How to Link Google Merchant Center and Google Ads Accounts for Your Online Store

Linking your Google Merchant Center with Google Ads is crucial for running Shopping campaigns and promoting your products across Google’s platforms. Here’s a step-by-step guide to seamlessly connect the two accounts for your online store.

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Step 1: Prerequisites #

Ensure You Have: #

1. A Google Merchant Center account. Sign up at Google Merchant Center if you don’t have one.
2. A Google Ads account. Create one at Google Ads if needed.

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Step 2: Log in to Google Merchant Center #

1. Go to Google Merchant Center.
2. Log in with your Google account credentials.
3. In the dashboard, click the Tools and Settings icon (wrench icon) in the top-right corner.
4. Select Linked Accounts from the menu.

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Step 3: Link Google Ads to Google Merchant Center #

1. In the Linked Accounts section, locate the Google Ads option.
2. Click Link Account.
3. Enter your Google Ads Customer ID:
   • You can find this in your Google Ads account in the top-right corner (e.g., 123-456-7890).
4. Send the link request.

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Step 4: Approve the Link Request in Google Ads #

1. Log in to your Google Ads account at Google Ads.
2. Go to Tools and Settings > Setup > Linked Accounts.
3. In the Merchant Center section, you’ll see the pending link request.
4. Click Approve to complete the connection.

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Step 5: Verify the Link #

1. Return to Google Merchant Center and go to Linked Accounts.
2. Confirm that the status of your Google Ads account is Linked.

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Step 6: Set Up Shopping Campaigns (Optional) #

Now that your accounts are linked, you can create Shopping campaigns in Google Ads.

1. In Google Ads, go to Campaigns > New Campaign.
2. Choose Sales or Leads as your campaign goal.
3. Select Shopping as the campaign type.
4. Link the campaign to your Merchant Center account and follow the steps to configure the campaign.

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Troubleshooting Tips #

1. Link Request Not Appearing in Google Ads:
   • Double-check the Google Ads Customer ID entered in Merchant Center.
   • Ensure both accounts use the same Google account or have the necessary permissions.
2. Unable to Link Accounts:
   • Ensure that you have admin access to both Google Ads and Merchant Center accounts.
   • Clear your browser cache and try again.
3. Products Not Showing in Campaigns:
   • Verify that your product feed is correctly uploaded and approved in Google Merchant Center.
   • Check for errors in the Diagnostics section of Merchant Center.

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Additional Tips: #

• Optimize Product Feeds: Ensure your product titles, descriptions, and images meet Google’s guidelines for better performance in Shopping campaigns.
• Enable Remarketing: Use linked accounts to create dynamic remarketing campaigns targeting past visitors to your store.
• Monitor Performance: Regularly review campaign metrics in Google Ads and adjust bids, budgets, and targeting as needed.