Before the initial launch
Are your products already online on Google Display Ads or Google Shopping? Or is it the first time you are sending your catalogue to Google?
Depending on your situation, the actions you need to carry out may vary. Please refer to the case that matches your situation to find out how to launch your products through the API feed:
- Case #1: It is the first time your catalogue is sent to Google: go directly to the next paragraph.
- Case #2: Your catalogue is currently sent to Google via a CSV feed (URL) with Lengow.
- Case #3: Your catalogue is currently sent to Google via another method (e.g., a file directly uploaded in your Google Merchant Center).
Important Warning
For cases #2 and #3, make sure that once a product is sent through the API, it will no longer be sent via CSV (or another source). This could complicate the switch to the API.
Follow our advice below before moving on to the next step.
You are about to activate this catalogue on Google API - Services in Lengow for the first time, and this catalogue was already online in Google Shopping, managed with a CSV feed in Lengow:
-
Test your Google API - Services feed on a few products only
- Create an exclusion to narrow your test to a portion of your products.
- Make sure to exclude the same products from the Google Shopping URL feed which currently displays your products.
- Sign in to Google and select your Merchant ID in the "Settings" in Lengow.
#At this stage, most of your products are sent to Google with your previous feed in Lengow (via URL), and a small part of your catalogue is sent with the new feed (via API).
-
In your Google Merchant Center, make sure products you sent through the API are correctly set up.
In case they aren’t, modify parameters in the API feed until products are displayed and match both your expectations and Google’s requirements. -
Display 100% of the products you want to launch through the API
- Modify the exclusion you set up for your API feed test in order to display the products you want through the API.
- Immediately exclude the same products from the channel which is sending products to Google via URL (CSV feed).
#At this stage, you are sending 100% of the products to display via the API, and none of them through URL (CSV feed).
How to pause your whole URL feed in your Google Merchant Center?
Go to your Google Merchant Center and pause the CSV feed: Google Merchant Center > "Products" > "Feeds" > choose your feed > "Settings" > "Fetch schedule" > "Pause schedule”.
You are about to activate this catalogue on Google API in Lengow for the first time, and this catalogue is already online in Google Shopping, managed outside of Lengow:
-
Test your Google API feed on a few products only
- Create an exclusion to narrow your test to a portion of your products.
- Make sure to exclude the same products from the other source which currently displays your products.
- Sign in to Google and select your Merchant ID in the "Settings" in Lengow.
#At this stage, most of your products are sent to Google with your previous sending method, and a small part of your catalogue is sent with the new feed (via API).
-
In your Google Merchant Center, make sure products you sent through the API are correctly set up
In case they aren’t, modify parameters in the API feed until products are displayed and match both your expectations and Google’s requirements. -
Display 100% of the products you want to launch through the API
- Modify the exclusion you set up for your API feed test in order to display the products you want through the API.
- Immediately exclude the same products from the other sources which are sending products to Google.
#At this stage, you are sending 100% of the products to display via the API, and none of them through URL (CSV feed).
Once the set up is done for your API catalogue and products are online:
Your data is sent automatically between Lengow and Google via API.
Do not enter any URL in your Merchant Center. A URL is made available on the "Settings" tab for the API channel only for you to have a look at the data sent to Google. If you use this URL in your Google Merchant Center, errors will occur.
Update frequency
Two different feeds are sent to Google through the API:
-
Product feed: enables the integration and creation of products. It contains all the fields expected by Google. It is sent to Google once a day.
If your products are free from errors, they will be created in Google and will appear online within 2 days after the offer feed has been sent. -
Offer feed: enables updates for prices, stocks, etc. It includes only the product ID field and data which change frequently. When Google receives the offer feed, the update is almost instantaneous.
It is automatically sent to Google hourly.
For more information regarding your API configuration, please read our guide: Google API Services - Connection settings.
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