Google Shopping Ads Format Testing Guide

Want to boost your e-commerce game? Google Shopping Ads are your secret weapon. Here's how to test and optimize them:

Standard Shopping Ads: Best for specific products
Showcase Shopping Ads: Great for broader searches
Local Inventory Ads: Perfect for brick-and-mortar stores
Smart Shopping Campaigns: AI-powered, hands-off approach

Key steps for effective testing:

Set clear goals (e.g., "Boost conversion rate by 15% in 30 days")
Choose metrics that matter (CTR, conversion rate, ROAS, CPA)
Run tests for at least 2-4 weeks
Use A/B testing and Google Ads Experiments
Focus on titles, images, and pricing display
Analyze results and make gradual changes

Remember: Testing is ongoing. Keep tweaking to stay ahead.

Quick Comparison:

Ad Type	Best For	Key Feature	Typical Performance
Standard	Specific products	High control	30% higher CTR vs text ads
Showcase	Product categories	Free first click	1.52% CTR (Made.com example)
Local Inventory	Physical stores	Drives foot traffic	108% increase in store visits (SportCheck)
Smart Shopping	Hands-off approach	AI-powered	188% new customer revenue boost (IT Cosmetics)

Don't forget: Mobile matters. 58% of multi-device purchases end on smartphones.

Types of Google Shopping Ad Formats

Google Shopping Ads come in different flavors. Let's dive in:

Standard Shopping Ads

These are your go-to ads for specific products. They show:

Product image
Title
Price
Store name

Great for pushing individual items, but they shine when shoppers know what they want.

Showcase Shopping Ads

Your digital storefront for broader searches like "summer dresses" or "camping gear". They:

Group related products
Let you add brand info
Offer a free first click

Made.com tried these and saw a 1.52% click-through rate (up from 1.18% for standard ads) and a 15% lower bounce rate.

Local Inventory Ads

Perfect for physical stores. They:

Show real-time inventory
Drive foot traffic
Work well for "near me" searches

SportCheck saw a 108% jump in store visits after using these ads.

Smart Shopping Campaigns

For the "set it and forget it" crowd. Google's AI:

Automates bidding and placement
Shows ads across Google platforms
Optimizes for your goals

Less control, but potentially wider reach.

Quick comparison:

Ad Type	Best For	Key Feature
Standard Shopping	Specific products	High control
Showcase Shopping	Product categories	Free first click
Local Inventory	Brick-and-mortar stores	Drives foot traffic
Smart Shopping	Hands-off approach	AI-powered

Getting Ready for Format Testing

Before you start testing Google Shopping ad formats, you need to prep. Here's how:

Setting Test Goals

Pick specific, measurable goals. Don't just aim to "increase sales." Instead, try something like:

"Boost conversion rate by 15% in 30 days."

Choosing Performance Metrics

Pick metrics that match your goals:

Metric	Measures	Best For
CTR	Ad engagement	Awareness
Conversion rate	Sales/leads	Performance
ROAS	Profitability	E-commerce
CPA	Efficiency	Lead gen

Don't just focus on CTR. It's easy to track, but doesn't always mean more business.

Planning Test Duration

Give your tests enough time:

2+ weeks for initial results
30 days for solid data

Longer sales cycles? You might need more time.

"A/B testing is vital for Google Ad management and optimization." - Grow My Ads

For fair tests:

Run them at the same time
Use equal budgets
Try Google Experiments for unbiased testing

How to Test Ad Formats

Want to boost your Google Shopping Ads? Test your ad formats. Here's how:

A/B Testing

A/B testing compares two ad versions. Here's the process:

Choose one element to test (like product titles)
Split your products into two groups
Run the test for 2-4 weeks

For instance, test if brand names work better at the start or end of titles.

