Magento: Google Shopping and Google Merchant - how to connect them?

Table of Contents:

• Magento Google Shopping - why is it worth it?
• How does Google Shopping work?
• What is Google Merchant Center?
• Magento Google Merchant - integration from A to Z
• Ready-made solutions for Google Merchant Center in Magento
• Where and how to get the customer ID?
• Magento Google Shopping integration without complications

Did you know that connecting Magento 2 with Google Shopping can not only automate product management but also increase the effectiveness of advertising campaigns? In this article, we will guide you step by step through the Magento Google Shopping integration process, focusing on the practical aspects of implementation and configuration. You will learn what to pay attention to and discover several ready-made modules for Magento Google Merchant Center that allow efficient management of the product feed.

Deciding to integrate Magento 2 with Google Shopping can bring the following benefits:

Increased product visibility – offers are automatically displayed in the "Shopping" tab on Google, making it easier to reach a larger number of potential customers. Although, according to research, 41% of online shoppers start their product searches on marketplace platforms, 26% of users look for inspiration directly in Google search.

Dynamic product ads - integration with Google Ads enables automatic ad generation based on data from Google Merchant Center. This allows for precise targeting of users based on their previous interactions with products.

Advanced analytics and reporting – connection with Google Analytics and Google Ads allows tracking key campaign performance indicators (CTR, CPC, ROAS, conversions).

Improved user experience (UX) - products in Google Shopping can include ratings and reviews, building trust in the store and making it easier for customers to make purchasing decisions.

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Initially, in 2002, Google Shopping (then known as Froogle) functioned as a tool for indexing product data based on specific search terms. Later, it evolved into an advanced advertising platform operating on a PPC (pay-per-click) model.

In 2020, in response to economic challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Google made a strategic decision to make this service free of charge. While paid advertising options are still available to increase visibility, basic presence in Google Shopping no longer incurs costs.

The solution is based on the Comparison Shopping Engine (CSE) mechanism, which presents products in an attractive visual format - including an image, name, price, and seller information. Ads are typically displayed in a user-friendly product carousel.

Importantly, the Google Shopping system is fully integrated with the Google ecosystem, allowing users to filter and compare products based on key parameters such as technical specifications or price. For example, a user searching for computer components can narrow down results to models that meet specific requirements, such as a graphics card with a certain amount of VRAM.

One of the key advantages of implementing Magento Google Shopping is the high visibility of product listings, which appear above organic search results. For this reason, it is a crucial element of an eCommerce strategy.

To manage Google Shopping, Google Merchant Center (GMC) is essential - an interface that enables control over how products and store information are displayed across Google services via the product feed. It receives data from your eCommerce system before being used in advertising campaigns.

Key features of Google Merchant Center:

• Product feed management - GMC allows receiving data in XML or CSV format, automatically adjusting it to Google's specifications.
• Integration with Google Ads - direct connection between GMC and Google Ads enables launching product campaigns and precisely targeting customers.
• Automatic data synchronization - through integration with Magento, Google Merchant Center can fetch updates directly from your store, eliminating errors caused by manual edits.

Magento does not have native support for Google Merchant Center, but this can be easily bypassed with ready-made modules. Below, you can follow the example integration process in a few steps.

STEP 1. Registering an account in Google Merchant Center

Create an account in GMC by logging into your Google account. Then, provide basic store details - its name, URL, and contact information.

STEP 2: Domain verification

Confirm that you are the owner of the online store. You can do this in several ways:

• by adding a meta tag to the website code,
• by uploading an HTML file to the server,
• by configuring a DNS record.

Important: Until the domain is verified, you will not be able to upload product data.

STEP 3: Installing the integration module

Magento does not automatically generate a product feed for GMC, so if you don’t want to do this manually, you need the right module. There are ready-made solutions available on the market that automate the synchronization process (e.g., Google Shopping Feeds by Rocket Web or Google Shopping Feed by Meetanshi Technologies LLP). The module generates an XML file with products and regularly makes it available for GMC to download via cron jobs (automated background tasks).

