Google Shopping has become an increasingly crowded and challenging marketing channel. The fight for impression share has grown fierce and costs have risen as more retailers invest in the channel.
While it may seem that the only way retailers can surpass the competition in Google Shopping is to constantly increase ad spend or cut their product prices, Sidecar analysts have found that successful companies sidestep competitors altogether by uncovering the white space on the channel. These retailers craft targeted, measurable goals and strategically test new Google Shopping features to stay ahead of the curve.
Sidecar analysts identified three tactics that help retailers outstrip the competition in Google Shopping:
-
- Invest in branded, high intent search queries – According to the 2018 Google Shopping Benchmarks Report, branded search queries earned nearly double the ROI when compared to non-branded searches. Despite higher CPCs, filtering campaigns by high intent queries is an effective way to target consumers who are the most likely to convert.
- Engage shoppers at every stage of the purchasing cycle – Brand loyalty is a long-term process that begins well before the first purchase. E-commerce marketers should nurture consumers at upper, middle, and lower funnel stages of the shopping journey. Features like Showcase Shopping, Remarketing Lists for Search Ads, and Customer Match help marketers do just that.
- Double down on the mobile shopping experience – Mobile revenue increased 19% in 2017, making up 36% of all revenue on Google Shopping, according to the 2018 Google Shopping Benchmarks Report. Despite this rapid growth, CPCs remain relatively low when compared to desktop and tablet shopping ads. For many retailers, mobile is ripe for new revenue growth.
Master all three strategies in the latest Sidecar Point of View, “What Marketers Need to Know to Navigate Growing Competition on Google Shopping.” The guide, which my colleagues and I on the Sidecar Customer Strategy team developed, dives deep into trends reshaping the Google Shopping landscape and provides winning tactics based on industry research and proven customer successes. Learn how you can get a leg up on the competition with invaluable insights from Sidecar analysts and customers.
