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When it comes to selling products online, there is a wealth of options to help market and showcase to the right audiences. It can be a bit of a minefield to know what ad format is worth trying and which to give a wide berth. 

In this article, we are going to take a deeper look at Shopping Ads and see if we can determine if they will be a good option for used car sales. 

So let’s start by understanding exactly what shopping ads are:

Google Shopping Ads, also known as Product Listing Ads (PLAs), are a type of paid advertising that allows businesses to promote their products directly on Google search results pages. These ads consist of an image, price, and other details about the product, such as its title, brand, and reviews.

When a user conducts a search on Google that is related to a product that a business has advertised, the business’s Shopping Ad will appear in the search results, usually with a label “Sponsored” or “Ad” next to the title. This can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to the advertiser’s website.

What are the advantages?

Increased visibility: Shopping ads appear at the top of search results, giving used cars increased visibility and a better chance of being seen by potential customers.

Targeted advertising: Shopping ads allow you to target specific demographics, such as age, gender, and location, which can help increase the effectiveness of your advertising for used cars.

Measurable results: Google Shopping ads provide detailed analytics and reporting, so you can track the performance of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

Cost-effective: Shopping ads are cost-effective, as they only charge when a customer clicks on an ad. This means that you only pay for the advertising when it is actually generating leads or sales.

What are the disadvantages:

Limited targeting options: While Shopping ads allow you to target specific demographics, the targeting options may not be as extensive as those offered by other types of online advertising, making it difficult to find the right audience for used car sales.

Quality of traffic: Shopping ads may generate a high traffic volume, but it may not always be the right traffic for used car sales. Some visitors may be just browsing and not ready to make a purchase.

High competition: The used car market is highly competitive, especially for popular models or makes. This can make it difficult for small businesses to compete against larger companies with more resources.

Limited ad format: Shopping ads have a limited ad format, which can make it difficult to stand out from competitors and grab the attention of potential customers for used cars.

So, does it work for cars?

So what we are saying here is that we think it does, but it is important for businesses to carefully consider their specific circumstances and goals before deciding whether or not to use them.

Here are a few of our recommendations to take on board before starting your Google Shopping journey:

• Optimize your product feed: Your product feed should be accurate, complete, and up-to-date. This will help ensure that your ads are relevant and that they perform well.
• Use high-quality images: Use high-quality images of your products to help them stand out and grab the attention of potential customers.
• Use specific and relevant keywords: Use specific and relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions to help ensure that your ads are shown to the right audience

If you would like to chat with our team of Digital Marketing experts about Google Shopping or anything else, book a call here.