"A/B testing is crucial for Google Ad management and optimization." - Grow My Ads

Testing Multiple Variables

While A/B tests focus on one change, you can test several things at once:

Test Type	What to Test	How to Do It
Product Info	Titles, images, extensions	Use feed management tool or Google Merchant Center
Campaign Settings	Audiences, regions	Use Customer Match or geo splits

Google Ads Experiments

Google Ads Experiments lets you test changes safely:

Works for Performance Max, Video, and Custom experiments
Tests on a subset of traffic
Needs at least 2 weeks for solid data

To use it:

Pick your test subject (e.g., bidding strategy)
Set up experiment and control groups
Run the test
Check results in Google Ads

Testing Standard Shopping Ads

Want to boost your Standard Shopping Ads? Here's how to test key elements:

Titles and Descriptions

Titles are HUGE for ad performance. They help Google match your ads and grab shoppers' attention.

To test titles:

Use Custom Labels to track title variants
Edit titles for specific Product Types or Brands
Compare Test and Control groups

A pet bed seller tried adding "durable" and "longer-lasting" to their titles. Result? Immediate traffic boost. Customers saw the value in spending more.

"No evident drop in traffic? That's totally okay. We need to be comfortable with accepting there might not be clear evidence of success or failure." - Victoria Flores, Demand Generation Manager at Adlucent

Images

Images can make or break your Shopping Ads. Here's what to do:

Use high-res images (800x800 pixels or up to 1200x1200)
Make sure the product fills 75% to 90% of the image
Test different angles

FYI: Google has minimum size requirements. Non-apparel: 100x100 pixels. Apparel: 250x250 pixels.

Price and Promotion Display

How you show prices and promos can be a game-changer. Check out these options:

Display Method	Pros	Cons
Regular price only	Clean look	Misses promo chances
Price with strikethrough	Clear savings	Can look messy
"Sale" badge	Attracts deal hunters	Might not show exact savings
Price + "X% off"	Shows price and discount	Takes more space

Test these to see what clicks with your audience and products.

Testing Showcase Shopping Ads

Showcase Shopping Ads let you show off your products for broad searches. Here's how to make them work better:

Group Your Products Smart

Put your products together in ways that make sense:

By product types or themes
Make special groups for searches that convert well
Try to have at least 50 ads pointing to different pages

A furniture store found that grouping by room (like living room or bedroom) got 15% more clicks than mixing things up.

Make Your Header Images Pop

Your header image is key. To make it better:

Use clear, high-quality images (1080 x 566 pixels)
Add seasonal touches
Try both lifestyle and product-focused images

Image Type	Good Things	Not-So-Good Things
Lifestyle	Appeals to more people	Might not show products clearly
Product-focused	Shows what you're selling	Might not connect emotionally
Seasonal	Feels current	Needs updating often

One store saw 20% more engagement when they switched from product pics to lifestyle images for their summer stuff.

Play With Product Layouts

Try different ways of showing your products:

Test showing 3-5 products
Change the order of products
Add deals in your headlines

A clothing brand found that putting best-sellers first got 7% more clicks.

"Don't just change bids to improve showcase campaigns. They need more attention than regular PLAs to grow." - Tinuiti Team

Keep in mind: About 60% of searches happen on mobile. Make sure your ads look good on phones.

Improving Local Inventory Ads

Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) connect nearby shoppers with products they want. Here's how to boost their performance:

Testing by Location

Different areas can impact ad performance. Try this:

Test stores in various neighborhoods
Compare urban vs suburban locations
Adjust bids based on store results

Big 5 Sporting Goods saw a 25% increase in store visits and 13x return on ad spend by optimizing their LIAs.

Comparing Store and Online Prices

Shoppers want to know the best deal. Test these options:

In-store prices only
Both in-store and online prices
Price differences as a percentage

Price Display	Pros	Cons
In-store only	Simple	No online comparison
Both prices	Complete info	Potential confusion
% difference	Quick comparison	Less detail

Testing Stock Information Display

How you show inventory can make a big impact:

"In stock" vs exact numbers
Low stock alerts
Pickup times

Gall & Gall, a Dutch liquor store, saw more clicks on weekends after adding stock info. Jan-Willem den Dunnen from Gall & Gall noted: "Local inventory ads provide a solution. We see an increase in the number of clicks on Fridays and Saturdays."

