Overview
This article outlines Content API specifications and guidelines for vehicle ads.
When you have set up your Merchant Center account, you can upload your feeds using the Google Content API.
API specifications
Account management
There are several Content API endpoints that can be used in conjunction with Merchant Center advanced accounts:
accounts.authinfowill return a list of accounts or sub-accounts of the current authenticated user.accounts.claimwebsitecan be used to claim websites of Merchant Center sub-accounts.
For a full list of endpoints, refer to the Account REST Resource page.
Uploading offers
Important notes:
- For a full list of vehicle ads fields, refer to the vehicle ads feed specifications. In addition, the Content API Reference contains more information on API usage.
- Most standard fields are listed in the
products.insertmethod (products.custombatchcan be used for bulk updates). - The table below lists vehicle ads-specific attributes that need to be added using the
customAttributesfield.
| Attribute | Description | Content |
VIN [VIN] |
Required Vehicle Identification Number, unique identifier for each car |
String, 17 digits |
Store code [store_code] |
Required Unique alphanumeric identifier for each dealership Note: The store code attribute is case-sensitive and must match the store codes submitted in your Business Profile. |
String This is a repeated field which can take multiple values. |
Link template [link_template] |
Required Link to a specific vehicle descriptions page (VDP). Make sure to include the Note: The parameter in the URL should be written using the words “store_code”. Don’t input the actual store code |
The URL for the landing pages of the vehicle on your site. Example: including store_code as URL parameter: http://mikemart.com/123?store={store_code} Example: including store_code as part of URL path: http://acmestores.com/456/store/{store_code} |
|
Mobile link template |
Optional Link to a specific vehicle descriptions page (VDP) for mobile devices |
The URL for the landing pages of the vehicle on your site. |
Certified pre-owned [certified_pre-owned] |
Optional Car is OEM certified pre-owned |
Boolean (yes / no) |
Model [model] |
Required Model of the car, without trim specifics such as LX, EX, and others |
String |
Trim [trim] |
Optional Trim of the model (for example, S, SV, SL) |
String |
Year [year] |
Required Model year |
Integer (4 digit) |
Mileage [mileage] |
Required Number of miles on the vehicle. Make sure to include the Unit (KM / Miles) |
String of Integer + Unit (KM / Miles) Example: |
Body style [body_style] |
Optional Examples: Sedan, SUV, Crossover |
Supported values:
|
Engine [engine] |
Optional Examples: Gasoline, Diesel, Electric, Hybrid |
Supported values:
|
Sample JSON
{ "id": string, "offerId": string, "googleProductCategory": string, "title": string, "description": string, "channel": "local", "excludedDestinations": [ "Free local listings", "Local inventory ads",],"price": {"value": string,"currency": string}, "brand": string, "color": string, "condition": string, "imageLink": string, "contentLanguage": string, "targetCountry": string, "customAttributes": [{ "name": "VIN","value": string}, { "name": "store_code", "value": string }, { "name": "link_template", "value": string }, {"name": "mobile_link_template", "value": string }, { "name": "certified_pre-owned", "value": boolean }, { "name": "model", "value": string }, { "name": "trim","value": string}, { "name": "year", "value": int }, { "name": "mileage", "value": string }, {"name": "body_style", "value": string }, { "name": "engine", "value": string },],... }Creating a data feed
Note: This method is optional. You don’t have to create a data feed to submit your vehicle ads data. Vehicle ads data can also be submitted by uploading offers. If choosing to upload, refer to the “Uploading Offers” section in this article.
You can create and submit vehicle ads data through the Content API datafeeds. When creating a data feed for your vehicle ads, you’ll need to include certain fields or attributes. Some fields or attributes can only support certain values. For a full list of fields and supported values, refer to the Datafeeds REST Resource page.
The table below lists vehicle ads-specific fields and attributes that need to be added when creating a data feed:
| Fields | Description | Content |
Included destinations [included_destinations] |
Optional List of destinations to include for this target (corresponds to marked check boxes in Merchant Center). Note: Default destinations are always included unless provided in |
Supported value:
|
Excluded destinations [excluded_destinations] |
Optional List of destinations to exclude for this target (corresponds to unmarked check boxes in Merchant Center). |
Supported value:
|
Content type [contentType] |
Required The type of data feed for local products (including vehicle ads data). |
Supported value:
|