Google wants more engagement with product ads, as Merchant Promotions rolls out internationally

Two years after Google launched its Merchant Promotions product to US retailers, the internet giant has announced it’s rolling the program out internationally this week, kicking off with the UK, Germany, France, Australia and India.

With Merchant Promotions, online advertisers can basically offer special promotions alongside their Product Listing Ads in Google Search and through Google Shopping.

So, if you search for a photo-printing service or perfume, you could now see a ‘Special Offer’ link underneath Sponsored listings. Click, and you’ll see a message such as:

“Save £5 when you spend £50 or more on selected fragrance Expires in 42 days · Enter code at checkout”

Google has been building out its ad platform of late, and recently introduced ratings to Product Listing Ads in the US, which we said at the time represents the blurring of lines between paid and organic search.

With Merchant Promotions, Google is looking to increase engagement with adverts, as consumers are normally more inclined to glaze over the paid search results in favor of organic listings.

➤ Merchant Promotions