Shopify Google Ads – boost your e-commerce sales quickly

Google is THE search engine. It is therefore a given that your potential customers will search for products and services on Google. To ensure your Shopify shop appears prominently in Google, you have two options. You can appear organically on the first page, but to do this you’ll need to invest in Shopify SEO. Alternatively, you can run adverts – known as Google Ads – which, for a fee, will place you straight at the top of Google’s search results.

In this article, I’d like to explain everything you need to know about Google Ads in conjunction with Shopify. This will give you the theoretical knowledge you need to run successful ad campaigns on Google.

Setting up a profitable Google Ads campaign is a skill in itself and, in most cases, should be carried out by a professional. At the same time, Google Ads is one of the cornerstones of online marketing.

What are Google Ads?

The term ‘Google Ads’ refers to all the advertisements run by the Californian company Alphabet. It enables various advertising campaigns to be run on Google and YouTube. However, the term ‘Google Ads’ is predominantly used to refer to the adverts that appear in the Google search engine.

An overview of all campaign types

There are a total of seven campaign types to choose from in Google Ads. Let’s take a closer look at each of the Google Ads campaigns.

Search

In a search campaign, text adverts are usually placed within the search results. These adverts are typically labelled ‘Ad’, which sets them apart from the organic search results. Such a campaign can be optimised for specific search terms that your target audience enters into the search bar. This allows the adverts to be targeted specifically at potential customers. This form of advertising is the simplest and most widely used method of running Google Ads.

Performance Max campaign

This type of campaign is ideal for reaching customers with high revenue potential. It allows for automatic placement across all Google platforms. The Google algorithm activates the relevant adverts without you having to put in much effort to optimise them. However, this form of advertising on Google offers fewer design options.

Demand Generation

A demand generation campaign in Google Ads is a specific type of campaign that uses engaging ad formats, such as image and video adverts, on platforms such as YouTube, Discover and Gmail. The aim of these campaigns is to engage potential customers in the early stages of the buying journey and to raise awareness of a product. Demand generation campaigns are particularly effective at reaching new audiences and encouraging them to take a closer look at the offering.

Display campaign

A display campaign consists of graphic adverts that appear on various websites. If a visitor has visited your website and then browses other sites, these adverts may be displayed there as images. This enables what is known as retargeting, which draws potential customers’ attention to your offering once again.

Shopping campaigns

Shopping ads are product listings on Google. These adverts are of particular interest to online retailers, as they offer an effective way of highlighting products. Such adverts contain detailed information about the products, such as images, prices, delivery charges and details of discount offers. These adverts even appear above the regular search results, which speeds up the shopping process and is an added benefit. Shopify Google Ads can also be run in the form of Shopping adverts.

Video campaigns

Video campaigns are mainly shown on YouTube. These are adverts that are shown before or in the middle of a YouTube video. However, video campaigns can also appear on websites.

Setting up Google Ads for Shopify – step by step

You’re now ready to get started with Google Ads. First, you’ll need to set a few things up, and then you can create your first campaign. Let’s go through the necessary steps, one by one, until your campaign is ready.

Set up Google Ads

To create Google Ads campaigns, you first need a Google account. You probably already have one; if not, you can create a Google account directly on the sign-up page. Alternatively, you can log in using your existing account.

1. Create a Google Ads account

Once you’ve logged in, you’ll see the option to create a Google Ads account.

Google will then ask you for your company name. Here, you must take particular care not to click ‘Next’ straight away. Otherwise, a ‘Smart’ campaign will be created; whilst this is designed to be beginner-friendly, it offers few customisation options and is therefore rarely effective.

So click on the ‘Advanced settings’ link; this will take you to the different campaign types.

2. Select the objective for the Google Ads campaign

You will now be guided through the various steps required to set up your Google Ads campaign. First, you need to select a goal for your campaign.

As you want to set up Google Ads for your Shopify shop, your objective will, in most cases, be ‘sales’. This means that you want users to click on your advert and then carry out a specific action on your website, such as buying a product.

3. Select campaign type

Here, you select one of the campaign types described above. For Shopify, ‘Search’ and ‘Shopping’ are particularly relevant here.