STEP 4: Exporting product data

In the store platform, you need to generate a product feed directly from the admin panel. The file should contain all the attributes required by Google, such as name, price, availability, or GTIN (Global Trade Item Number, which helps customers find your offer). Incomplete data may result in product rejection.

STEP 5: Configuring integration settings

After installing the module, you must configure the connection between Magento and Google Merchant Center. Retrieve the customer ID (later in the article, we explain where to find it) and then provide it to your website administrator, who will set up the data synchronization schedule.

STEP 6: Synchronization and product management

Once the configuration is complete, products will start syncing automatically. From now on, you can monitor the status of uploaded listings, check for potential errors, and make corrections, which will be automatically updated in GMC. This way, you have full control over your offer in Google Shopping.

As you already know, to integrate a Magento store with Google Merchant Center, it is necessary to generate a product feed in XML format that meets Google’s requirements. This process can be automated using ready-made solutions available for this platform. The most popular ones include:

Mirasvit

A provider of innovative extensions for Magento. Its Advanced Product Feeds module ($179) is compatible with Google Shopping. It allows the generation of product files in formats that meet Google’s requirements, as well as other comparison platforms such as Amazon and eBay. The extension provides over 50 ready-made templates, significantly simplifying the quick creation of product feeds. It also enables easy customization of sales channels using patterns, attributes, and dynamic variables.

Important: The license allows the use of one copy of the software on a single Magento instance. When purchasing it, you receive lifetime access to the source code in the version available at the time of purchase, one year of technical support, and updates. After one year, you can extend support and access to new versions by paying an annual subscription fee. Each additional instance requires a separate license.

Wyomind

Provides efficient and user-friendly modules for Magento, including Simple Google Shopping ($277), which is used for quickly generating product feeds in XML, CSV, and TXT formats. Another extension from Wyomind is Mass Product Import & Update ($455), which allows for bulk product import and rapid updates.

Important: The license for Wyomind modules is assigned to one primary domain (live domain) and allows use on an unlimited number of staging, development, or local domains. Additional costs apply for support and updates: the “12 Month Service Agreement” for Simple Google Shopping (+ $164) and the “6 Month Service Agreement” for Mass Product Import & Update (+ $137).

Amasty

A provider of Magento extensions with over 15 years of experience in the eCommerce industry. One of its featured modules is Product Feeds ($829 for the first year, then $499), which enables feed generation in just seven simple steps and automatic submission to Magento Google Merchant Center via API. It is also natively compatible with the Hyvä Magento 2 Theme.

Important: The license covers software for a single Magento installation. The cost of ready-made extensions typically ranges from a few dozen to several hundred dollars, depending on functionality and the level of technical support. If you need a solution tailored to the specifics of your store, it may be worth considering a custom module - the total price will be estimated by an agency during the pre-implementation analysis of the project.

Want to use Magento Google Merchant Center? The agency you work with will need your Google Ads customer ID. Here’s how to find it:

1. Log in to Google Merchant Center

Go to Google Merchant Center and log into your Google account. Make sure that GMC is fully configured and verified – without this, you won’t be able to connect it to Magento 2. Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, or an HTML tag can help you verify the account. The process is similar to verifying Google Webmaster tools.

2. Find your Google Ads account ID

• Log in to Google Ads.
• Go to the “Tools and Settings” tab (wrench icon).
• Select the “Linked accounts” option.
• Find Google Merchant Center - your Google Ads account ID should be displayed next to it.

3. Providing the ID

After obtaining the ID, pass it on to the administrator, such as the agency you work with. They will configure the integration between your store and Google Shopping, ensuring proper product data synchronization and effective campaign management.

Important: Proper configuration of Google analytics tools is crucial not only during the Magento 2 account verification stage. Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics allow for precise conversion tracking from Google Shopping and detailed monitoring of users' purchasing paths.

Effective Magento integration with Google Shopping goes far beyond just generating an XML file. It also involves optimizing product data, adjusting attributes to Google’s requirements, eliminating errors, and continuously monitoring campaigns.

If you don’t have time to implement, configure, and optimize product feeds, it’s worth entrusting this task to professionals. At Advox Studio, we take care of process automation, integration accuracy, and campaign effectiveness, so you can leverage the full potential of Magento Google Shopping - without unnecessary complications.