Key points:

Keep Google My Business info current
Focus on mobile users - 50% of first-time store visits come from local searches
Increase bids during store hours

Testing Smart Shopping Campaigns

Smart Shopping Campaigns use Google's AI to boost ad performance. Here's how to test and improve them:

Mix Up Your Ad Components

Try different combos:

Product titles: Short vs. long, with or without brand names
Images: Lifestyle shots vs. product-only pics
Descriptions: Feature-focused vs. benefit-focused copy

Use custom labels in your product feed to group items for testing.

Target Different Audiences

Play around with these groups:

Audience	Who They Are	Why They Matter
In-market	Active product researchers	More likely to buy
Affinity	Long-term interest holders	Good for brand awareness
Custom intent	Specific search behavior	Laser-focused targeting

Spread Your Budget Wisely

1. Start even

Give each campaign a fair shot.

2. Check the data

After a few weeks, see which campaigns are crushing it.

3. Tweak bit by bit

Bump up budgets for winners by 10-15% at a time.

Don't touch anything for at least 14 days. Let the campaigns do their thing first.

Google says: "IT Cosmetics saw a 188% jump in new customer revenue after using the 'new customer acquisition' goal in their Smart Shopping campaigns."

Understanding Test Results

You've run your Google Shopping ad tests. Now what? Let's break down how to make sense of your data.

Key Metrics to Watch

Focus on these numbers:

Metric	What It Means	Why You Care
Click-Through Rate (CTR)	How many people clicked your ad	Shows if your ad grabs attention
Conversion Rate	How many clicks turned into sales	Tells you if your ad works
Cost-Per-Click (CPC)	What you pay for each click	Helps you control spending
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)	Money made per ad dollar	Shows if you're profitable

Is Your Data Trustworthy?

Before you jump to conclusions:

1. Check if your results are statistically significant

2. Run tests for at least 2 weeks

3. Aim for 30+ conversions or 1,000+ samples per variation

4. Watch out for outliers

"An outlier is a user who searches 7 times more than the average user in your A/B test."

Using Your Data

Got solid results? Here's what to do:

1. Compare how your ads perform on different devices

2. Look at secondary metrics for hidden gems

3. Use what you've learned to plan your next test

Remember: A/B testing never stops. Keep tweaking your Google Shopping ads based on what you learn.

Making Changes Based on Tests

After running your Google Shopping ad tests, it's time to act on your findings. Here's how:

Slowly Applying Changes

Don't rush to overhaul everything. Instead:

Make small tweaks to your best ads
Apply changes to 10-20% of your campaign budget
Watch results closely for 2+ weeks

This way, you'll minimize risks as you fine-tune your strategy.

Watching Performance After Changes

Keep an eye on these key metrics:

Metric	What to Look For
CTR	Drop? Your new ad copy might not be hitting the mark
Conversion Rate	Decrease? Check your landing page
CPC	Increase? You might need to adjust your bidding
ROAS	Lower? You're spending more for less return

Use Google Ads' Change History Querying tool to track your changes' impact. It shows what you've done in the last 14 days, helping you pinpoint which tweaks affected performance.

Keeping Up with Testing and Improving

Testing isn't a one-time thing. It's ongoing:

Run new tests every 1-2 months
Use fresh ad copy to avoid ad fatigue
Stay aware of seasonal trends

Even small improvements add up. Bing boosted revenue by 12% through consistent A/B testing.

"To set up a proper split test, you need to have your budget set up at the ad set level, not campaign budget organisation." - Andrea Vahl, Marketing Consultant & Author

Common Mistakes in Format Testing

When testing Google Shopping ad formats, advertisers often mess up. Here are three mistakes to avoid:

Keeping Tests Fair

Many advertisers accidentally bias their tests. To keep things fair:

Use equal budgets for each ad
Run tests at the same time
Make sure ad groups are similar

Grow My Ads found that 37% of advertisers favored one ad by giving it more money. Don't do that.

Getting Test Length Right

Test duration matters. Too short? Not enough data. Too long? You miss chances to improve.

