People also ask” and “Searches related to” sections of a Google results page.

Remember, using strong keywords in your product title not only lets users find you but also helps Google place your products on the right results pages. Google crawls both product titles and descriptions for detailed keywords to place products.

Google also suggests experimenting to see which optimization methods work for you, like adding color to your clothing product listings. There are other A/B testing techniques you can try, too.

Here’s an example of some simple but effective SEO for Google Shopping. Instead of using “skillet” alone as your title, try something more detailed, such as “12-inch cast iron skillet.”

Also, add brand names, sizes, age groups, and personalization details to your titles to make them stand out.

Product Descriptions

Make your product descriptions detailed and pragmatic. Phrases like “amazing skillet” won’t win you any organic search points. But “We season our 12-inch cast-iron skillet with olive oil, and it holds heat well,” tells both the user and Google precisely what your product is.

Remember to keep it short and sweet, as only 70 words appear on product pages in Google, and highlight any unique features.

Google Shopping Listings Product Images

According to an Etsy survey, 90 percent of surveyed shoppers said the quality of e-commerce images is very important in the buying decision.

In other words, the better your images look, the more likely you will get a sale.

Your e-commerce product images should be:

Clear, uncluttered, and well-lit, with a neutral background

Use a consistent style for all your pictures.

Keep your products front and center.

Create professional images using a tripod for added stability, and use a high-resolution to pick up smaller details. Shopify has an image size guideline cheat sheet available if you need some guidance.

Choose multiple images that give your product scale,

Display images from different angles and show them in use so users can get a sense of how it will work for them. Zoom in on any important or unique features.

Show your product in use. For example, with the cast iron skillet, Lodge shows their product served up with chicken and sizzling away on a grill with vegetables.

Monitor Your Product Listings

Finally, keep a constant eye on your product listings. Compare them to similar listings that are doing well to determine how to improve your own. Watch for rises or dips in visibility and clicks to see if you can attribute them to search trends.

Keep abreast of Google’s algorithm changes. A change in the way Google places organic search content could affect your listings.

FAQ

Conclusion

With free Google Shopping, merchants have an incredible opportunity to increase their revenue through e-commerce.

The program has undergone some significant changes over the years, from Google Shopping Actions to Buy with Google, and now it has launched a refreshed version aimed at giving shoppers a seamless shopping experience.

But you know something? It doesn’t matter what it’s called.

Google’s shopping platform allows retailers to get their items out in front of more people.

Yes, it’s competitive, and you’ll likely have to make some tweaks along the way, but it may just bring you the extra visibility and sales you’re looking for.

If you do decide to give Google’s shopping platform a go, don’t just list items there without any thought.

Optimize your listings to help increase your conversions, and don’t forget to optimize your e-commerce store for SEO for a two-pronged approach for online success.

Did you use Google Shopping Actions for your e-commerce store? What do you think about the revamp?