Shopify to Google Shopping: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare Your Shopify Store and Products

Ensure Product Data Quality and Completeness

Before exporting your products to Google Shopping, it’s crucial to ensure every product in your Shopify store has accurate and complete data. Google Merchant Center (GMC) has strict requirements for product attributes. Navigate to your Shopify admin, go to “Products,” and click on each product to review its details. Specifically, verify the following:

Title: Make sure titles are descriptive and include relevant keywords. Avoid all caps or promotional text.
Description: Provide detailed, unique descriptions (min. 150 characters) that highlight key features and benefits.
Price: Ensure prices are accurate and match your landing page. Include currency.
Availability: Set correct stock levels (in stock, out of stock, preorder).
Product Type/Google Product Category: Assign the most specific Google Product Category possible. If unsure, use Google’s taxonomy to find the best fit. This is critical for ad relevance.
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number): For most new products, include the UPC, EAN, or ISBN. If your product doesn’t have a GTIN (e.g., custom goods, vintage items), mark the ‘identifier_exists’ attribute as ‘false’ or leave the GTIN field blank if using an app that handles this.
Brand: Specify the brand name.
Condition: Indicate if the product is ‘new’, ‘used’, or ‘refurbished’.
Shipping Information: While not a product-level attribute, ensure your Shopify shipping settings are configured correctly as GMC will pull this information.

Use Shopify’s bulk editor (select multiple products and click “Edit products”) to quickly add or modify common attributes across several items.

Optimize Product Images and Descriptions for Google Shopping

High-quality images and compelling descriptions are vital for attracting clicks on Google Shopping. Google has specific image requirements:

Main Image: Use a clear, high-resolution image of the product on a plain white or transparent background. No watermarks, promotional text, or branding overlays. The product should take up at least 75% of the image canvas.
Image Size: Recommended minimum 800×800 pixels. Larger is generally better for zoom capabilities.
Additional Images: Provide multiple angles, lifestyle shots, or close-ups to give customers a comprehensive view.

For descriptions, while you’ve ensured completeness above, optimize them for Google Shopping by:

Front-loading keywords: Place the most important keywords at the beginning of the description.
Highlighting unique selling propositions (USPs): What makes your product different or better?
Using bullet points: For readability, especially for key features.
Matching landing page content: Ensure the description on Google Shopping accurately reflects what users will see on your Shopify product page to avoid disapproval.

Regularly audit your product data in Shopify, especially after adding new products or making price changes, to maintain compliance with Google’s policies.

Step 2: Set Up Your Google Merchant Center Account

Create and Verify Your Google Merchant Center Account

Google Merchant Center (GMC) is where your product feed lives and is the central hub for managing your product listings on Google.

Go to Google Merchant Center: Navigate to merchants.google.com and sign in with the Google account you wish to associate with your business. If you don’t have one, create a new Google account.
Set up your business information: Follow the on-screen prompts to enter your business name, country, and timezone. Agree to the Terms of Service.
Verify your website: This is a critical step. You need to prove you own your Shopify store’s domain.
- Option 1 (Recommended for Shopify): HTML tag. In GMC, select “HTML tag” as the verification method. Copy the provided meta tag. In your Shopify admin, go to “Online Store” > “Themes” > “Actions” > “Edit code”. Under “Layout”, click “theme.liquid”. Paste the meta tag anywhere in the <head> section, typically before the closing </head> tag. Save the file. Go back to GMC and click “Verify URL”.
- Option 2: Google Analytics. If you have Google Analytics (UA or GA4) installed on your Shopify store and use the same Google account for both GMC and Analytics, GMC can often verify automatically. Ensure you have edit permissions for the Analytics property.
Claim your website: After verification, click “Claim URL” in GMC. This links your Merchant Center account directly to your verified website.
Configure tax and shipping: Go to “Tools & Settings” > “Shipping and returns” and “Tax”. Set up your shipping services (e.g., flat rate, free shipping, carrier-calculated rates) to match your Shopify store. Configure tax settings based on your business location and the regions you ship to. These settings are crucial for accurate pricing in your ads.

Link Google Merchant Center to Your Google Ads Account

To run Google Shopping campaigns, your GMC account must be linked to a Google Ads account. This allows your product feed to be used by Google Ads for campaign creation.

In Google Merchant Center: Go to “Tools & Settings” (wrench icon) > “Linked accounts”.
Select “Google Ads”: You’ll see an option to link to an existing Google Ads account.
Enter Google Ads Customer ID: Find your Google Ads Customer ID (a 10-digit number usually found in the top right corner of your Google Ads interface, e.g., XXX-XXX-XXXX). Enter this ID into the field in GMC.
Send Link Request: Click “Send link request”.
In Google Ads: Log in to your Google Ads account. Go to “Tools & Settings” > “Setup” > “Linked accounts”. Under “Google Merchant Center”, you should see a pending request. Click “Details” and then “Approve”.

