Use the product type [product_type] attribute to include your own product categorization system in your product data. Unlike the Google product category [google_product_category] attribute, which uses a collection of predefined categories, you choose which value to include for product type. The values you submit can be used to organize the bidding and reporting in your Google Ads Shopping campaign.
In this article
When to use
Optional for each product
Format
Follow these formatting guidelines to make sure Google understands the data you're submitting. Learn when and how to submit your product data in English
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Type |
String (Unicode characters. Recommended: ASCII only) |
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Limits |
0 - 750 characters |
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Repeated field |
Submit up to 5 times, but keep in mind that only the first value will be used to organize bidding and reporting in Google Ads Shopping campaigns. Separate multiple different product types with a comma (,). Don't use a comma (,) within an individual product type value, since Google will interpret this as a separation of different product types. For example, if you submit "House, Garden & Kitchen," the value "House" is interpreted as a separate product type from "Garden & Kitchen." |
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File format |
Example value |
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Text data source |
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XML data source |
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To format your data for Content API, see the Content API for Shopping resource.
Best practices
These best practices can help you go beyond the basic requirements to optimize your product data for performance.
- Use
>to separate multiple levels in a category. Also, include a space before and after the > symbol. For example: Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses. - Submit this attribute for products used in any campaign type. When you submit a product type, we can better understand what you're selling, and when we understand what you're selling, we can help connect users with your products. Plus, you can also use the values you submit to organize your Shopping campaign by values of your own choosing.
- If you use product type to organize your bidding and reporting in Google Ads, we recommend that you submit only 1 value. If you submit more than one value, only the first value will be used.
- If your own product categorization includes multiple levels, include all the levels. For example, if your products belong in "Maxi Dresses," list the full string: Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses.
- Use the full “breadcrumb” information. Wherever possible, we recommend you include more granular categories as it classifies your product more precisely. For example, "Books > Non-Fiction > Sports > Baseball" is better than "Baseball."
- It's OK to provide the same value for the Google product category
[google_product_category]attribute and the product type[product_type]attribute, but that value must be a supported Google product category.
Examples
Product type with multiple levels
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Product data for a maxi dress |
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Attribute |
Value |
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Product type |
Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses |
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Product data for a Google Pixel 3 |
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Attribute |
Value |
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Product type |
Product > Mobile Phones > Android |
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Product data for an SLR Camera Lens |
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Attribute |
Value |
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Product type |
Home > Photography > Lenses > SLR Lenses |