• Search ads: Your adverts will appear in Google search results when users search for products that you offer.
• Shopping adverts: Your products are displayed here directly, complete with images, prices and other details. These adverts are particularly effective for e-commerce businesses.

4. Campaign settings

This is where you set up your Google Ads settings. You can set your budget and bidding strategy, as well as create ad groups and adverts. I recommend that you set these parameters at a later stage.

5. Payment information and terms of use

To use Google Ads, you’ll need to provide your payment details and accept the terms and conditions. Once you’ve done that, your Google Ads account will be set up.

6. Keyword research

If you want to run effective adverts, you need an overview of the search queries you can use. These keywords are the names and related terms for your products. There are various tools available for keyword research, and Google Ads also offers a tool for this purpose: the Keyword Planner.

To ensure that your adverts reach exactly the people who are searching for your products, thorough keyword research is essential. Keywords are the terms that users enter into Google Search. With the free Google Keyword Planner, you can find relevant keywords and estimate their search volume. Based on your input, this tool suggests a wide range of keywords, from general terms to specific long-tail keywords.

Why is this important? For example, if a user searches for ‘red trainers’ and you have a keyword such as ‘red trainers’ in your campaign, there’s a chance that your advert will be displayed.

Different types of keywords:

• Exact match: Your advert will only be triggered if the user searches for the exact keyword you have entered.
• Phrase match: Your advert will be triggered if the search term contains the keyword in any order.
• Broad Match: Your advert will be triggered when the search term matches the keyword or similar terms.

"By using a wide range of keywords, you can target your audience more precisely and boost the effectiveness of your campaign."

Create Shopify Google Ads

Next, you can set up your first Google Ads or Google Shopping campaign for your online shop. To do this, follow these steps.

1. Create a new campaign

Either select the existing campaign or create a new one. Then select the objectives and the type.

2. General settings

In the following settings, you can specify where and to whom the adverts will be shown. Here, you should define your target audience as precisely as possible. The better you can define your target audience, the better your ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend) will be.

• Targeting: Decide who you want your advert to reach. You can segment by location, language, device, interests and demographic data.
• Bidding strategy: Choose a bidding strategy that suits your objective. Do you want to get as many clicks or conversions as possible?
• Exclusions: Define which user groups you do not wish to target (e.g. specific devices, locations or interests).

3. Budget and bid

First, you need to set a daily budget. You’ll find this option in the ‘Budget’ tab. Under ‘Bid’, you can then choose the focus of each campaign. As an e-commerce retailer, you should usually set ‘Conversions’ as your target here.

4. Ad groups

Ad groups help you organise your advertising campaigns in a structured way. They are like small sub-sections within a larger campaign and allow you to group your adverts and keywords by theme.

Create ad groups based on related themes to keep your campaigns organised and manage your bids more precisely. Example:

• Ad group 1: Running shoes (Keywords: running shoes, sports shoes)
• Ad group 2: Football boots (Keywords: football boots, studded boots)

5. Add keywords

You can now add keywords that are relevant to the ad group. This step is particularly important, as your adverts will only be shown in the right place if you add the correct search terms. You can also edit the search terms at a later date.

You can also add negative keywords. These determine where your Google Ads won’t be shown.

6. Create an advert

Finally, it’s a matter of creating the actual adverts. To do this, you need to write concise ad copy for your search adverts that reflects the content of your landing page. These will then appear in Google Search results. The text must therefore persuade searchers to click through to your online shop.

• Headline: A maximum of two lines, each containing 30 characters.
• Description: A maximum of two lines, each containing 90 characters.
• Display URL: The URL that appears in the advert (does not have to match the destination URL).
• Destination URL: The URL to which the user is redirected after clicking.

Important: Make sure your adverts are relevant to the search queries and include a clear call to action (e.g. ‘Buy now’, ‘Find out more’).

Google Shopping Ads for Shopify

As well as search adverts, Google Shopping Ads are particularly relevant for your Shopify shop. These are a dream come true for any e-commerce retailer and are managed not in your Google Ads account, but in Google Merchant Centre.