Once approved, your GMC and Google Ads accounts are successfully linked, allowing you to import your product feed into Google Ads for campaign creation.

Step 3: Choose Your Product Feed Method

Utilize a Shopify App for Automated Feed Management

For most Shopify merchants, using a dedicated app is the most efficient and reliable way to manage your Google Shopping product feed. These apps automate the process of syncing your Shopify products to Google Merchant Center, handling updates, and optimizing attributes.

Browse the Shopify App Store: Search for “Google Shopping Feed” or “Google Merchant Center” apps. Popular options include “Google Shopping Feed” by Simprosys, “Product Feed for Google Shopping” by AdNabu, or “Data Feed Watch” (for more advanced needs).
Choose an App: Look for apps with high ratings, good reviews, and features that match your needs (e.g., automatic updates, attribute mapping, error reporting, currency conversion). Many offer free trials.
Install and Configure: Install the chosen app. During setup, you’ll typically connect your Shopify store to the app and then connect the app to your Google Merchant Center account (usually via API).
Map Attributes: The app will guide you through mapping your Shopify product attributes (like “Vendor” or “Product Type”) to Google’s required attributes (like “Brand” or “Google Product Category”). Ensure accurate mapping, especially for GTIN, brand, and condition.
Set up Feed Schedule: Configure the app to automatically update your feed daily (or more frequently) to ensure Google always has the most current product information, including stock levels and pricing.
Monitor for Errors: Most apps provide a dashboard to monitor feed submission status and identify any product disapprovals or warnings from Google Merchant Center. Address these issues promptly.

This method significantly reduces manual effort and helps maintain a healthy product feed, which is crucial for ad performance.

Manually Upload Your Product Feed (if applicable)

While less recommended for dynamic Shopify stores due to the constant need for updates, manual upload is an option, especially for stores with a small, static product catalog or for initial testing.

Export Products from Shopify: In your Shopify admin, go to “Products” and click “Export”. Choose to export all products or specific ones, and select “CSV for Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs”.
Format the CSV: Open the exported CSV file. You’ll need to manually add and format columns to match Google’s required product feed specifications. Essential columns include:
- id (Shopify product ID)
- title
- description
- link (direct URL to your product page)
- image_link (URL to your product’s main image)
- price (e.g., “99.99 USD”)
- availability (e.g., “in stock”, “out of stock”)
- brand
- gtin (if applicable)
- condition (e.g., “new”)
- google_product_category
Refer to Google’s official product data specification for a complete list of attributes and their formatting requirements.
Upload to Google Merchant Center: In GMC, go to “Products” > “Feeds”. Click the blue “+” button.
Select “Scheduled fetch” or “Upload”:
- Scheduled fetch (recommended for manual): If you can host the CSV file on your server (e.g., via a private URL), GMC can fetch it regularly. Provide the URL and set a daily fetch schedule.
- Upload: For a one-time upload, select “Upload”, name your feed, choose “CSV” as the file type, and upload your prepared CSV file directly.
Process and Monitor: After upload, GMC will process the feed. Check the “Diagnostics” section under “Products” to identify any errors or warnings that need to be addressed. You’ll need to re-upload a new CSV every time stock, price, or product details change.

This method is prone to errors and requires constant vigilance to keep your product data fresh and compliant.

Step 4: Create and Launch Your Google Shopping Campaign

Build Your Shopping Campaign in Google Ads

With your product feed successfully submitted to Google Merchant Center, you can now create your Shopping campaign in Google Ads.

Log in to Google Ads: Go to ads.google.com and sign in.
Create a New Campaign: Click “Campaigns” in the left-hand menu, then the blue “+” button, and “New campaign”.
Choose Campaign Objective: Select an objective like “Sales” or “Leads”, or “Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance”.
Select Campaign Type: Choose “Shopping”.
Select Merchant Center Account: Confirm your linked Google Merchant Center account and the country where your products are sold.
Choose Campaign Sub-type:
- Smart Shopping campaign (recommended for beginners): This automates bidding and ad placement across Google’s networks (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail) to maximize conversion value within your budget. Requires a conversion tracking setup.
- Standard Shopping campaign: Offers more manual control over bidding, product groups, and negative keywords. Better for advanced users who want granular control.
Campaign Settings:
- Campaign Name: Give your campaign a descriptive name.
- Bid Strategy: For Smart Shopping, it’s typically “Maximize conversion value”. For Standard, you might start with “Maximize clicks” or “Manual CPC”.
- Budget: Set your average daily budget.
- Locations: Target the geographic areas where you want your ads to show.
- Start and End Dates (optional): For evergreen campaigns, leave the end date blank.
- Ad Group (Standard Shopping): Create at least one ad group. For Standard Shopping, you’ll define product groups within this ad group.
Create Ad Group (Standard Shopping): Within your ad group, you’ll initially have “All products” targeted. You can then subdivide this into more granular product groups based on categories, brands, product IDs, or custom labels to apply different bids.
Launch Campaign: Review all settings and click “Create campaign”.

