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4.0.2 Ads Redirect to Merchant Center
Value and Business Impact
For most Ads functionalities in the Foundational pillar, two integration options
exist:
Integration through the Google Ads API.Your merchants are able to create
and manage campaigns without leaving your website. This provides a more
integrated experience, but requires additional efforts to build and maintain
your Google Ads integration.
Redirect to Google Merchant Center.Your merchants are able to create
their Google Ads account from your website, but create and manage campaigns
through Google Merchant Center. This requires merchants to use two different
platforms, but significantly reduces the efforts required to build and maintain
your Google Ads integration.
Depending on the approach you choose, the steps in this guide may differ. When
some steps differ depending on whether you select the redirect approach or not,
this is specifically called out. Both approaches have shown comparable
performance.
No matter which option you choose, Shopping ads campaigns are visible across
platforms. For example, if merchants create a campaign through your website
(through the Google Ads API), they are also able to modify the campaign in
other platforms such as Google Merchant Center and Google Ads.
Comparison of approaches
You can find below a table summarizing the benefits and drawbacks of each
approach:
Integration through the Google Ads API
Redirect to Merchant Center
Effort to implement
High:requires integration through the Google Ads API for every functionality
Low:only minimum Google Ads API integration required (for example, account creation and conversion tracking setup)
Effort to maintain
Medium:changes to your integration may be required as Google releases new features
Low:new functionalities launched in Merchant Center is automatically made available to your merchants
Merchant experience
Merchants are able to create and manage campaigns without leaving your site (except for billing setup)
Merchants must use another platform to create and manage campaigns. However, they benefit from a simplified interface optimized by Google Ads based on extensive user research
Available functionalities
All features available through the Google API, including advanced functionalities (for example, advanced bidding strategies)
Only ads functionalities available in Merchant Center can be used. If merchants need more advanced functionalities, they can use Google Ads.
Functionalities available through the redirect
Even if you choose the redirect approach, some steps of the Ads onboarding
process still require you a Google Ads API integration. Additionally, some of
the optional functionalities covered in the Foundational pillar are not
available in the redirect; however, advertisers with more advanced needs can
then "graduate" to using the Google Ads interface without having to re-upload
their products or recreate any of the campaigns they set up in Merchant Center.
A table summarizing which functionalities are covered in the Ads redirect to
Merchant Center can be found below.
Section of the blueprint
Available through Ads redirect to Merchant Center (no Google Ads API integration required)
Not offered through the Ads redirect to Merchant Center (Manual step or Ads API integration required)
4.0 Get Started
- N/A
- Manager account setup - Access level request
4.1 Ads Account setup
- Terms of Service acceptance - Purchase conversion action setup
- Ads account creation / linking to existing account - Linking a Merchant Center account to a Google Ads account - Dynamic remarketing (optional) - Any advanced functionalities
4.2 Campaign creation
- All campaign creation steps for mandatory fields
- Geo-targeting (optional) - Any advanced functionalities
4.3 Billing setup
- Entire flow
- N/A
4.4 Campaign management
- Campaign list - Campaign editing menu - Changing campaign status (for example, pausing, removing)
- Combined reporting across Google and your other partners - Any advanced functionalities
UX Guidance
The blueprint only covers UX Guidance for the direct billing model. Below is a
visualization of the user journeys for the direct billing model in both the
Google Ads API integration and redirect options.
If you choose the option to redirect the merchant to Merchant Center, the
following aspects are important:
Signpost to the merchant that they are redirected to a Google surface and
highlight the tasks they need to perform there. An example of how this can look
is shown below:
After creating the campaign in Merchant Center, you should update the page the
user starts the redirect from in the background. If you anticipate that this may
take a long time and that the merchant may return to a view that has not yet
been updated, inform the merchant of this before redirecting them. When the
merchant returns to the updated page, make sure that the updates are announced
by any screen reader the merchant may use. An example of how this can be done is
shown below:
When redirecting the merchant, always open Merchant Center in a new tab and
leave the tab they came from open.
