Google Shopping to replace Google Product Search

It’s no secret that Google is looking at ways it can generate more revenue through its search results.  It therefore came as no surprise to me that Google will be rolling out changes to Google Shopping (formerly known as Product Search).
The changes will be rolled out first to the US, but mean Google will be charging sites for participation.
Essentially what’s going to happen is that Google will expect merchants to be buy Adwords – that’s the name for its pay per click programme. So if you want your products to appear in Google’s shopping channel it’s going to cost you.
Right now it’s difficult to say how much this will add to your costs, but what I can say it will be determined by a range of factors. What is different is that among the options you will have are cost per click, cost per call and cost per acquisition and cost per impression (if you opt to be on the content network). Bids are likely to start at around £1. But once you factor in how competitive a keyword is, the number of terms you want to include and the number of products costs will mount.
Strategically, it’s worth thinking about whether you can live without Google Shopping. It’s too early to tell what impact this will have on ecommerce sites but you should be prepared. Since summer 2011 I have been telling anyone who would listen that you must, must keep your marketing campaign broad. Don’t regard Google as a faithful friend. It isn’t. Google isn’t just a third party site. It’s a search provider with a lot of clout. It’s this which makes many sites over-dependent on it.  No business, no matter how big or small should ever base their marketing around 1 single third party. It’s the equivalent of marketing suicide.

Google Shopping Changes – Yet More Misery for Site Owners?

There’s no point in complaining about changes  Google makes. It has every right to do so. And more change is likely to come.  The changes to its Shopping search will start being rolled out in the US towards the end of the year.
Now I appreciate that being overly dependent on Google for traffic isn’t something you set out to do.  But look at your referrer logs to see where your traffic is coming from.
Developments at Google are the perfect opportunity to review your marketing plan.  If you’d like help reviewing your plan then please get in touch.
I know that some folks are squeezed for cash flow right now. If your cash flow doesn’t stretch to more than one internet marketing stream then you shouldn’t just give up. Get some internet marketing training and do it yourself.  I can help. Give me a call to discuss your options.