How to Create a Google Shopping Campaign

With a Google Ads account and a Google Merchant Center account, you can design a shopping campaign that works for you and also enables you to track the performance of your products. Implementing Google shopping campaigns allows potential customers to learn about your products without having to click your ad. Before creating your campaign, you need to link your Google Ads and Merchant Center accounts. If you don’t have existing Ads and Merchant Center accounts to link, begin by setting up your two accounts, then you’ll be able to follow along with the rest of the tutorial. 

How to create a Google shopping campaign

Here are the steps to create a Google shopping campaign:

1. Start a new campaign

In your Google Ads account, select the Campaigns icon and click Campaigns from the Campaigns drop-down menu. Next, select the + button, click New campaign, and select a default goal, or create your own objective for the campaign.

2. Campaign type

Now, select Shopping as your campaign type, and select your merchant center account with the products you wish to advertise. 

You can then select specific feeds from your merchant center account to include in your campaign. To determine which feeds are included in the campaign, organize feed options by the countries in which your product is sold or select specific feed labels from your Merchant Center account.

3. Advertising preferences

Within your campaign, you can set preferences in a variety of campaign components. These include:

• Campaign name

• Products advertised

• Daily campaign spending budget

• Networks where ads are shared

• Types of devices campaigns can appear on

• Ad locations

After setting your preferences, click Save and Continue.

4. Create ad group

Now, you’re ready to create your first ad group. To do this, enter an Ad group name and Bid, then click Save. Your Google Shopping Campaign is complete, and you will move to the products page.

Additional requirements for Google Shopping Campaigns

As mentioned earlier, you need to have a Google Ads and Google Merchant Center account linked together to proceed with your campaign. Google also requires your campaign content to comply with shopping ads policies. Prohibited content includes dangerous products, inappropriate or offensive content, counterfeit goods, and products that enable dishonest behavior, such as hacking software. Additionally, your ads must meet certain professional and editorial standards to be promoted. This means your ads must be easy to understand, interact with, and lead customers to a properly functioning website.

Get started with Coursera

If you’re interested in learning more about digital marketing and e-commerce, consider earning a Google Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate. With this program, you will earn an employer-recognized certificate to qualify for roles such as paid search specialist or e-commerce associate and gain valuable skills in search engine optimization, display advertising, email marketing, and more.