Google has made significant changes to its Shopping proposition and invited technology-led agencies into a new scheme. As part of this, Croud is proud to be the first UK agency to become a certified Comparison Shopping Partner, allowing brands and retailers to benefit from significant savings on their Google Shopping media spend.
Following last year’s changes to how Google Shopping works for comparison shopping sites, Shopping has become more expensive for advertisers due to increased competition, as evidenced by rising costs-per-click (CPCs). Google is now taking further steps to level the playing field, inviting tech-led agencies to join a new scheme.
As part of this scheme, Croud’s in-house team of developers has built its own Comparison Shopping Service (CSS), through which brands and retailers can benefit from significant savings on their Google Shopping spend. Reductions in media spend will vary, but retailers that run their Google Shopping activity through Croud will save up to 20% (capped at $37,000 per month). Google have also said that first movers will potentially be able to receive a kicker in the first month to help with getting everything set up.
Croud co-founder and COO Ben Knight said, “Croud are delighted to be the first agency recognised as a Google CSS partner in the UK – we’ve been delivering market-leading results in Shopping for our clients for the last few years, and Google have recognised us with their highest ever Shopping score. We’re excited to push on with new incentives for clients so they can make even more of their Shopping success.”
What are Comparison Shopping Partners?
Comparison Shopping Partners are certified CSSs that have completed in-depth training to help businesses make the most of Google Shopping Ads. Croud has been selected for this scheme due to the team’s in-depth knowledge of technical setups and campaign management.
As a Comparison Shopping Partner, Croud is uniquely placed to help brands and retailers with everything from creating and optimising campaigns to feed management and strategy, allowing you to stay ahead of the curve.
How it works
Making the switch across to Croud’s CSS is very similar to moving an AdWords account into an agency’s My Client Center (MCC) platform. Everything else, including billing, remains unchanged, and it takes just two days to launch once you give us the green light.
Media spend is discounted at source, but, using an integrated tool, you can view your current CPCs and compare these with what you would otherwise be paying as a standard advertiser, allowing for complete transparency.
For shoppers searching for your products, Google Shopping ads will look exactly the same as usual, just with a blue link showing ‘By Croud’, as in the example below. If a user clicks on the ad, they will be directed as normal to the product page on your website. If they click on the ‘By Croud’ link they will be sent through to the product page on Croud’s CSS website, from where they then navigate to your website to purchase. Very few people currently click on this link (0.0004% click-through rate); however we’ll be monitoring performance very closely over the coming days.
Why Croud for Google Shopping?
So, to recap – why should you consider Croud as your Comparison Shopping Partner?
- Significant savings: Benefit from considerable savings on your Google Shopping media spend.
- Transparency: There are no hidden costs, plus you will have complete visibility on current CPCs versus what you otherwise would have been paying.
- Europe-wide coverage: This offer is applicable to most European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) and is also open to overseas companies wishing to advertise in the EU if managed through Croud.
- Technical expertise: Leveraging our proprietary technology, we can set up your feed if you do not currently have a feed management software, as well as optimising your listings and bid managing your campaigns on a near-real time basis.
- Shopping experts: With over 70 Shopping specialists on our Croudie network and active Shopping campaigns in 24 markets, we have the expertise and experience to take your Google Shopping campaigns to the next level, delivering improved ROIs and sales volumes. Our retail clients have already seen dramatic reductions in CPCs, combined with impressive ROI improvements (including delivering the UK’s leading Shopping campaign for Moss Bros), and this scheme will allow Croud to deliver even better results for our clients.
If you’d like to find out more about the Comparison Shopping Partner scheme, or are ready to move your Google Shopping activity across to Croud, contact us today.
