When users click on your product, they’re sent to a landing page on your website for that product. Set the URL for this landing page with the link [link] attribute.
In this article
When to use
Required for each product
If you only submit the link [link] attribute, all desktop and mobile device users are directed to the landing page specified in that attribute. Keep in mind that when you submit a tracking URL for the ads redirect [ads_redirect] attribute, users who click on Shopping ads will be sent to that URL rather than the value that you submit for the link [link] or mobile link [mobile_link] attributes. Users who click on free product listings will still be directed to the URL listed in the link or mobile link attributes provided. Learn more about how the link, mobile link, and ads redirect attributes work together
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
| Type | URL (including http or https), ASCII characters only, and RFC 3986 compliant |
|---|---|
| Limits | 1–2,000 characters |
| Repeated field | No |
| Schema.org property (What's this?) |
Offer.url, Type: URL |
| File format | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Text feeds | https://www.example.com/writing/google-pens |
| XML feeds | <link>https://www.example.com/writing/google-pens</link> |
Minimum requirements
These are the requirements you'll need to meet to show your product. If you don't follow these requirements, we'll disapprove your product and let you know in your Merchant Center account.
- Ensure that your landing page is mobile friendly. Make sure that the landing page you submitted works on desktop and mobile devices. Your landing page must meet this requirement even if you also use the mobile link
[mobile_link]attribute. - Start with http or https and comply with RFC 3986. For example: https://www.example.com/writing/fiji-pens.
- Use your verified domain name. Make sure to use the domain name that you verified (during account setup or through the Website Verification tab).
- Make sure your URL can be crawled by Google. For example, ensure your robots.txt file is configured correctly. Learn more about robots.txt files
- Replace any symbols or spaces with URL encoded entities. For example, if your URL contains an ampersand ( & ), then replace it with %26.
- Don’t require users to register, sign in, or take any other actions to view information about your product. Make sure users see your final landing page immediately after clicking on your product.
- Submit only one attribute per product or product variant. If you provide multiple link attributes for the same product, only one of them will be applied.
- Use legally required redirects. For certain products, local laws may require that your users land on a separate page before your landing page. For example, you may need to verify age before users can access your site. After users get past this page, make sure your landing page meets all the same guidelines described earlier. Learn more about requirements for landing pages
Best practices
These best practices can help you go beyond the basic requirements to optimize your product data for performance.
- Use a stable URL. The URL that you include shouldn’t change unless your landing page moves. For example, don’t use URLs with timestamps or parts that could change each time you submit your product data. Whenever you change your URL, your landing page will need to be evaluated and crawled. This process could cause unnecessary load on your servers.
- Pre-select the correct variant. Link to your landing page with the correct variant selected. Users who see the product they clicked on are more likely to purchase it. It's still important to submit your variant details through the appropriate attributes such as color
[color], size[size], and age group[age_group]. - Use the mobile link attribute along with the link attribute if you have a separate landing page designed for mobile devices. Learn more about mobile link
- Don't include Google Ads ValueTrack parameters in the link or mobile link URL. If you need to use ValueTrack parameters, use the ads redirect
[ads_redirect]attribute to provide your landing page URL with tracking parameters. In addition, you can use the Google Ads tracking template or auto-tracking to manage tracking in Google Ads. Learn more about ads_redirect attribute or the Google Ads tracking template - Use as few redirects as possible. Redirects increase the time between a user clicking on your product and loading your landing page. Lengthy loading times cause your users to have a negative experience.
- Make sure all redirects are set to the same verified domain to prevent errors.
- Use Schema.org microdata. Use microdata to indicate how elements on your landing page correspond with your product data. Specifically, make sure that your microdata matches the variant displayed on your landing page. Learn more about microdata
- If you use tracking parameters in your link
[link]attribute, we recommend using the Google Search index[canonical_link]attribute in your feed to provide a canonical URL. Use the Google Search index[canonical_link]attribute to ensure that products are associated with the correct URL in the Google Search index as it’ll improve Google’s understanding about the product. Learn more about canonical links- If the Google Search index
[canonical_link]attribute isn’t used, there’s a chance the URL provided in the link[link]feed attribute will be indexed. To prevent indexing, add the noindex tag to your pages if appropriate or use the Google Search index[canonical_link]attribute in your feed.
- If the Google Search index
Examples
link attribute without mobile_link and ads_redirect
| Product | Google pens |
link |
www.test.com/123 |
ads_redirect |
None |
mobile_link |
None |
Users on desktop and mobile who click on your product will be taken to: https://www.test.com/123.
| Product | Google pens |
link |
https://www.example.com/writing/google-pens |
When including a URL for a product with variants, make sure that the variant is automatically selected based on the URL.
| Product | Google pens, black ink |
link |
https://www.example.com/writing/google-pens?color=black |
| Product | Google pens, red ink |
link |
https://www.example.com/writing/google-pens?color=red |