Ensure Google Ads conversion tracking is properly set up on your Shopify store (via the Google & YouTube sales channel app or by manually placing the global site tag and event snippet) before launching to accurately measure performance.

Monitor Performance and Optimize Your Campaign

Launching your campaign is just the beginning. Continuous monitoring and optimization are key to maximizing your return on ad spend (ROAS).

Monitor Key Metrics: Regularly check your Google Ads dashboard for metrics like:
- Impressions: How often your ads are shown.
- Clicks: How many times users clicked your ads.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Clicks / Impressions. A low CTR might indicate unappealing product images or titles.
- Cost: How much you’re spending.
- Conversions: Sales generated from your ads.
- Conversion Value: The revenue generated.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Conversion Value / Cost. This is your primary profitability metric for Shopping campaigns.
Check Google Merchant Center Diagnostics: Periodically review the “Diagnostics” section in GMC for any new product disapprovals or warnings. Address these immediately, as they can stop your products from showing.
Optimize Bids:
- Smart Shopping: Focus on increasing your budget if you’re seeing good ROAS and want more volume.
- Standard Shopping: Adjust bids at the product group level. Increase bids for high-performing products/groups, and decrease or pause low-performing ones. Use bid adjustments for devices, locations, or audiences.
Refine Product Groups (Standard Shopping): Break down your “All products” group into more specific groups (e.g., by product type, brand, or custom labels). This allows you to bid more precisely on profitable items and exclude unprofitable ones.
Add Negative Keywords (Standard Shopping): Review your “Search terms” report in Google Ads. Add irrelevant search queries as negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing for searches that won’t convert (e.g., “free,” “review,” competitor names if you don’t want to show for them).
Improve Product Data: Based on performance, go back to Shopify and refine product titles, descriptions, and images. Better data leads to more relevant ad placements and higher CTR.
Utilize Custom Labels: In your Shopify product data (often through a feed app), add custom labels (e.g., “top_sellers”, “seasonal_clearance”, “high_margin”). This allows for highly specific bidding strategies in Google Ads.

Consistent monitoring and iterative optimization are crucial for the long-term success of your Google Shopping campaigns.

FAQs

Q1: My products are disapproved in Google Merchant Center. What should I do?

A1: First, navigate to the “Products” > “Diagnostics” section in your Google Merchant Center account. This page will list all disapproved products and the specific reasons for their disapproval (e.g., “Missing required attribute: GTIN,” “Image policy violation,” “Price mismatch”). Click on the specific error to get more details. You’ll need to go back to your Shopify product data (or your feed app settings) and correct the identified issues. For example, if it’s a price mismatch, ensure your Shopify price matches the price on your product page and in your feed. If it’s an image issue, upload a compliant image to Shopify. After making corrections, either your feed app will automatically re-submit the updated data, or you’ll need to manually re-upload your feed. Google will then re-review the products, which can take a few hours to a few days.

Q2: How long does it take for my products to appear on Google Shopping after setting everything up?

A2: The initial processing time can vary. Once your product feed is submitted to Google Merchant Center, it typically takes 24-72 hours for Google to review and approve your products. This includes checking for policy compliance and data accuracy. After approval, and once your Google Ads Shopping campaign is active and approved, your ads can start appearing on Google Shopping results usually within a few hours. However, it can sometimes take up to 2-3 business days for everything to be fully live and for ads to gain traction, especially for new accounts.

Q3: Do I need to pay for Google Shopping if I use Shopify?

A3: Yes, Google Shopping is a paid advertising platform. While your products can appear in “free listings” on the Google Shopping tab if your feed is active in Merchant Center, to get prominent placement in Google Search results (which drives the most traffic) and other Google properties, you need to run paid Google Shopping campaigns through Google Ads. This means you will set a daily budget and bid on your products, paying per click (CPC) when users interact with your ads. The Shopify apps primarily help you manage and sync your product data to Google Merchant Center, but they don’t cover the advertising costs themselves.

Q4: My Google Shopping campaign isn’t getting many impressions or clicks. What could be wrong?

A4: Several factors can lead to low impressions or clicks. First, check your Google Merchant Center “Diagnostics” to ensure all your products are approved and eligible to show. Disapprovals will prevent ads from running. Second, review your Google Ads campaign settings:

Budget: Is your daily budget too low? A low budget can limit how often your ads show.
Bids: Are your bids competitive enough? If your bids are too low, you might be outbid by competitors.
Targeting: Are your location and language targeting settings too restrictive?
Product Data Quality: Poor product titles, descriptions, or images can lead to low ad relevance and CTR, causing Google to show your ads less often. Ensure your product data is optimized for search queries.
Competition: The market might be highly competitive for your products.
Negative Keywords (Standard Shopping): If you’ve added too many or overly broad negative keywords, you might be inadvertently blocking relevant searches.

Start by addressing any GMC errors, then gradually increase your bids and budget in Google Ads, and continuously optimize your product data in Shopify.