Test Duration	Good	Bad
1 week	Fast results	Might not be reliable
2-4 weeks	Good balance	Takes some time
1+ months	Very reliable	Slow to optimize

Most experts say test for 2-4 weeks. Grow My Ads puts it simply: "A/B testing is key for Google Ads."

Mixing New Ideas with What Works

Don't throw out what's working. Instead:

Keep your best ad parts
Test new ideas next to winners
Make changes slowly

For example, with Showcase Shopping Ads, keep good product groups but try new images or layouts.

Advanced Testing Methods

Google Shopping ads aren't just about A/B tests. Here are three smart ways to level up your campaigns:

Seasonal Tweaks

Shopping habits change with the seasons. Adjust your ads to match:

Christmas: Use Showcase Shopping Ads for gift ideas
Black Friday: Push discounts in Standard Shopping Ads
Back-to-School: Show product bundles in Local Inventory Ads

Google's Seasonality Adjustments tool is your friend here. It lets you change bids and budgets for busy times without starting from scratch.

"Seasonality Adjustments helped us grab more holiday shoppers without a total overhaul", says Sarah Chen from OutdoorGear Co. "We bumped up conversions by 45% last Memorial Day just by tweaking our bids for 3 days."

Device-Specific Tests

People shop differently on phones vs. computers. Test your ads separately:

Device	How People Shop	What to Test
Mobile	Quick browsing	Short ads, big images
Desktop	Longer research	Detailed info, comparisons

Keep in mind: 58% of multi-device purchases end on mobile, but desktops still matter for pricey stuff.

Spy on Competitors

Learn from what others are doing:

1. Use Advertising Research to find their paid keywords

2. Check out their ad copy and calls-to-action

3. Look at how their strategy changes over time

"Watching our competitors helped us find new keywords and sharpen our pitch", says Mark Johnson from TechGadgets Inc. "Our click-through rates jumped 22% after we used what we learned."

Conclusion

Testing Google Shopping ad formats isn't a one-off task. It's an ongoing process that can seriously boost your campaign performance. Here's why it matters:

Strategy	What It Does
A/B Testing	Compares different ad versions
Seasonal Tweaks	Matches ads to shopping trends
Device Tests	Optimizes for mobile and desktop
Competitor Lookout	Learns from others in your niche

Real-world example? OutdoorGear Co. used Google's Seasonality Adjustments for Memorial Day. Result? 45% more conversions in just three days.

Want to nail your tests? Do this:

1. Set clear test goals

What exactly are you trying to improve?

2. Pick the right metrics

Focus on what really matters for your business.

3. Give it time

Don't jump to conclusions too quickly.

4. Make gradual changes

Small tweaks, big impact.

TechGadgets Inc. learned this the hard way. After spying on competitors (in a good way), they tweaked their strategy. Boom - 22% jump in click-through rates.

Bottom line? Don't be afraid to get creative. Mix up your formats for different seasons and devices. Keep an eye on the competition. You might just stumble on your next big win.

FAQs

How to improve Google shopping ads performance?

Want to boost your Google Shopping ads? Here's what to focus on:

1. Product feed optimization

Your product feed is key. Make it shine with:

Clear, keyword-rich titles
Detailed descriptions
High-quality images (800x800 pixels minimum)

2. Smart bidding and budgeting

Set competitive bids based on margins and conversion rates. Use Google's automated bidding to maximize ROAS.

3. Negative keywords

Cut the fluff. Use negative keywords to focus your budget on searches that convert.

4. Ad extensions

Use all available extensions. More info = better click-through rates.

5. Best-sellers first

Put your top performers front and center. They're your sales drivers.

6. Regular performance checks

Keep tabs on impression share, CTR, and conversion rate. Adjust as needed.

7. A/B testing

Test different ad elements. Product photos vs. lifestyle images? Find out what clicks.

"Custom labels let us categorize products by unique attributes like margin or seasonality. This segmentation helps optimize bidding and tailor ad messaging, boosting performance." - Emma Zerner, Co-founder and Content Strategist at Icecartel

Remember: It's all about constant tweaking and improvement. Keep at it!