Ecommerce brands know that success in Google and Microsoft Shopping Ads is not just about bidding strategy – it starts with the product feed. A well-optimised product feed ensures that ads appear in the right searches, deliver relevant information, and drive more conversions. Yet, many brands overlook the impact that product feed optimisation and product title enhancements can have on performance.

Why Feed Management Matters for Shopping Ads

Shopping Ads work differently from traditional search ads. Rather than relying on keywords, they use product data to match search queries. Google and Microsoft determine when and where to show ads based on a brand’s product feed – titles, descriptions, images, GTINs, and more. If this data is incomplete, inaccurate, or unoptimised, brands risk wasting budget on irrelevant impressions or missing key searches altogether.

As a PPC agency, we see first-hand how crucial this is. Product feed optimisation can be the difference between wasted spend and high-performing Shopping campaigns.

Industry data shows just how vital Shopping Ads are for driving online sales. Google Shopping accounts for around 76% of retail search ad spend and generates 85% of all clicks on Google Ads. Microsoft Shopping, while reaching a smaller audience, presents a valuable opportunity for brands to expand their reach—often at lower cost-per-click (CPC) rates. Despite this, Microsoft is often overlooked in the B2B space, even though 51% of its users are B2B decision-makers, making it a strong channel for scaling and growth.

For any ecommerce agency, capitalising on both Google and Microsoft’s reach is essential for long-term growth.

The Role of Product Titles in Shopping Ad Success

One of the most essential (and sometimes overlooked) elements of feed optimisation are product titles. These serve as the primary matching signal for Google and Microsoft’s algorithms, meaning a well-structured title can significantly improve ad relevance and click-through rates.

A common mistake brands make is keeping product titles too generic. For example, a simple title like “Running Shoes” does not provide enough detail for the algorithm to determine relevancy. Instead, a better approach would be: “Men’s Lightweight Running Shoes – Breathable Mesh, Size 10.” This structure not only improves visibility but also ensures the ad appeals to high-intent shoppers who are searching for something specific.

The ideal structure includes the brand name, followed by the core product name, key attributes, size or quantity, and, if applicable, the model or variant. This ensures that the most relevant details are included while maintaining readability. For example, a strong product title would be “Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 Running Shoes – Men’s, Black, Size 10” or “Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 256GB, Phantom Black, 5G Unlocked.” To maximise performance, it’s best to front-load the most important keywords, use common search terms, and keep titles concise to avoid truncation in search results. Providing a long and short title also helps when displaying products across placement with shorter title lengths such as Gmail. Google and Microsoft typically display around 70 characters before cutting off, so ensuring the most crucial details appear early is key. By following this structured approach, advertisers can improve product discoverability and drive more qualified traffic to their listings.

This is where our specialist PPC agency can support, ensuring that product titles are crafted not just for humans, but for algorithms too.

Setting Up Google Merchant Center for Maximum Visibility

Google Merchant Center is the foundation of any Shopping campaign. Ensuring that product feeds are fully optimised can make a significant difference in performance. Brands should focus on getting all required attributes right, from product identifiers (GTINs, MPNs) to high-quality images and clear, keyword-rich descriptions.

One often-overlooked opportunity within Google Merchant Center is free product listings. Google allows businesses to highlight their products for free across Google Shopping and Search, giving brands additional exposure without increasing ad spend. Ensuring eligibility for free listings by maintaining an accurate and updated feed is a straightforward way to boost visibility.

Not forgetting Microsoft

Many brands focus all their efforts on Google Shopping but miss the additional traffic Microsoft Shopping can provide. Microsoft Ads allows advertisers to import their Google Merchant Center feeds directly into Microsoft Merchant Center, making it easy to expand campaigns across Bing, Yahoo, and partner networks. This seamless integration enables an omnichannel approach to search and shopping advertising, ensuring brands do not rely on just one platform for revenue.

Microsoft Shopping also offers free product listings, like Google. For brands looking to maximise exposure while keeping costs under control, setting up and optimising these free placements is a smart strategy – and one that any data-driven ecommerce agency should be prioritising.

Best Practices for a High-Performing Product Feed

To maximise Shopping Ad performance, brands should focus on these key areas:

  • Ensuring product titles are structured with relevant keywords, brand names, and key attributes such as size, material and colour
  • Using high-quality images to increase engagement
  • Keeping product categories accurate to improve targeting
  • Including structured data such as GTINs, MPNs, and rich descriptions
  • Monitoring pricing and availability to ensure feeds stay up to date
  • Leveraging custom labels to improve product segmentation and bidding strategies. Link to my previous blog on how AI & ROAS strategies drive success can be found here

Our dedicated PPC agency can assist with building out these best practices, while supporting continuous testing, and refining the approach to ensure high performance across all products within the feed.

Final Thoughts

A strong product feed is the backbone of every successful Shopping campaign. Google and Microsoft rely on accurate, well-optimised product data to match ads with the right shoppers. By investing in product feed optimisation, optimising product titles, and taking advantage of free product listings, brands can increase visibility, improve efficiency, and drive more sales.

For businesses looking to scale their ecommerce advertising, a well-managed feed is not just an advantage—it is a necessity. Partnering with our specialist ecommerce team or PPC agency ensures your feed works harder, your ads perform better, and your investment delivers greater returns.