With the Covid-19 cases surging around the globe. A lot of fluctuations in these new cases forcing the retailers for a complete lockdown. In these uncertain times Google is working towards smart and simple solutions for the retailers to take full advantage. Around the world we see at least 2X times increase in online shopping & transactions. We will continue to see this rise until the end of the year. As consumers move online, Smart Shopping campaigns will help advertisers to meet their goals by smartly optimizing using real time signals across all the Google platforms(Google Search, Google Images, YouTube, Google partnered websites & Apps).
Smart Shopping campaigns are now offering new Goal and Visual ways to optimize and stand out from the competition.
New Customer Acquisition
Google has introduced a new goal, ‘New Customer Acquisition’, which will not only optimize for sales but also help you drive new customers with an added conversion value for sales from new customers.

This particular goal will help you increase new customers for your campaign. The advertiser needs to assign additional value for the new customer. As we know, Smart Shopping campaigns use a bid strategy that maximises conversion value so when this goal is enabled Google may bid higher whenever it recognises a new customer.
How does Google recognize new customers from returning customers
- Through Google ads conversion tracking pixels placed on the ‘sale’ page. Google will automatically create an audience list based on the last 540 days of campaign activity. This is more of a conventional method which Google by default sets, there is also a risk involved as users can also remove cookies and also opt out from accepting cookies.
- Tracking new customers using custom tags.This is more of a convincing method as these tags are tailored as per the requirement and can provide more control on the conversions.
Beta programs run by Google earlier have resulted successfully.
New Visual ways to showcase your product & brand
These new visual ways are introduced to help customers to narrow down their choices and decide whom to purchase with.
- Customers can now see a short video on display ad from your Smart Shopping Campaign of relevant products which they are browsing.
- After the first touch with a video ad, if the customer is further narrowing their choices to be more specific Google have added new extensions to show up below the product.
- See annotations below the product when the customer is ready to purchase can have informed purchase. This information can be describing a unique feature or free shipping or fast delivery, it can be any CTA. This option is currently enabled only in the US market.
- Highlight promotions on your products currently available only in US, UK, DE, AU, IN, FR. Advertisers need to sign up with Google in advance to enable this feature.
These new features of Smart Shopping campaigns will now help us strategize our goals whether that’s increasing revenue, acquiring new customers or driving local sales. Customers can now discover your products with a video, immersive browsable carousel, special annotation and promotions.