What is Google Merchant Center Next and How Does It Help You Sell More Online?
Marketing Digital ·
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<p>Google Merchant Center Next is the new version of Google Merchant Center that introduces new features to make product management easier, such as automatic import from the web, direct editing from the platform, click potential metrics, and new reports and suggestions.</p>
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<p>In this article, we explain everything about Google Merchant Center Next, the platform that allows you to showcase your products across various Google channels, such as Search, Shopping, or Images. Discover the new features and improvements that Google Merchant Center Next brings, how to access it, and what advantages it has for your <a href="https://www.evox.com.uy/" data-type="page" data-id="5">digital marketing strategy</a> and your <a href="https://www.evox.com.uy/servicios-de-marketing-digital/diseno-web-uruguay/" data-type="page" data-id="758">e-commerce</a>.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is Google Merchant Center Next?</h2>
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<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://www.evox.com.uy/core/storage/2023/10/que-es-Google-Merchant-Center-Next-copia.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-386300"/></figure>
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<p>In the digital world, Google Merchant Center is the key tool for e-commerce and online stores. It allows them to upload detailed information about their products, resulting in the visibility of these products in both the Google Shopping section and strategic Google Ads advertising campaigns.</p>
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<p>Google Merchant Center Next is the updated and improved version of Google Merchant Center, the tool that allows merchants to upload product information to the internet to display them in Google Shopping and Google Ads. This new version aims to make the platform easier to use and offer more features and data to users.</p>
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<p>Launched in August 2023, currently only some users have access, but it is expected to expand gradually and be available to everyone in 2024. Migration to this new version will be automatic, without the need for manual intervention by brands or the digital marketing agency.</p>
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<p>Although there is an option to return to the previous version if it is already available in your location, you will only be able to return to the new version once Merchant Center Next is globally installed.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What are the 7 new features of Google Merchant Center Next?</h2>
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<p>Merchant Center Next <strong>will allow you to control how your products appear on Google, without the difficulties of manually uploading a feed</strong>. You will also be able to obtain statistics on the most sold products and brands on Google, as well as guidance to improve performance.</p>
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<li>Automatic product import from the merchant's website.</li>
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<li>Product editing directly from the platform.</li>
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<li>Simpler and more intuitive platform with a cleaner interface.</li>
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<li>Click potential, a new metric that shows the attractiveness of product listing ads.</li>
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<li>Simplified product diagnosis that only shows the current status.</li>
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<li>Improvements in the performance section with new reports and suggestions.</li>
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<li>Changes and removal of some tabs and sections.</li>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Automatic import directly from the web</h3>
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<p>Automatic product import is one of the main improvements offered by the new version of Merchant Center. With this update, it allows automatic uploading of all product data, such as description, title, price, size, or image, among others, from the merchant's website, as the platform will detect them.</p>
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<p>The purpose of this change is to make the platform easier for advertisers to use and help them keep their feed updated. Likewise, the number of errors that often arise when businesses configure said feed will be reduced.</p>
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<p>Automatic product import in Google Merchant Center Next works as follows: by entering the URL of your website or e-commerce, Google crawls it to detect the items and sync them.</p>
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<p>It is important to note that products may take up to three days to appear in your panel, so do not worry if they do not show up instantly.</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Simplified product diagnosis</h3>
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<p>In the previous version (still the only one available for many businesses), the product diagnosis section showed a historical record and variations over time. In the new version, the overview only shows the current situation.</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Improvements in the 'Performance' section</h3>
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<p>The 'Performance' section will have a major change in appearance, and also, new reports will be added that will provide very useful data.</p>
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<p>In this update, details such as products, descriptions, competitor visibility, prices, among others, will be included. Additionally, Merchant Center Next will give us suggestions to fix possible errors detected in our products compared to competitors.</p>
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<p>The most interesting thing about this improvement is that we will be able to analyze and obtain information about any merchant that has active products, which will allow us a broader and more detailed view of the competitive landscape. Excellent way to keep up with what is happening in the market!</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Easier product editing from the platform</h3>
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<p>In Google Merchant Center Next, users can edit their products directly from the platform with just a click on the item.</p>
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<p>This function is one of the most notable changes that e-commerce businesses will notice the most, since previously they could only upload and delete products in the tool and to make a change they had to upload the product again.</p>
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<p>Although the products tab is quite similar to the previous version, it now has fewer filters, making editing your products easier than ever.</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Better usability on the platform</h3>
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<p>Google Merchant Center Next features a simplified interface that makes it easier for users with less technical experience or prior knowledge of the platform.</p>
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<p>Unlike the traditional Google Merchant Center, which relies on complex integrations and tools that can be difficult to master unless you are a PPC advertising expert, this new version seeks to remove these barriers to entry, becoming more intuitive and easier to use for users.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What improved compared to the previous version?</h2>
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<p>Before this update, Google Merchant Center had some limitations and difficulties. Some of the differences between the old and new version are:</p>
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<li>Importing products from the merchant's website was not automatic, but required setting up a data feed or using a browser extension.</li>
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<li>Product editing could not be done directly from the platform, but required modifying the data feed or the merchant's website.</li>
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<li>The platform was more complex and less intuitive, with a cluttered and less friendly interface.</li>
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<li>Product diagnosis was more confusing and showed historical information that might not be relevant.</li>
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<li>The performance section was more limited and offered fewer reports and suggestions.</li>
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<li>There was no click potential metric showing the attractiveness of product listing ads.</li>
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<li>Some tabs and sections no longer exist in the new version, such as "Attributes", "Feed quality", or "Settings".</li>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusions</h2>
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<p>Google Merchant Center Next will allow businesses of all sizes to move more agilely on the platform and better manage their products in both Google Ads and Google Shopping.</p>
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<p>Everything has been simplified and it will no longer be necessary to have as much technical knowledge. This especially benefits SMEs that do not have the necessary resources to train in this regard or hire an expert.</p>
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<p>The impact that the new version of Merchant Center will have is still a mystery. We will be able to know it more in depth when all advertisers have access to the update and when all the changes are implemented, since many have not yet been revealed.</p>
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<p>As a business, you must keep in mind that there will always be an initial phase of learning and adaptation to the new platform when faced with changes like these. However, in this case we believe the change is for the better and that this phase will be worthwhile, since everything will be simpler.</p>
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<p>Lastly, it is important to note that these are the most important features that are no longer (or seem not to be) in the new version: Merchant Center program, growth tab, feed tab, product diagnosis timeline, ability to create supplemental feeds, and product performance date range.</p>
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<p>If you still do not use this tool to optimize your <a href="https://www.evox.com.uy/" data-type="page" data-id="5">Google advertising</a> or do not know what Google Merchant Center Next is, we can help you.<br>At Evox we are experts in Digital Advertising, we manage thousands of dollars per month in ads that generate results for our clients.<br>Get in touch and receive a personalized proposal.</p>
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