Shopify AMA Recap: Insights from Emmanuel, Specialist in Google Shopping, Google Merchant Center & Google Ads.
Google ads account suspension. Misrepresentation
To resolve a Google Ads account suspension for “misrepresentation,” the first step is to ensure you have at least one product correctly listed in Google Merchant Center and that your website, feed, business model, and Merchant Center settings all comply with Google’s guidelines. Review Google’s official policies (on misrepresentation, product data, etc.) and fix any issues with your site or data feed before requesting a review. This thorough compliance check is key to getting your account reinstated.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/google-ads-account-suspension-misrepresentation/td-p/30…
Shopping ads images
If your Shopping ads (product images) aren’t showing up, start by checking Google Merchant Center’s Diagnostics for any product issues or account-level warnings. Fix any flagged errors or “needs attention” issues there first. Next, in Google Ads, consider running a Standard Shopping campaign with a sufficient daily budget and high enough manual bids to gain traction – then monitor results for a few days. Also double-check that your product feed’s data quality meets all requirements (high-quality images, accurate data, etc.) as poor feed quality can prevent products from displaying.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/shopping-ads-images/td-p/3048947
What’s the minimum daily budget for a Google Ads campaign to generate visible results?
There’s no hard rule, but a recommended starting point is around $30–$50 USD per day for Google Ads. This level of spend typically provides enough data over time to gauge performance. Importantly, plan to run your campaigns for at least 1.5 to 2 months (if not longer) before judging results – this gives Google’s algorithms time to optimize and lets you make informed adjustments. Always align the budget with what you can afford, and evaluate your return on investment after a few months to see if the spend is sustainable for your goals.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/what-s-the-minimum-daily-budget-for-a-google-ads-campai…
Improving shopping ad performance
The key to better Shopping ad performance is optimizing your product feed. Make sure your product titles and descriptions are clear and rich with relevant keywords (based on actual search terms that convert for you), but avoid keyword stuffing – keep them readable and concise. Fill out all supported attributes (pricing, brand, GTIN, etc.) and follow Google’s product data guidelines meticulously, because a more complete and accurate feed gives Google more data to match your ads to the right searches. In short, a high-quality data feed lays the foundation for successful, higher-performing Shopping campaigns.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/improving-shopping-ad-performance/td-p/3049097
Low-Hanging Fruit Marketing Strategy
For quick wins in Google Shopping, first ensure you’ve added all required and recommended attributes to your product feed – a fully optimized feed will immediately improve your ad relevance. Once your feed is in good shape, consider launching an advanced Standard Shopping campaign that segments search terms by intent. This “low-hanging fruit” approach lets you bid more aggressively on high-intent queries (the users most likely to buy) while bidding lower on generic terms. It’s a fast way to capture easy sales from the most relevant searches, and a linked tutorial video was provided explaining how to set up this kind of tiered campaign structure.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/low-hanging-fruit-marketing-strategy/td-p/3049101
Best Google Ads strategy for handmade business?
For a small handmade business (or any merchant with a limited budget), a conservative strategy is to start with a Standard Shopping campaign instead of jumping into Performance Max. Standard Shopping gives you more control, allowing you to filter out irrelevant search queries and prevent your budget from being spent on low-intent clicks. You can even adopt an advanced layered structure for Standard Shopping (as detailed in a shared guide) to bid differently based on query intent. Once you see consistent results and if volume grows (e.g. ~30 conversions a month), you might experiment with Performance Max, but initially keeping tight control will stretch a small budget further.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/best-google-ads-strategy-for-handmade-business/td-p/304…
Errors when uploading products to Google Shopping
When you run into errors submitting products to Merchant Center, the first step is to check the Diagnostics section in your Merchant Center account. The diagnostics will tell you exactly what issues (missing attributes, policy violations, etc.) are preventing products from being approved. Tackle each error one by one by searching for how to resolve that specific issue (the AMA host noted that many how-to guides exist for common errors). Ensuring your feed meets all of Google’s requirements (use Google’s feed specification document as a checklist) will help clear most errors. In short, identify the errors in Merchant Center, follow Google’s guidelines to fix your data, and then re-submit the feed.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/errors-when-uploading-products-to-google-shopping/td-p/…
Google Ads Keywords
Many free or freemium tools can help with keyword research for Google Ads. In the AMA, the expert recommended checking out Keyword Surfer (a browser extension showing search volumes and CPC in Google results), AnswerThePublic (for common questions people ask), AlsoAsked (to visualize “People also ask” queries), Ubersuggest and KeywordTool.io (for keyword ideas and volumes), Google Trends (to compare relative interest over time), and even limited versions of paid platforms like Ahrefs or Moz’s Keyword Explorer. While seasoned marketers might invest in premium tools or custom solutions, these free tools are a great starting point for merchants to gather keyword ideas and gauge their popularity.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/google-ads-keywords/td-p/3049555
Digital Products On Google Shopping
Google Shopping (via Merchant Center) generally does not allow digital products, and attempting to list them often leads to rejections or even account suspensions. The AMA answer warns that even if a digital item slips through initially, it’s at high risk of later being disapproved. Worse, a suspension in Merchant Center for policy violations (like digital goods) can cascade into your Google Ads account being suspended, which is extremely difficult to recover from. In short, the risk of trying to advertise digital products on Shopping far outweighs the reward. If you sell digital goods (like e-books, digital art, services, etc.), stick to Google text ads or other platforms rather than Shopping ads.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/digital-products-on-google-shopping/td-p/3049391
Improve conversions
If you’re looking to boost your store’s conversion rate, the AMA provided several practical tips. On your website, consider adding a floating “Add to Cart” button that remains visible as shoppers scroll (making it easier to buy), and use a wishlist feature/app so customers can save items (since the default cart may expire items after a couple of weeks). Enhance product pages with visual cues: include bullet points for key features (with icons or emojis for clarity) and add product videos to engage shoppers. For ad performance, use high-quality product images with clean white backgrounds, and supply multiple images including lifestyle shots to showcase the item. You can even attach YouTube video links or 360° images in your product feed to enrich the ad experience. Finally, always make sure your product feed itself is fully optimized (all relevant fields filled, no errors) – a smooth on-site experience combined with a robust feed will greatly improve your conversion rates.
Shopify Community thread: https://community.shopify.com/c/feedarmy-ama/improve-conversions/td-p/3049666