Google is making it easier for advertisers to retrieve product listings from their websites. This is done through automated 'website crawl' feeds in the Merchant Center. By utilizing structured data markup on websites, Google can automatically extract up-to-date product information such as titles, prices, availability, and images.
Benefits for advertisers
These automated feeds reduce the effort required to keep product listings up to date. This is especially useful when assortments and prices change frequently. Advertisers need to do less manual work. However, it may take some time to learn how to properly mark up all products with schema markup.
Implementation of schema.org markup
Advertisers wishing to utilize these automated feeds must implement the required schema.org markup for product details such as title, price, availability, and image. Additional attributes such as GTIN, brand, size, and condition can further enrich the listings when provided through markup or supplementary feeds.
New "Website" feed option
Some advertisers now see a new "Website" feed option that allows them to easily enable or disable automatic product input in the Merchant Center. Products are automatically added or removed based on the website crawl. This occurs without duplicating other product data sources.
Challenges in Implementation
A proper implementation of structured data is essential, as is managing crawl directives through sitemaps and robots.txt to prevent indexing issues. This automated system aligns with Google's focus on entities and structured data within their modern AI-oriented approach.
Impact on visibility and sales opportunities
By reducing manual work, more advertisers can easily participate in Google's diverse platforms such as Search, Shopping, and Images. This can significantly increase visibility and sales opportunities without the complex processes of the past.