Google and Icecat Scale Up Partnership to help LEGO, Intel, VTech and L’Oréal by Enriching Product Search

In making or breaking an online sale, great content is the key differentiating factor. Therefore, Google and Icecat cooperate since 2018 in the seamless upload of accurate product content. And uploads the product content into Google Manufacturer Center. At the moment, this is live for LEGO, Intel, VTech, L’Oreal, and Supermicro.

Last year, Google and Icecat introduced their co-operation together in Amsterdam, in a meetup attended by numerous brands, presenting Google Manufacturer Center and how Icecat can help brands to upload their rich product content into it. Now, this co-operation is scaling up as Google asks Icecat to pre-load product content from all its hundreds of client brands.

Case Studies: Impressions and Clicks Increase

The brand case studies show that enriching Google with a brand’s product content, leads to 22-47% more impressions. But, also generates 27-37% more clicks. As a result, it generates better matches for product searches and shopping offers. However, you must fill in the key specs. Also, convincing product stories lead to a higher conversion rate.

What authoritative data to accept?

The brand content with a matching GTIN is uploaded trough the Icecat Google Manufacturing Center connection. Currently, Google Manufacturing Center accepts product identifiers, marketing texts, product images, product videos from YouTube, product stories (based on Icecat Reasons-To-Buy), and a limited number of product specs. But, the Icecat Taxonomy Team must map the specs. “Google Manufacturer Center allows manufacturers and other brand owners to submit authoritative product data. In order to use power commercial results across Google”, according to Anand Vora of Google.

For example, supported specs include: disclosure date, release date, suggested retail price, product type, product page URL, color, material, pattern, size, size type, size system, gender, age group, count, capacity, theme, scent, flavor, and format.

Anand Vora of Google presenting Google Manufacturer Center 

The authoritative data is visibly improving the display of product data-sheets that are provided by retailers in Google Shopping.

Geographical Roll-out

Icecat supports a fully automated upload to Google Manufacturing Center. Critical points of attention are the presence of GTINs. As these are typically provided for retail products, but not necessarily for B2B products.
In short, supported countries include US, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and Sweden. But, technically all-around 40 countries in which Google Manufacturer Center is active.

Emre Tan of Icecat jointly presenting the Icecat solution

Towards 1-click Data Partner Activation

In Google Manufacturer Center, a brand needs to select Icecat as a data partner. Icecat and Google are now progressing with a pre-load of all Open Icecat product data for all Icecat’s hundreds of sponsoring brands. Once a sponsoring brand selects Icecat as data partner in Google Manufacturing Center. The pre-loaded product content is automatically channelled into Google. Data for the first ten brands is pre-loaded. Now, we work on having this scaled up to all hundreds of sponsoring brands before X-mas.
On request, we can of course quickly prioritize your brand’s product content.

Improve your Brand Experience in Google?

Read more about the steps to upload your brand content to Google Manufacturing Center through Icecat. Please, contact your Icecat account manager or contact us online for more information.

Laura van der Blom