As we head towards the holiday season, all the big players are rolling out new tools to improve product discovery and direct buying options - and maximize ad spend.
Google is no exception - this week, Google has announced two new updates aimed at providing more options for advertisers to help reach the right consumers with the right messaging.
The first is an expansion of its 'Shopping Actions' program, which enables users to:
"...move seamlessly from browsing to buying with a universal cart that works across Search, the Google Assistant, and Google Express whether they’re on mobile, desktop or even a Google Home device."
That last element is key here - through Shopping Actions, brands can help ensure that their products appear in Google voice search queries, via Google Assistant on mobile or Google Home.
With more people turning to voice queries, this could become a critical consideration, streamlining the purchase process.
This new expansion will see Google work with Nike, Best Buy and Sephora - "enabling shoppers to search and shop effortlessly for tens of thousands of products ahead of this holiday season."
"Shoppers can use their voice to ask the Google Assistant to check store hours, order status, or even place an order."
It's an interesting consideration, and integration for businesses, though it's not available to all as yet. Google says its program is expanding via partnerships with eCommerce solution partners including ChannelAdvisor, CommerceHub, Feedonomics, and Zentail. If you're interested in signing up to the Shopping Actions program, you can register your information here.
In addition to this, Google has also launched an updated version of its Shopping Insights product information tool.
Shopping Insights displays listings of product and brand popularity, based on search query volume over time, including insights on key trends and comparative data points to better inform your process.
"The new version includes data for more than 55,000 products and 45,000 brands - significantly increasing coverage over the previous version - as well as nearly 5,000 categories. It’s a free tool, available to everyone, that can help you follow trends in your categories."
Through these data reports, you can get a better idea of how to angle your marketing efforts, and which products are gaining traction in your sector.
It's interesting to consider the implications of both updates - one, from the perspective of rising voice search trends, and the other in terms of general product and industry awareness. Definitely, there's a lot to be gleaned from the Shopping Insights report - it's worth clicking over and checking out the data for your industry to get an idea of what's gaining momentum.