Every year, Google takes the time to update their product data specifications to create a better overall experience. This year, google has decided to try and relax the way certain rules are enforced. Here are the specifications that are being updated. These changes will take place on June 25th, 2018.
Long Titles and Descriptions Truncation
Title and description that exceed the character limit will no longer result in disapprovals. You are still expected to have no more than 150 characters for titles and 5,000 characters for the description. If they are longer than this, Google will automatically truncate the field to the correct length and place a warning on your account. Warnings do not negatively impact your campaign but can lead to bigger issues in the future.
More information about titles and descriptions.
Condition
Condition is no longer a requirement for new products. If the field is not populated, Google will automatically assume it is a new product. If the item is listed as new and Google finds that it is listed as used or refurbished on the product’s landing page, they will be able to disapprove the product or you may get a warning.
More information on condition.
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
Cost of goods sold can be used to calculate the gross profit from each item. This is an optional attribute that can be used. COGs give valuable insight to set up your campaign for maximum profitability.
Size, Color, and Link Attributes
Products that contain more than one size, color, or link will receive a warning. Products can have more than one value, but they need to be separated by slashes and hyphens. You cannot use commas.
More information on size, color, and link.
AdWords Redirect
Beginning February 1, 2019, your AdWords tracking link will need to direct to the same domain as the value populating “link” and “mobile_link.”
More information on AdWords Redirect.
Make sure you check your Google Merchant Center account after these changes have been set. Some disapproved products you may have had could be eligible to list again.
Brian Roizen is the Cofounder and Chief Architect of Feedonomics, a full-service feed optimization platform that optimizes product data for hundreds of channels. He has been featured on numerous podcasts and eCommerce webinars, and regularly contributes to Search Engine Land and other industry-leading blogs. Brian graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
