If you are managing a large Google Ads Shopping campaign with a data source (e.g., a Product Feed) containing 20,000 products, it’s common to need to update the existing data and add new products. In this case, you are looking to re-upload product data with fixes while also adding new products to your existing data source. Fortunately, Google Ads provides tools to help with this process, and it can be done seamlessly with minimal disruption to your campaign.
This guide will walk you through the steps to re-upload product data and add new products, while ensuring that the existing data is updated correctly without causing any issues with your Shopping campaigns.
Step 1: Prepare Your Product Data File
The first step in uploading new or updated product data is to ensure your data file is prepared correctly. You’ll typically be using a TSV (Tab-Separated Values) file, which is a standard format for uploading product feeds in Google Ads.
- Download the Existing Data Source:
- If you are using a Google Merchant Center account to manage your products, log in to Google Merchant Center and navigate to your existing product feed under the Products section.
- Download your existing data feed to ensure you have the latest version of the products listed. This will allow you to identify any missing or updated information that needs fixing.
- Make Necessary Fixes:
- Open the TSV file in a text editor or spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
- Locate the products that need fixing. For instance, if there are issues with product descriptions, prices, availability, or any other data, correct these errors in the relevant columns of your file.
- Ensure that all required fields are correctly filled out, such as product ID, title, description, link, image link, price, availability, and other essential attributes required by Google Ads.
- Add New Products:
- To add new products, simply insert rows into the file with the product details for the new items you want to add to the feed.
- Make sure the new products include all necessary attributes, such as the product ID, title, description, price, availability, and other relevant fields.
- Ensure that the product ID for each product is unique and does not duplicate an existing product ID in the feed. This is critical to avoid overwriting or causing conflicts between existing products.
Step 2: Update and Upload the Data Feed
After preparing the TSV file with both the fixes to the existing products and the new product entries, you can upload the updated feed to Google Merchant Center. Google will process the feed and apply updates to your product listings accordingly.
- Log into Google Merchant Center:
- Go to the Google Merchant Center and sign in with your account credentials.
- Navigate to the Products Section:
- In the left-hand menu, select Products > Feeds. Here, you’ll see a list of all your current product feeds.
- Choose the Existing Data Source:
- Find the existing product feed (the one that contains your 20,000 products) and select it. This will be the feed you want to update.
- Upload the New or Updated Feed:
- Click on the Upload button and choose the updated TSV file that contains the fixes and new products.
- Google will automatically process the file and update the product data in the Merchant Center. This process may take some time depending on the size of the feed.
- Important: Google Merchant Center supports incremental updates, so the new file will overwrite any data for existing products that are included in the feed and add new products to your catalog. Be sure to avoid deleting any product IDs unless you intend to remove those products entirely.
Step 3: Monitor the Feed Status
After uploading your updated product feed, you should monitor its status to ensure that Google processes the file correctly and without errors.
- Check for Errors:
- Go to the Diagnostics section in Google Merchant Center to see if there are any errors or issues with the feed upload.
- If there are any errors, Google will provide detailed information on what needs to be fixed. These might include formatting issues, missing required attributes, or invalid product details.
- Verify Successful Upload:
- Once the feed is processed successfully, check the Products section to see if the products have been updated with the fixes and if the new products have been added correctly.
- You can view individual products by searching for them or using filters to ensure that the correct data is displayed.
Step 4: Test and Optimize Your Campaigns
Once the updated product data is uploaded and your products are successfully listed, you should test and optimize your campaigns.
- Test for Visibility:
- Run a few test searches in Google to check if the newly uploaded products are appearing correctly in the Google Shopping results. Ensure that your ads are showing with the updated prices, descriptions, and other relevant details.
- Verify that products with fixed data (e.g., price corrections, availability updates) are now accurately displayed.
- Monitor Campaign Performance:
- After uploading your updated product feed, monitor the performance of your Shopping campaigns in Google Ads.
- Review key metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion to see if the updates to product data have a positive impact on your ads.
Step 5: Troubleshoot Common Issues
If the product updates or new products do not appear as expected, consider the following potential issues:
- Feed Processing Delays:
- Feed processing can take up to 24 hours, so be patient if changes are not immediately reflected in your campaigns.
- Data Errors:
- If Google rejects the upload or certain products don’t appear correctly, double-check the file for errors in the format, missing required fields, or incorrect product IDs.
- Data Quality Issues:
- Google is very strict about the quality of product data. If there are issues with data quality (e.g., invalid pricing, missing GTINs, or broken links), it can cause delays or rejection of the feed.
- Account Suspension:
- If your account is suspended due to data issues (such as policy violations or quality concerns), address the underlying issues and follow Google’s guidelines for account reinstatement.
Conclusion
Re-uploading product data to Google Ads after fixing issues or adding new products is a straightforward process, but it requires attention to detail. By carefully updating your TSV file, uploading the new feed to Google Merchant Center, and monitoring its status, you can ensure that your products remain accurate and up-to-date for your Google Ads Shopping campaigns. Regularly maintaining your product feed and following best practices will help ensure that your products are properly listed, and your ads perform optimally.