If you’re running an eCommerce store on WordPress, especially with WooCommerce, and trying to make your products visible on Google Shopping, you know that Google Merchant Center is key to getting your items in front of potential customers. But just creating a feed and uploading it isn’t enough.
To truly succeed, you need to optimize your feed for maximum visibility, accuracy, and performance. Otherwise, Google might not display your products — or worse, they could be disapproved.
In this post, we’ll dive into the best practices for optimizing your Google Merchant Center feed on WordPress so you can boost your product visibility and avoid common pitfalls.
1. Ensure Your Product Feed is Complete and Accurate
Why it matters:
Google needs as much data as possible to accurately display your products in Google Shopping. Incomplete or inaccurate data is the number one reason products get disapproved.
Best practices:
- Fill out all required product attributes: This includes product titles, descriptions, prices, availability, images, and GTINs (if applicable). You need to make sure every product in your feed includes relevant, complete details.
- Use accurate product categories: Select the most accurate Google product category for each product. Using the correct category helps your products show up in the right searches.
- Include GTINs/MPNs when possible: If your product is branded, Google prefers that you provide a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) or Manufacturer Part Number (MPN). If your product doesn’t have one, you can mark it as
identifier_exists = FALSEin your feed.
2. Optimize Product Titles and Descriptions
Why it matters:
The title and description are what help Google match your products to a user’s search. You need to use clear, descriptive, and keyword-rich titles so your products can show up in relevant searches.
Best practices:
- Use descriptive, keyword-rich titles: Include the product name, key features, and important details. Avoid promotional language like “Best Deal” or “Hurry, Limited Stock!” Instead, focus on what the customer is searching for. For example: “Men’s Waterproof Running Shoes – Size 10 – Blue”.
- Write clear, detailed descriptions: Describe the product in a natural, easy-to-read way. Include any important information about size, color, and material, as well as what makes it unique. Be honest — if it’s an “Eco-Friendly” product, say so, but avoid vague claims.
- Avoid keyword stuffing: Don’t try to trick the system by stuffing irrelevant keywords into your titles or descriptions. Google will penalize you for it.
3. Use High-Quality Product Images
Why it matters:
Product images play a huge role in getting customers to click on your ads. If your images are too small, watermarked, or blurry, you risk having your products disapproved.
Best practices:
- Follow Google’s image requirements: Images must be at least 250×250 pixels and clear (no watermarks, text, or borders). High-quality images that show your product clearly from multiple angles perform the best.
- Ensure your images are accessible: Make sure the URLs of your product images are not blocked from Google’s bots. If you use a plugin like Lazy Load, make sure images load properly when Google crawls your product pages.
- Check your image URLs: Always verify that the images are publicly accessible and can be viewed by anyone, including Google’s bots. You can do this by pasting the image URL directly into your browser and checking if it loads.
4. Include Accurate Pricing and Availability
Why it matters:
Google compares the price and availability in your feed to what’s displayed on your website. If there’s any discrepancy, your product will be flagged or disapproved.
Best practices:
- Update prices regularly: If you’re running sales or promotions, your feed needs to reflect the most current prices. Use a feed plugin that updates automatically to reflect any changes in your store (CTX Feed, Product Feed PRO, etc.).
- Ensure accurate stock levels: Google wants to show products that are available for purchase. If your products are out of stock, they should be marked as unavailable in your feed. Google doesn’t want to display products that customers can’t buy.
- Be transparent about shipping costs: Shipping should be included in the price of your product or listed separately in the Merchant Center shipping settings. If you offer free shipping, make sure that’s reflected both in your feed and your Merchant Center settings.
5. Use a Consistent Feed Schedule
Why it matters:
Your product feed needs to stay up-to-date with your store. If you don’t update it regularly, you could end up showing products that are out of stock, incorrectly priced, or outdated.
Best practices:
- Set up automatic feed updates: Instead of uploading your feed manually, set it up to update automatically (daily or hourly) depending on how often your store changes. This ensures that any changes in price, stock, or new products are instantly reflected in Google Merchant Center.
- Avoid creating duplicate feeds: Having multiple feeds that are out of sync can lead to confusion and errors. Stick to one properly updated feed.
- Regularly review feed diagnostics: Even with automatic updates, issues can still pop up. Regularly check Merchant Center Diagnostics to catch any errors or warnings.
6. Make Sure Your Website is Google-Friendly
Why it matters:
Google needs to crawl your website to ensure everything is functioning correctly — that means no blocked pages, slow load times, or hidden content.
Best practices:
- Optimize your website for mobile: Google places a lot of importance on mobile usability. Ensure your product pages are mobile-friendly so users can easily browse and purchase.
- Use structured data: Implement structured data on your product pages (this helps Google understand your product information better). A plugin like Yoast WooCommerce SEO can help with this.
- Ensure fast loading times: Slow websites frustrate users and Google alike. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to make sure your site is fast.
7. Fix Errors and Warnings Immediately
Why it matters:
Google is constantly scanning your feed, and if it detects any issues (price mismatches, missing data, etc.), it can disapprove your products or even suspend your account.
Best practices:
- Check Merchant Center diagnostics regularly: Whenever an error or warning pops up, don’t wait! Fix it as soon as possible to avoid disruptions in your product listings.
- Resolve issues in the feed plugin: If there’s an issue with your feed, go back to your plugin (like CTX Feed) and fix it. Most feed plugins allow you to easily modify or regenerate the feed.
- Appeal any suspensions promptly: If your account gets suspended, read the specific policy violation Google flagged, fix the problem, and submit an appeal explaining the changes you made.
Conclusion: Keep Your Feed Clean, Clear, and Updated
Optimizing your Google Merchant Center feed isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing process. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your feed is clean, accurate, and optimized for the best performance.
Once you’ve set everything up properly, it’s important to keep checking your feed’s status in Merchant Center, and continue making adjustments as your products or policies change.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start by focusing on the basics: complete data, accurate prices, high-quality images, and regular updates. These simple steps will go a long way in getting your products in front of the right customers.
Got any questions about your feed or need help optimizing your Google Merchant Center on WordPress? Drop a comment or reach out — I’m happy to help!
