Magento 2 Google Shopping feed creation made easy

Why is Google Shopping a MUST for retailers?

Because it is extremely likely that a customers journey will involve Google Shopping. Sooner or later in the process, the platform will be used as a research and comparison tool, or as the final step before making a purchase. Advertising your products on Google Shopping secures a placement for your ads somewhere along this way and increases their visibility.

How do I get started with my Magento 2 Google Shopping feed connection?

First of all, you need a Google Merchant Center (GMC) account as well as a Google Ads account in order to start advertising your products on Google Shopping. The Google Merchant Center is the place to upload your product information, which will then be used in Google Ads to create your Google Shopping Ads.

Your Magento export has to meet Google’s requirements

Since your webshop is built on the Magento CMS, it is fairly easy to extract a product feed for the Google Merchant Center. Still, the GMC feed requirements will most likely differ from your initial Magento feed setup which makes it challenging to meet the exact Google specifications.

The most common differences are linked to missing fields/attributes in your product feed (e.g. brand, GTIN, MPN, etc.). Other times, a value is just not in the format that Google requires for prices or gender specifications.

In short: You need the help of a 3rd party solution to generate a good Google Shopping feed from Magento 2.

Advantages of using Channable for the Google Shopping feed Magento 2 integration

In the Magento Marketplace, you will find more than 200 extensions, developed especially for your Magento CMS, that can help you to integrate your Magento 2.3 or 2.4 shop with Google Shopping. But how do you select the right one?

To make a clear distinction: There are extensions whose sole purpose is the Magento 2 Google Shopping feed connection, and there are extensions that allow you to connect your Magento backend with Google as well as with a variety of other marketing channels.

One of the extensions is Channable’s feed management solution which enables you to easily integrate your Magento product catalog with the GMC and to optimize your listings on the Google Shopping tab. All via an easy-to-install Magento plugin.

Here are 6 reasons why Channable is the right choice for your Magento 2 Google Shopping feed integration:

1. Built-in Google Shopping feed template

Channable gives you access to more than 2.500 up-to-date feed templates, including the Google Shopping template. A quality check makes you aware of potential improvements before you send your feed to Google Shopping. Meaning, you will meet the Google requirements automatically and avoid errors.

2. Certified plug and play Magento 2 plugin

We work with the eCommerce plugin “Channable Connect”, custom-built by the Magento-Only agency Magmodules. The plugin is developed to export all relevant product data needed to create powerful feeds and is already being used by more than 1200 Channable customers.

3. Optimized listings for better results

Optimized Google Shopping listings will lead to better conversions and more sales. Based on the built-in feed template, Channable enables you to improve your listings with IF-THEN rules that systematically filter, modify, and improve your product catalog with just a few clicks.

4. Daily synchronization of your product feed

When product information changes in your Magento backend, Channable synchronizes this change with Google Shopping (and your other channels). This helps you to communicate the correct information across channels.

5. Technical support

In case you need guidance with the setup of your Magento 2 Google Shopping feed connection, Channable’s technical support team is always available to help you out. This goes for all your connections.

6. Channacademy your learning hub

Channable offers its own learning center, The Channacademy. Become an expert in feed management, learn how to set up your first feed, how to set rules, and much more all related to eCommerce.

Google Shopping feed from Magento 2 optimization in 3,2,1…

As you can see, with Channable the opportunities to make the most out of your Magento product data, aside from your own webshop, increases immensely. As soon as you have connected your Magento shop to Channable, the feed management solution becomes your playground. If you want to get started with the Magento 2 Google Shopping feed integration via Channable, you need to:

• Create a Channable account
  If you haven’t done so yet, sign up for your own free Channable trial.

• Import your product data from Magento
  Install the Channable Magento 2 extension ‘Channable Connect' for free in the Magento Marketplace. You can easily integrate Channable Connect in your Magento store and export your product feed via the plugin.

When you are all set, these are your 6 steps in Channable on the way to a perfected Magento 2 Google Shopping feed:

Step 1: Setup

Navigate to ‘feeds‘ in the tool and choose the Google Shopping template. Choose the right country and type of market for your connection.

Step 2: Categorization

To advertise on Google Shopping, the right categorization is your bread and butter. With Channable you have the option to utilize the Smart Categorization functionality and save a ton of time.

Step 3: Rules

This is where the magic happens. Once set up correctly, Channable’s IF-THEN rule system filters, enriches, or optimizes all your existing product information automatically. For example, you can apply rules to quickly filter out products you do not want to promote or use the rules to add extra information such as custom labels.

Step 4: Finalize

Here, you ‘map’ the existing fields from your Magento export with the fields requested by the Google Merchant Center. With Channable you get a clear overview for mandatory, recommended, and optional fields.

Step 5: Preview

Have a look at the Google Shopping feed that you created from your Magento shop and find your feed URL as soon as you activate your account. Please note that until here, you don’t pay a dime to Channable. Once you are happy with your feed, you choose the price plan that fits your needs. You will then receive the URL for the Google Merchant Center in the preview tab.

Step 6: Quality

Your newly created feed gets an instant health check! See exactly which products, fields, or values need some extra love before sending your optimized product data to Google.

Now you know how to create the perfect Google Shopping feed from your Magento 2 shop. If you are looking for more information about how to successfully advertise on Google Shopping in general, we can recommend the following article:

• How to successfully advertise on Google Shopping

And if you already feel like exploring Channable, then make the first step by signing up for your personal account.