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Shopping ads - Google & Microsoft
Free Shopping ads audit
Takes about a minute
Partner certified
Microsoft
Ads certified
24-72h
Typical feed approval window
14+
Industries managed
The core difference from Search ads
In a standard Search campaign, you choose keywords. In Shopping, Google and Microsoft match your product data to a search query directly - the feed itself is the targeting.
Shopping ads (also called Product Listing Ads) show an image, price, and store name pulled straight from your product data - not from an ad you wrote. Your product title functions like a keyword, your description extends reach into longer search terms, and your images determine whether an impression turns into a click.
That's why the account structure most people think of first - ad groups, keywords, match types - barely applies here. The actual optimization work happens in the product data itself: complete attributes, accurate identifiers, and images that meet spec.
Quick definition
Product ads showing image, price, and store name, generated automatically from your product data feed rather than from written ad copy or chosen keywords.
Google's product data hub
Merchant Center Next is Google's current platform for managing product data - it powers Shopping ads, free listings, and the product feed Performance Max uses when Shopping is included in the asset mix.
Merchant Center Next's interface and documentation now use "data source" for what was called a product feed - the concept is the same, uploaded via file, API, or an e-commerce platform connector.
Google has reported that adding correct GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers) to product data correlates with a meaningful increase in clicks - they're free to add from manufacturer spec sheets and easy to overlook.
Despite the common claim, Google does not publish a feed quality score - the real signals to watch are product status, the "Needs attention" view, and Top Quality Store eligibility inside Merchant Center Next.
Before any ad runs
Every Shopping ad depends on this being done correctly first - most disapprovals trace back to a setup step skipped here, not a campaign setting.
Set up Merchant Center Next and verify and claim your domain - required before any product data can be submitted.
Upload a file, connect via the Content API, or use an e-commerce platform connector (Shopify and others sync automatically) - API is generally the most reliable for catalogs that change often.
Inaccurate shipping information is one of the most common causes of product disapprovals and account-level issues - this gets set up before the first submission, not after.
Products are typically reviewed within 24-72 hours and appear as "pending" until resolved - the "Needs attention" view is where ongoing issues surface after that.
Once products are approved, the Merchant Center account links to Google Ads to build standard Shopping campaigns or feed a Performance Max asset group.
The ongoing work, not a one-time setup
Merchant Center is business infrastructure, not a task you finish - a well-maintained feed is the highest-leverage lever in a Shopping account, ahead of bid management.
Titles function as your broad-match keyword - attribute order and completeness (brand, type, size, color) directly affects which searches your product matches.
Google recommends 1,500x1,500px images; a universal 500x500px minimum becomes enforced in January 2027 - low-quality images are a common, avoidable cause of lost impression share.
Feed rules transform attribute values without touching your source system, and supplemental feeds patch missing GTINs, brands, or product types across a whole catalog from a single spreadsheet.
Bing's shopping platform
Microsoft's version runs on Microsoft Merchant Center, using the same core mechanic - product data drives the ad - with one major setup shortcut Google doesn't have an equivalent for.
The shortcut worth knowing
Microsoft's Google Import tool ports your complete Google Merchant Center product data into Microsoft Merchant Center, keeping titles, prices, images, and inventory in sync without rebuilding a catalog from scratch - and the same tool can import existing Google Shopping campaigns, not just the product feed.
Claim your domain (your existing UET tag can validate it if you are already running Search Ads), create a Microsoft Merchant Center store, then upload or import your product catalog - Microsoft calls the feed a "catalog."
Microsoft migrated Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max, mirroring Google's shift - the same automation trade-off applies: less granular reporting, more automated optimization.
One catalog, two platforms
Because Microsoft can import directly from Google Merchant Center, the ongoing feed management work above largely covers both platforms at once.
Titles, images, GTINs, and pricing are maintained here first - the highest-traffic Shopping platform and where feed quality work has the most impact.
Google Ads managementThe Google Import tool keeps the Microsoft catalog aligned automatically, extending reach to a lower-competition audience without duplicating feed maintenance.
Microsoft Ads managementCommon questions
Ready when you are
A free audit reviews your Merchant Center setup, feed quality, and Shopping campaign structure across Google and Microsoft - with a clear, prioritized report.
