Understanding Product_type Attribute Importance

The product_type attribute lets merchants share their own product categories with Google, improving how Google matches products to relevant search queries. This attribute is optional but valuable because it complements Google’s own product category system and can increase click-through rates and conversions by providing more specific product details. Using product_type helps Google understand your inventory better, ultimately driving more qualified traffic to your store.

Using Product_type To Organize Campaigns Effectively

Adding product_type values enables merchants to organize campaigns, ad groups, and product groups based on their own category structure. For example, if you sell power saws and hand saws, tagging them distinctly with product_type helps generate sales reports by product type. This data allows you to compare performance metrics like click-through rate and conversion rate, guiding you to focus your marketing budget on the best-performing segments and pause underperforming ones.

Adjusting Bids With Product_type For Better ROI

Manual bidding campaigns benefit from product_type by allowing bid adjustments at the product group level. If “power tools” outperform “hand tools, ” you can increase bids for power tools to boost their exposure. This targeted bidding improves campaign efficiency and return on investment. Note that bid adjustments by product_type do not apply in automatic bidding campaigns, but you can still pause product groups for budget optimization even in those cases.

Differentiating product_type From Google_product_category

Google_product_category is a standardized, broad categorization required for all feeds but automatically assigned if missing, while product_type is optional and defined by the merchant. Product_type is more flexible and allows multiple levels of specificity using a “>” separator, such as “Hardware > Power & Electrical Supplies > Solar Panels > Solar Panels for RVs.” This granular detail can better match niche product searches, improving ad relevance beyond the generic Google category.

Creating Multi

Creating Multi-level Product_type Values For Precision. To maximize the effectiveness of product_type, use multiple levels separated by a space, greater-than sign, and space (“ > ”).

This hierarchy helps Google understand product specifics and improves campaign structure. For example, “Home > Women > Dresses > Evening Dresses > Velvet > Off the Shoulder Dress” narrows down the product precisely. Avoid commas in product_type values, as they split the attribute into multiple entries, which can confuse Google.

Adding product_type To Your Product Feed Efficiently

The method of including product_type depends on your ecommerce platform and inventory size. Many platforms automatically pull breadcrumb navigation paths into product_type values, which is recommended. You can combine automatic feed rules with manual adjustments to refine product_type values. Entering product_type data on product pages ensures the feed pulls accurate, niche-specific categories that help Google learn more about your products and improve search matching.

Avoiding Common product_type Mistakes For Better Results

Since product_type formatting rules are flexible, issues are rare. However, using keyword-rich, descriptive values improves both Google’s understanding and customer search relevance. Avoid using generic or unrelated terms. Also, remember that only the first product_type value counts for bidding and reporting, so prioritize your most important product category in the first entry.

Leveraging product_type To Drive Growth And Visibility

The more detailed your product_type attribute, the better Google matches your products to user queries, increasing relevant traffic, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Unlike Google_product_category, product_type lets you stand out with specific categories tailored to your niche. This attribute is especially useful in markets where bid adjustments by Google_product_category are unavailable. Use multilevel product_type categories to add valuable context and help both customers and search engines understand your products better.