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Google Merchant Center (GMC) is crucial for Google Shopping campaigns. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough for creating a GMC account in 2024, utilizing the updated, user-friendly interface.
Why You Need Google Merchant Center
GMC acts as a “quality control” department for your website’s products. It ensures your products and website meet Google Shopping requirements before displaying ads to users. It helps Google understand your products, enabling ads to reach the right potential customers. Setting up GMC correctly is the first step to a successful Google Shopping campaign.
Important Considerations When Creating a GMC Account
The 1-1 Rule:
- One Gmail account can only create one GMC account.
- One GMC account can only verify one website.
- One website can only be verified on one GMC account.
Adhering to this rule is vital. Violations can disconnect your website from GMC, leading to product errors and ad suspensions. Using the same Gmail for all Google tools (Google Ads, Google Analytics, etc.) is recommended for easier management and connection.
Steps to Create a Google Merchant Center Account
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Access Google Merchant Center: In your browser, search for “Google Merchant Center” and select the first organic result (not an ad). Click “Start now”.
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Provide Sales Information: Answer Google’s questions about whether you sell products online and have a physical store. Enter your website’s homepage URL.
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Access the GMC Dashboard: After completing step 2, you’ll be redirected to the GMC dashboard. Click “Get started” to set up your information.
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Update Business Information:
- Business Name: Your business name must match your website domain or official company name (e.g., “ABC Company Ltd.” should be “ABC”). This name will appear on your Google Shopping ads.
- Business Address: Enter the exact address of your registered business or store. This address must match the information on your website. Note: This address is for verification only and won’t be displayed on ads.
- Phone Number: Use your website’s hotline number, not a personal phone number.
- Customer Service: Enter your website’s homepage URL.
- Email: Use the contact email address on your website.
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Verify Your Website:
- Select the “Add an HTML tag or upload an HTML file” verification method.
- Copy the provided code snippet.
- Paste the code into the tag: If your website platform has a built-in Header editing function (like Haravan or Shopify), paste the code into the Header Script section. Otherwise, you can use the “Insert Headers and Footers” plugin for WordPress.
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Verification Success: After pasting the code, return to GMC and click “Verify your online store”. If successful, two green checkmarks will appear. Click “Continue”.
Conclusion
Creating a Google Merchant Center account is a crucial step to launching your Google Shopping campaign. By following this detailed guide, you can easily set up GMC and prepare for uploading your products for advertising. The next article will provide a detailed guide on optimizing your product data feed – a key factor in determining the effectiveness of your Google Shopping campaign.