Google Merchant Center = Free Traffic to Your Website

Feb 3
6 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyiQTTxyxCo

If you sell on Etsy and have a website (especially Shopify), Google Merchant Center is the single easiest thing you can set up to open the door to free, high-intent traffic. It’s not magic, but it’s close: once you upload your product catalog, Google can show your product images at the top of search results when people are actively shopping. That means shoppers who are ready to buy might see your product first—without you paying a cent to start.

What is Google Merchant Center (and why it matters)

Google Merchant Center is where your product catalog lives for Google. Think of it as the inventory bridge between your website (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.) and Google’s search results and shopping surfaces. When your products are in Merchant Center, two things can happen:

Organic listings:
Your products can appear in the shopping carousel at the top of Google when someone searches with purchase intent.
Paid shopping ads:
You can promote those products using Google Ads (shopping campaigns) to get more visibility.

The powerful part: Merchant Center itself is free to use. Upload once and you’ve created a catalog Google can use to show your products to shoppers.

Why Etsy sellers should care

Etsy gives you traffic—but it also places you in a sea of competitors and keeps you inside its ecosystem. Moving some effort to your own website via Shopify can diversify your traffic sources. Google is a bigger audience than Etsy. If you already have great product photos and strong listings, you’re in a great position to compete visually in Google’s shopping results.

The key advantage: Google Shopping results target buyers who are ready to buy. When someone types “hand-poured candle 8 oz soy” they are much closer to purchase than when they type “how to make candles.” That intent is gold.

Step-by-step: Quick setup checklist

Here’s a simple way to get started. It should take under 30 minutes to get the basics set up.

Have a website ready (Shopify recommended)
. Merchant Center works with many platforms, but Shopify has a smooth integration that makes life easy.
Create a Google Merchant Center account
. Search for Google Merchant Center, follow the five-step wizard, and verify your business details. It walks you through the process.
Add required pages on your site
. Google will check your store for a refund policy, privacy policy, and visible contact info (two of three: phone, email, or address). Put these in the footer so a human can find them without filling out a form.
Install the Google & YouTube app on Shopify
. That pushes your product catalog into Merchant Center. Follow the prompts to connect things.
Verify and claim your website
in Merchant Center so Google knows the site is yours.
Optional: Add product details
. Titles, descriptions, shipping windows, prices, and images—make them clear and accurate.

Organic vs paid shopping ads: What to expect

Once your products are in Merchant Center, Google can show them organically in shopping results. That’s free visibility to shoppers who are searching with intent. No more pinning or dancing on social—set it and mostly forget it.

If you choose to run paid Shopping Ads, you’ll use Google Ads to promote the Merchant feed. Important things to know:

You don’t bid on keywords for standard shopping campaigns. Google uses your title and description to match searches to your product.
There’s a separate campaign type called Performance Max that can be confusing—if you want classic shopping ads, choose Shopping campaigns and avoid accidental Performance Max selections.
Start with a conservative bid. A practical starting point is about
$0.75 CPC
. It balances exposure with budget control.

How the auction works (in plain language)

Bidding on Shopping Ads is an auction. If you bid $0.75 and a competitor bids $0.76, they’ll usually get priority. But you don’t necessarily pay your full max bid; you pay just enough to beat the next highest bidder. So an aggressive $5 bid won’t cost $5 unless someone else bid $4.99.

Important optimization tips

Google wants the same thing you want: a smooth buying experience for customers. Make it easy for Google to show your products.

Clear product titles:
Keep titles honest and straightforward. Avoid keyword padding that confuses the algorithm or shoppers.
Accurate shipping information:
Be explicit about shipping windows (even a ballpark). Google favors transparent listings.
High-quality photos:
If your Etsy shop wins on visuals, reuse those strong images on your website.
Simple descriptions:
Describe what the product is and any unique features. Less confusion = more visibility.
Use AI wisely:
Etsy’s AI title suggestions may be awkward on Etsy but can be helpful on Google. Test and iterate.

Search terms, negative keywords, and control

Google will show you the search terms your products were found for. That gives you the power to exclude terms that are irrelevant or unprofitable.

Negative keywords are your best friend. For most exclusions, use phrase match negative keywords so you don’t accidentally block useful traffic. Common exclusions to consider:

Big retail marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, Temu—people searching those often want that retailer specifically.
Terms like “free,” “cheap,” or “bulk” if you don’t offer those options.
Irrelevant product types or confusing phrases you notice in your search terms report.

What data you'll see (and how to use it)

Merchant Center and Google Ads provide the same kind of transparency you’re used to with Etsy ads:

Impressions
—how often your products are shown.
Clicks and CTR
—are people engaging with your listing?
Conversion metrics
—are clicks turning into sales?
Search terms
—what phrases are people typing when they find your products?
Cost per click and cost per conversion
—use these to judge profitability.

Use this data to refine titles, images, shipping copy, and negative keywords. Over time, the account learns which searches convert and serves your products more efficiently.

Quick wins checklist

Create Merchant Center account and verify your website.
Add visible contact info, refund policy, and privacy policy to your footer.
Install the Google & YouTube Shopify app to push your catalog.
Start with organic exposure; monitor search terms for quick adjustments.
If running ads, begin with a modest CPC (~$0.75) and add negative keywords early.

Set it up. Forget about it. Then check back and see who found you.

Final thoughts

If you have a website and sell visually compelling products, Google Merchant Center is too easy to ignore. It’s free to start, quick to set up, and it plugs you into a funnel of shoppers who already have purchase intent. You’ll get transparency, control, and a new channel that complements Etsy rather than replaces it.

The biggest mistake is not trying. Upload your catalog, make sure your policies and contact info are visible, and watch the data. Even if you never run a single paid ad, Merchant Center can deliver organic shopping clicks from people who were ready to buy.

Ready to expand your reach? Start with Merchant Center today and let your products show up where buyers are already shopping.

Extra tips & troubleshooting

Here are a few quick follow-ups you can append to the post or add at the end of your site guide to help readers who hit snags:

Verification hiccups:
If Merchant Center can’t verify your domain, double-check you've added the correct meta tag or DNS record and that it’s in the live HTML (not blocked by a plugin or password protection).
Feed diagnostics:
Use Merchant Center’s Diagnostics page to catch disapproved items—common issues are missing GTINs, disallowed content, or price mismatches between the feed and your site.
Image requirements:
Use high-resolution photos, avoid promotional overlays, and ensure the main image clearly shows the product against a simple background.
Shipping & tax setup:
Configure shipping windows and cost in Merchant Center (or sync them from Shopify) so prices match at checkout—mismatches often lead to disapprovals.
Shopify app tips:
After installing the Google & YouTube app, run a small audit: verify product availability, variants, and that titles/descriptions map correctly to your feed.
Monitoring & iteration:
Check search terms and performance regularly. Add phrase-match negative keywords for irrelevant searchers and refine titles/images that get impressions but few clicks.

If you want, provide a list of external resources or URLs and I’ll suggest exact one-to-three word anchor placements to insert into the article.

Work with me!

I offer one on one coaching