The Future of eCommerce? Google Shopping & Beyond

Your potential customers are shopping on Google more than one billion times per day, a statistic that shows just how quickly eCommerce is evolving. But, rather than seeing a complete switch to digital consumerism, we’re seeing a need for a rounded, omnichannel approach to online (and offline) advertising.

During this year’s Google Marketing Keynote, the Google product team shared some of the exciting new features they’re working on to help businesses and their advertising partners achieve this vision for an immersive and diverse shopping experience.

Omni-channel Marketing

Now, the growth of the digital space doesn’t necessarily mean the downfall of the brick-and-mortar store. In fact, in store shopping saw sales rebounding 8% in 2021 with shoppers choosing to combine their in-person and digital experiences for both research and convenience.

Google surveyed US shoppers and found that two-thirds started their shopping journeys online. ‘Near me’ searches are increasing year-on-year and while users highly value privacy, they are understanding how sharing things like location can make their shopping experiences better and more relevant.

Customers are using various touchpoints and interacting with ads to take advantage of things like click and collect services, stock check services and even just finding phone numbers and directions. 

These well-rounded and multi-channel experiences are helping businesses to provide everything a customer needs where and whenever they need it to improve those all-important sales.

Google is calling this spontaneity, Intuitive Shopping. People are shopping based on inspiration at unexpected times of the day, and with the help of eCommerce and digital experiences, they are able to do so.

Window Shopping On Google Search

Window shopping is now a very different experience for shoppers. eCommerce reduces location barriers and opens up a world of opportunity for retailers to reach customers they would never have been able to reach before.

Google is maximising this window shopping experience by combining paid ads and organic content to create visual product feeds that convert. 

Shoppers will be met with high-quality imagery, style guides and reviews that help inform buying decisions. Shoppers can also access the types of search filters you’d expect to see on retailer websites.

3D with AR in Search

If you have 3D models of your products, you will now be able to take advantage of AR in search. 

Google has identified trends in the use of this technology and has implemented options that allow advertisers to show realistic models in search, giving customers confidence in your business as they superimpose your products in the real world environment.

Highly Visual and Immersive Ad Experiences

When searching for a product on Google, potential customers will be presented with both organic results and paid results. This means high-quality product imagery and rich product descriptions that simplify the shopping experience. 

When searching, shoppers will be able to tap on an ad and see everything they need to know about a product. This includes all product information and reviews. Professional PPC ad managers will be able to set up these immersive ad experiences to help paid ads feel natural in the feed and offer all the information that shoppers need to convert.

Video and eCommerce

Visual content is at the forefront of Google’s plans for both organic search and eCommerce, and it doesn’t stop at still imagery.

700 million hours of YouTube content is consumed on TV screens alone, showing a shift in how people are consuming their media. This, combined with the 30 billion daily YouTube Shorts views, makes video a no-brainer for advertisers.

It’s thought that shopping trends are changing. Instead of pre-planned purchases, shoppers are seeing high intent moments resulting from unexpected inspiration, which is where this idea of intuitive shopping really impacts the sales funnel.

Advertisers are treating video content as a visual shopfront, with shoppers 5x more likely to watch a product demo on YouTube before buying. 

Retailers are able to show dynamic content that shows off products in exciting and engaging ways. Google is introducing product feeds to videos to help retailers take advantage of spontaneous shopping moments by linking back directly to their site to help shoppers buy immediately when inspiration strikes.

Performance Max Campaigns

Google is using performance max campaigns to help businesses tie together their eCommerce offering and their brick-and-mortar stores. The aim is to help give business owners better visibility to help track both ad spend and conversions. Google is referring to this as One Store.

Retailers will be able to use ads to reach customers wherever they may be, including:

• Shopping
• Search
• Display
• Gmail
• YouTube
• Discovery
• Maps

The improved analytics and A/B testing opportunities will help advertisers to adapt campaigns to optimise for trackable calls and directions actions and better utilise Google’s vision for an omnichannel approach to eCommerce.

Checkout on Merchant

Retailers will see an immediate impact from a shopping feed that is optimised for shoppers’ experiences with Google’s new checkout on merchant feature.

When shoppers see a product they like in the feed, they will be able to visit the merchant site with the product already in their basket. This makes shopping easier for customers, reduces distractions and purchasing barriers, and simplifies the entire process for retailers.

Improvements in the Ads Platform

Google has adapted the ads platform to make products more visible. Viewing products at the account level will make it easier for advertisers to spot inactive offers, missing information, or products where competitors are presenting a more competitive offering.

For experienced PPC managers already monitoring and setting up detailed, targeted campaigns, this will make it easier to look at competitor campaigns and gain an edge.

Loyalty Benefits

In the marketing keynote, Google identified the importance of customer loyalty to both retailers and buyers. Through customer loyalty schemes, shoppers are able to obtain discounts, free shipping and special offers, and Google feels this is a valuable part of the shopping experience.

To accommodate this, Google is introducing loyalty benefits that retailers can embed in the feed. This can influence buying decisions for loyal customers and keep them coming back for more, even through Google shopping. 

For now, this feature is for existing loyal customers, but Google plans to expand this to allow businesses to attract new, loyal customers who become repeat buyers and see the rewards.