What is Google Shopping?

Google Shopping adverts appear in response to search queries where the user has a clear intention to make a purchase. Your products can be listed here either through paid advertising or for free. This means your products are displayed in a visually appealing way when searchers enter a relevant query into Google.

How to link Google Shopping Ads to Shopify

To successfully link Google Shopping Ads to your Shopify shop, you’ll need to follow a few important steps. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Create a Google Merchant Centre account

Before you start promoting your products via Google Shopping, you’ll need a Google Merchant Centre account. This is the platform where you upload and manage your product data. Go to the Google Merchant Centre website and sign in with your Google account. Follow the instructions to set up your account.

2. Link your Shopify account to Google Merchant Centre

Shopify offers a simple way to link your account to Google Merchant Centre:

• In your Shopify dashboard, go to Apps and search for the ‘Google Channel’ app.
• Install the app and sign in with your Google Account that is linked to Google Merchant Centre.
• Follow the instructions to link your Shopify account to Merchant Center. You’ll be asked to confirm your business details and verify your domain.

3. Set up the product data feed

Once you have linked Shopify and Google Merchant Centre, you’ll need to set up a product data feed. This feed contains all the key information about your products that will appear in Google Shopping adverts:

• In the Google Channel app in Shopify, you can choose which products you want to promote on Google Shopping.
• Shopify automatically generates a product data feed that is updated regularly, ensuring that Google always has the latest information.
• Make sure that all the key fields (such as title, description, price, availability and delivery) are filled in correctly to achieve the best results.

4. Create a Google Shopping campaign in Google Ads

Now that your products are in Google Merchant Centre, you can create a Google Shopping campaign in Google Ads:

• Go to your Google Ads account and click on ‘New campaign’.
• Select the objective ‘Revenue’ and ‘Shopping’ as the campaign type.
• Link your Google Ads account to your Merchant Centre account.
• Define your target audience, budget and bidding strategy. You can choose either a Standard Shopping campaign or a Smart Shopping campaign, depending on how much control you want to have over the adverts.

5. Review and optimise your campaigns

Once the campaign is up and running, it is important to monitor and optimise it regularly:

• Check your ad performance to see which products are delivering the best results.
• Adjust your budget, your bids and, where appropriate, your product data to improve performance.
• Use the reports in Google Merchant Centre to identify issues, such as products that have not been approved.

By following these steps, you have successfully linked Shopify to Google Shopping and can now run targeted adverts for your products to generate more sales.

Google Ads Tracking

Now that your Shopify Google Ads are live, you have significantly increased the visibility of your products. The next step in your marketing strategy is to check whether your marketing activities are actually having the desired effect. To do this, you can set up Google Ads tracking in Shopify.

What is Shopify Google Ads tracking?

Shopify Google Ads Tracking allows you to track your conversions via Google Ads. This gives you an overview of your individual adverts. This is essential for further optimising your adverts or pausing those that aren’t performing well.

Setting up Shopify Google Ads tracking – the best way

You can link your Shopify account to Google Analytics for free. Linking your accounts allows you to define conversions. Conversions can include, for example, purchases or page views. The easiest way to set up tracking in Shopify is via the Google & YouTube app.

All you need to do is download the app and then verify your email address and Google account details. Go to ‘Google Sales Channel’ in your Shopify admin and make sure that the email address you’ve entered matches the one you used to set up your Google Ads account.

Next, check in Shopify under ‘Google Ads Account’ to ensure the correct Google account is linked. If all the details match, you have successfully linked your accounts, and various conversions will be automatically generated in Google Ads.

My conclusion

Google Ads are excellent if you want to boost your Shopify shop’s turnover quickly. They allow you to showcase your products to users who are already interested, and you only pay if they decide to click on your advert.

Although Google tries to make creating adverts as easy as possible, it often takes an expert to ensure a positive return on investment.
As a Shopify agency, we offer a full range of Shopify marketing services to support e-commerce retailers. So, if your Google Ads campaign isn’t yet profitable, or if setting up the adverts is taking up too much of your time, we’d be happy to help you create and optimise your Shopify Google Ads.

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