Story Based Question
You’re in charge of SEO for an international e-commerce brand that sells products in various regions, including the U.S., UK, and Australia. Your brand is now looking to expand its reach by listing products on shopping platforms like Google Shopping, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace. You’ve noticed that some of your products are not performing as well in certain countries, and you’re wondering if there’s something wrong with how the product feeds are structured for each market. You’re asking yourself, How do I optimize product feeds for international shopping platforms to ensure better visibility and higher conversions in different regions?
Exact Answer
To optimize product feeds for international shopping platforms, localize product data by adjusting for regional language, currency, and units of measure. Ensure accurate product titles, descriptions, and categories, and include region-specific attributes like shipping costs and tax details.
Explanation
Product feeds play a crucial role in how your products are displayed on international shopping platforms. Optimizing them for each region involves making sure the feed is tailored to local preferences, languages, and e-commerce regulations. Here’s how to do it effectively:
- Localize Product Titles and Descriptions
- Different regions often use different language conventions, so product titles and descriptions should reflect the local way of speaking. For example, a product like “Wireless Headphones” might be more commonly referred to as “Bluetooth Headphones” in some regions, or even “In-Ear Bluetooth Headphones” in others.
- How to Implement: Translate your product titles and descriptions accurately while keeping in mind regional preferences. Also, ensure that descriptions include relevant local keywords that people are actually searching for in each region.
- Adjust Currency and Units of Measure
- Users expect to see prices in their local currency and units of measure that make sense for their region. For instance, UK shoppers expect prices in GBP, while Australian shoppers expect prices in AUD. Similarly, weight might be measured in kilograms in Europe and pounds in the U.S.
- How to Implement: Ensure your product feeds include the correct local currency and units of measure (e.g., centimeters vs. inches, or kilograms vs. pounds). This also means adjusting product prices in the feed to match the local market conditions and currency conversion rates.
- Optimize for Regional Tax and Shipping Details
- Different regions have different tax rates, shipping costs, and delivery expectations. For example, sales tax is added to prices in some countries but not in others. Shipping charges may vary based on distance or local policies.
- How to Implement: Make sure your product feed includes accurate tax rates and shipping costs for each region. Shopping platforms like Google Shopping allow you to specify these details for different countries. This helps prevent discrepancies between the price shown in the ad and the final checkout price.
- Use Region-Specific Attributes
- Some regions may require specific attributes for products. For example, product identifiers (such as GTIN or MPN) might be required for certain countries to ensure that products are categorized correctly on shopping platforms.
- How to Implement: Check the guidelines of each shopping platform you’re using to ensure that your feed includes all the necessary attributes like color, size, material, and any region-specific identifiers. Use these to improve your products’ visibility and accuracy.
- Customize Product Categories for Each Region
- Different regions may categorize products differently. A product that fits under “Sports & Outdoors” in the U.S. may be categorized under a completely different section in other countries.
- How to Implement: Adapt your product categorization according to local standards. Make sure the product categories align with what shoppers in each region expect, as different platforms may have slightly different classification systems.
- Monitor Feed Quality and Fix Errors
- It’s crucial to keep an eye on the quality of your product feeds. Errors in the feed—such as missing product data, incorrect prices, or broken links—can result in products not showing up in search results or being disapproved by the platform.
- How to Implement: Regularly audit your feeds for errors, using platform tools (like Google Merchant Center’s diagnostics tool) to fix issues promptly. You can also use feed management tools like DataFeedWatch to streamline the process.
Example
Let’s say you’re selling wireless speakers in the U.S., UK, and Australia, and you want to optimize your product feeds on platforms like Google Shopping.
- Localized Titles and Descriptions:
- In the U.S., you use “Portable Bluetooth Speaker,” while in the UK, you might adjust it to “Portable Bluetooth Speakers” because of plural usage preferences. In Australia, the description includes “long battery life,” a feature more popular in Australian markets.
- You adjust the product descriptions to mention features that are of specific interest to each market, such as “works with Alexa” in the U.S. or “IPX7 waterproof” for markets where outdoor use is more common.
- Currency and Units of Measure:
- In the U.S., you display the price in USD ($100), while in the UK, the price is listed in GBP (£80), and in Australia, the price is in AUD ($140).
- You also change the weight from “1 lb” (for U.S. customers) to “0.45 kg” (for UK and Australian customers), ensuring each region sees the information in their preferred measurement.
- Tax and Shipping:
- For the U.S. market, you account for sales tax, which varies by state. For the UK, VAT is added at checkout, and for Australia, you ensure that the tax rate (GST) is properly included in the final price.
- You adjust the shipping details: for U.S. customers, shipping is free over $50, while in the UK, a flat fee of £5 applies, and in Australia, you add a specific shipping charge depending on the delivery region.
- Region-Specific Attributes:
- In the U.S. feed, you ensure that the wireless speaker includes the correct product identifier (GTIN) and that it’s tagged as “electronic” for accurate categorization. For the UK, you also include the “battery life” attribute, which is especially important for British consumers who prefer longer battery durations.
- Product Categorization:
- In the U.S., the speaker might fall under the category “Electronics > Audio > Speakers,” while in the UK, it may be categorized as “Home Audio & HiFi > Speakers.” In Australia, it could go under “Outdoor & Sporting Goods > Outdoor Speakers.”
- These changes ensure that the speaker appears in the most relevant search results for each region.
- Feed Quality and Error Monitoring:
- You use Google Merchant Center to monitor the quality of your feeds. You identify a missing MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) in the U.S. feed and promptly fix the issue, ensuring the product is correctly listed.
Optimizing product feeds for international shopping platforms requires localizing titles, descriptions, currency, and regional attributes to cater to each market’s preferences. By ensuring accurate product data, tax, shipping, and product categories, you can boost visibility, trust, and ultimately conversions on platforms like Google Shopping, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace.