Optimized Google Product Category To Boost Your WooCommerce Sales [2023]

As a WooCommerce store owner, promoting products on Google Shopping is one of the best ways to drive new traffic and generate sales simultaneously.

According to Google’s survey, 49% of shoppers search on Google to discover a new product.

However, simply listing your products on Google Shopping is not enough to ensure your Google Shopping campaign’s success.

One critical step that you must follow is product categorization.

You can significantly boost your relevance, ranking, and visibility by categorizing your products according to the Google Product Category. Without proper categorization, your products may not appear in relevant search results, leading to lost sales and frustration.

In this article, you will learn some proven Google Product Category optimization tactics which you can implement for the best results. After reading this article, you’ll learn –

• Why it is essential to use Google Product Category
• How to categorize your products according to Google Product Category
• How to optimize Google Product Category for the best results

By the end of the blog, you’ll be able to use Google Product Category to boost your sales on Google Shopping.

So, let’s dive in.

Why Categorization with Google Product Category Matters

When you submit your product data to Google Merchant Center, you need to select the most appropriate Google Product Category for each of your products.

Categorizing your products with Google Product Category is essential for below reasons:

Improved Visibility on Google Shopping

By categorizing your products accurately, your products will appear in the right search results, leading to improved visibility and higher click-through rates.

For example, suppose you sell running shoes on your website and categorize them correctly under “Apparel & Accessories > Shoes > Athletic Shoes > Running Shoes.” In that case, your products will show up when someone searches for “running shoes” on Google Shopping, increasing your visibility and chances of making a sale.

The enhanced user experience when searching

Categorizing your products accurately will help users find what they’re looking for more easily. This enhances the user experience, making it more likely for users to engage with your products and make a purchase.

For instance, suppose you sell furniture on your website and categorize your products under “Home & Garden > Furniture > Sofas.” In that case, users searching for sofas will find your products easily, leading to a better user experience and higher chances of conversion.

Complying with Google’s policies

Google has strict policies about the use of Google Product Category. By categorizing your products accurately, you ensure that you comply with Google’s policies, reducing the risk of your product feed being rejected or your account being suspended.

For example, if you sell clothing on your website and categorize them under “Apparel & Accessories > Clothing,” you comply with Google’s policies. In contrast, if you categorize them under “Electronics,” Google may consider it a policy violation and reject your product feed.

Now you know the benefits of categorization. Let’s find out how to categorize your products properly.

How To Categorize Products with Google Product Category?

Like optimizing other data in your product feed, such as title, color, and description, you need to select the most suitable option from Google product category taxonomy to deliver the most relevant results to your potential customers.

For example, if you sell running shoes and categorize them as simply “Shoes” instead of “Shoes > Athletic Shoes > Running Shoes,” your products may not appear in relevant search results for customers looking specifically for running shoes, resulting in fewer clicks and potentially lower sales.

Categorizing your products with Google Product Category is a simple process. You can do it manually or use a tool to automate the process.

Let’s look at both the categorization processes:

Manual Categorization

To manually categorize your products according to Google Product Category, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Google Product Taxonomy page.
2. Find the category that best matches your product. For example, if you are selling a men’s t-shirt, you would select “Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts & Tops > T-Shirts.”
3. Once you have found the category, note the corresponding numeric code for that category.
4. In your product feed or product listings, add the “google_product_category” attribute and input the numeric code for the corresponding category.
5. You can also add the full path of the product category instead of adding the category code.
6. Repeat this process for all of your products.
7. Making sure you select the most specific category possible to ensure the best visibility and relevance for your products on Google Shopping.

It’s important to note that if you have a large number of products, manually categorizing them can be time-consuming.

In this case, you may want to consider using a product feed management tool that can automate the categorization process for you.

Let’s learn how-

Category Mapping

Now, Google auto-categorizes your products if you leave the google_product_category attribute blank. But it’s better to assign categories of your choices rather than leave it to Google’s algorithm.

You can use a SaaS like Channable or an affordable WordPress plugin to easily implement the product categorization process.

Here, let’s learn how you can use the Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce plugin to categorize your products easily.

Step -1: Configure Category Mapping

When you create your Google Shopping Feed with the plugin, you’ll see the google_product_category attribute on the feed creation page.

As you can see, a default category mapper is already assigned; you just need to configure the category map. To do this, click on the “Configure Category Mapping” page, and it will take you to the configuration page.

Here, you will map your WooCommerce product categories according to Google Product Category.

Step -2: Map WooCommerce Product Categories

In the category mapping configuration page, you just need to type the category, and you will get suggestions for the most relative Google Category.

For example, if you type ‘Music,’ you’ll see the relevant category suggestions.

Now, you just need to choose the right path for your product category, and you’re done!

By using this category mapping system, you can reduce the risk of product disapproval in your Merchant Center.

Tips to Leverage Google Product Category for Increasing Sales

Use the most specific category possible

When categorizing your products, use the most specific category possible. This will ensure that your products appear in relevant search results and increase the chances of a sale. For example, if you sell women’s shoes, don’t just categorize them as “shoes.” Use a more specific category like “women’s athletic shoes” or “women’s high heels.”

Understand the Difference Between Product Type and Google Product Category

For proper Google shopping feed optimization, you need to have both the Product Type and Google Product Category attributes in your feed.

The Product Type attribute is utilized to organize bidding and reporting in your Google Ads Shopping campaigns, whereas the Google Product Category is used by Google to ensure that your ad is displayed alongside relevant search results. Understanding this difference is crucial for optimizing your campaigns on Google Shopping.

The main objective of Google Shopping is to showcase your ads to the right audience as frequently as possible. Both the Product Type and Google Product Category help achieve this goal.

Emphasize Localized Category

When it comes to categorizing products with Google Product Category, it’s essential to pay attention to localized categories. For instance, if you’re selling electronics in the United States and in Japan, you’ll find that the categories for electronic products are named differently in each country.

US: (5032) Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Computer Components > Computer Memory

Japan: (5032) Computer hardware and software > Computer parts > Memory

By utilizing the correct local category for your products, you can improve their visibility in local search results and increase the chances of attracting potential customers. Therefore, emphasizing local categories can help you maximize your sales and revenue potential in different regions.

Check If The Category Is Related To Any Google Shopping Policy

Properly categorizing your products with Google Product Category is essential for better visibility and sales. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring that your products comply with Google Shopping policies.

For example, if you are selling products related to alcohol, you must use the correct category (Food, Beverages & Tobacco > Beverages > Alcoholic Beverages) to meet the strict policy requirements.

Similarly, if you are selling subscriptions, gift cards, or mobile devices with a contract or installment plan, you must use the appropriate category to ensure your products comply with Google’s policies.

Therefore, it’s essential to check if your product category applies to any Google Shopping policy to avoid disapproval or account suspension.

Optimize your product titles and descriptions.

Optimizing your product titles and descriptions with relevant keywords can also improve the visibility of your products on Google Shopping. Make sure to include the category name in your title and description to make it easier for Google to understand the context of your product.

Keep your product data up-to-date.

Regularly updating your product data can also improve your visibility on Google Shopping. Make sure to update your product category data whenever there are product or inventory changes.

To Sum Up

Categorizing your products with Google Product Category is essential for any eCommerce store wanting to boost Google Shopping sales. By categorizing your products correctly, you are providing Google with important information about your products, which can lead to increased visibility, traffic, and sales.

Use the tips mentioned above to leverage Google Product Category and boost your sales on Google Shopping.