Tech Guidance
For technical guidance on how to implement the Ads Redirect to Merchant Center,
reach out to your Google POC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2024-09-03 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Ads redirect to Merchant Center approach simplifies Google Ads integration for platforms by allowing merchants to manage campaigns directly within Merchant Center, reducing development and maintenance effort.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThis approach offers basic functionalities like campaign creation, management, and reporting within Merchant Center, with more advanced features accessible through the Google Ads interface if needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhile the redirect approach minimizes integration effort, it requires clear user experience signposting to ensure a smooth transition for merchants between platforms.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003ePlatforms opting for the redirect model must still handle certain aspects like account creation and conversion tracking setup through the Google Ads API.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eDespite requiring a separate platform for campaign management, the redirect approach maintains comparable performance to direct Google Ads API integration.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["4.0.2 Ads Redirect to Merchant Center\n-------------------------------------\n\n### Value and Business Impact\n\n*** ** * ** ***\n\n| **Note:** this section is only relevant if you opted for the \"Direct billing\" model. The redirect approach is not compatible with consolidated billing.\n\nFor most Ads functionalities in the Foundational pillar, two integration options\nexist:\n\n1. **Integration through the Google Ads API.** Your merchants are able to create\n and manage campaigns without leaving your website. This provides a more\n integrated experience, but requires additional efforts to build and maintain\n your Google Ads integration.\n\n2. **Redirect to Google Merchant Center.** Your merchants are able to create\n their Google Ads account from your website, but create and manage campaigns\n through Google Merchant Center. This requires merchants to use two different\n platforms, but significantly reduces the efforts required to build and maintain\n your Google Ads integration.\n\nDepending on the approach you choose, the steps in this guide may differ. When\nsome steps differ depending on whether you select the redirect approach or not,\nthis is specifically called out. Both approaches have shown comparable\nperformance.\n\nNo matter which option you choose, Shopping ads campaigns are visible across\nplatforms. For example, if merchants create a campaign through your website\n(through the Google Ads API), they are also able to modify the campaign in\nother platforms such as Google Merchant Center and Google Ads.\n\n**Comparison of approaches**\n\nYou can find below a table summarizing the benefits and drawbacks of each\napproach:\n\n| | Integration through the Google Ads API | Redirect to Merchant Center |\n|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| **Effort to implement** | **High:** requires integration through the Google Ads API for every functionality | **Low:** only minimum Google Ads API integration required (for example, account creation and conversion tracking setup) |\n| **Effort to maintain** | **Medium:** changes to your integration may be required as Google releases new features | **Low:** new functionalities launched in Merchant Center is automatically made available to your merchants |\n| **Merchant experience** | Merchants are able to create and manage campaigns without leaving your site (except for billing setup) | Merchants must use another platform to create and manage campaigns. However, they benefit from a simplified interface optimized by Google Ads based on extensive user research |\n| **Available functionalities** | All features available through the Google API, including advanced functionalities (for example, advanced bidding strategies) | Only ads functionalities available in Merchant Center can be used. If merchants need more advanced functionalities, they can use Google Ads. |\n\n**Functionalities available through the redirect**\n\nEven if you choose the redirect approach, some steps of the Ads onboarding\nprocess still require you a Google Ads API integration. Additionally, some of\nthe optional functionalities covered in the Foundational pillar are not\navailable in the redirect; however, advertisers with more advanced needs can\nthen \"graduate\" to using the Google Ads interface without having to re-upload\ntheir products or recreate any of the campaigns they set up in Merchant Center.\n\nA table summarizing which functionalities are covered in the Ads redirect to\nMerchant Center can be found below.\n\n| Section of the blueprint | Available through Ads redirect to Merchant Center *(no Google Ads API integration required)* | Not offered through the Ads redirect to Merchant Center *(Manual step or Ads API integration required)* |\n|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| 4.0 Get Started | - N/A | - Manager account setup - Access level request |\n| 4.1 Ads Account setup | - Terms of Service acceptance - Purchase conversion action setup | - Ads account creation / linking to existing account - Linking a Merchant Center account to a Google Ads account - Dynamic remarketing (optional) - Any advanced functionalities |\n| 4.2 Campaign creation | - All campaign creation steps for mandatory fields | - Geo-targeting (optional) - Any advanced functionalities |\n| 4.3 Billing setup | - Entire flow | - N/A |\n| 4.4 Campaign management | - Campaign list - Campaign editing menu - Changing campaign status (for example, pausing, removing) | - Any advanced functionalities |\n| 4.5 Error handling | - Common campaign campaign or feed-related errors | - Any advanced error handling |\n| 5.1 Performance Max performance reporting | - Campaign-level reporting - Account-level reporting | - Combined reporting across Google and your other partners - Any advanced functionalities |\n\n### UX Guidance\n\n*** ** * ** ***\n\nThe blueprint only covers UX Guidance for the direct billing model. Below is a\nvisualization of the user journeys for the direct billing model in both the\nGoogle Ads API integration and redirect options.\n\nIf you choose the option to redirect the merchant to Merchant Center, the\nfollowing aspects are important:\n\n- Signpost to the merchant that they are redirected to a Google surface and\n highlight the tasks they need to perform there. An example of how this can look\n is shown below:\n\n- After creating the campaign in Merchant Center, you should update the page the\n user starts the redirect from in the background. If you anticipate that this may\n take a long time and that the merchant may return to a view that has not yet\n been updated, inform the merchant of this before redirecting them. When the\n merchant returns to the updated page, make sure that the updates are announced\n by any screen reader the merchant may use. An example of how this can be done is\n shown below:\n\n- When redirecting the merchant, always open Merchant Center in a new tab and\n leave the tab they came from open.\n\n### Tech Guidance\n\n*** ** * ** ***\n\nFor technical guidance on how to implement the Ads Redirect to Merchant Center,\nreach out to your Google POC."]]
