GoogleBase Questions

[bgas_tech]

I am currently working on increasing the productivity of our products on Google Merchants search.

I am using a tool called Competitor Analysis from TomtheDeveloper:
http://dev.tomthedeveloper.com/googlebase/ca/

Using this I am getting the following results (my product being the lower one):


Question 1: I understand how to edit the product type field on the backside of Shopsite. I have read conflicting information on what to include.
Will you get better results using the Google recommended category tree (ie: Hardware > Tools > Welding Tools) or using a custom category (ie: TIG Welder)?

Question 2: How do I get the Model number and/or MPN to appear in the Google Search? I am currently utilizing the "Indicate any Attributes That Are To Be Included" and checking the Model Number category among other attributes. Yet none of them are appearing in the Google Search according to the TomtheDeveloper site.

My theory is that shopsite directly incorporates the "Merchant Center Fields" into the Google search, but does not add the "Attribute" section. As a result of this it hurts the Google search because the MPN and Model number both help increase the hit rate.

What can be done to fix this?

Thanks!

[Jim]

Have you tried enabling some of the custom product fields (1) to have the name of the attributes you want to submit and then put the data in the appropriate field (2) and make sure that you have that field in the google feed (3) and then submit the feed (4)?

(1) Preferences > Extra Fields
(2) Products > Edit Product Info > Extra Fields
(3) Merchandising > Google Services > Product Search > Configure > Attributes:
(4) Merchandising > Google Services > Product Search > Send Feed

[bgas_tech]

Thanks for your response. I must have incorrectly worded my question. We have the extra fields added, filled in with data, and checked.

This image is from our "Google Product Search/Merchant Center Configuration". As you can see we have everything checked that should be, but the MPN (product field 2) is still not being recognized by google

[Jim]

The data from the specified fields will be sent in this format
<g:attributeName><![CDATA[123abcd]]></g:attributeName>

so for your product field2 it would look like

<g:Manufacturer's Part Number><![CDATA[123abcd]]></g:Manufacturer's Part Number>

I don't know what Google requires but I would guess that it is a single word attribute not a long string like that. If it is to show up as MPN it should probably be

<g:MPN><![CDATA[123abcd]]></g:MPN>

So instead of naming the product field 2 Manufacturer's Part Number you should probably name it MPN

You can see the exact feed that is being sent by going to the Merchandising > Google Services > Product Search and then click on the link of the date in the Feed Last Submitted: area. At the top of the screen there will be a link Click here to view the original datafeed which will display the xml sent to google.

[bgas_tech]

Great advice Jim. Its now showing up as a searchable field by Google..

Thanks for the help!