Google Merchant Center: How to Boost Ad Performance and Prevent Account Suspensions

Google Merchant Center (GMC) offers businesses a powerful yet accessible way to promote products. It is free to use and easy to set up. However, this simplicity often misleads retailers and advertisers. There are essential details that significantly impact Shopping campaign performance — and overlooking them can lead to wasted budget or even account suspension.

Precision is key. One incorrect setting or outdated product data can waste ad spend and damage your brand reputation. Google has become increasingly strict about feed quality, landing page standards, and policy compliance, so businesses need to understand the rules well before running Shopping campaigns. 

In this MixDigital guide, we break down effective GMC strategies that drive results without risking suspension.

What Google Merchant Center Is For

Google Merchant Center is a platform that connects shoppers with your products across Google’s ecosystem, including Search, Maps, YouTube, the Shopping tab, and Google Images. 

GMC works best for:

• E-commerce stores of any size. This is the core audience for Merchant Center. The platform enables you to create Shopping ads, run campaigns in Google Ads, and access free product listings to expand your reach without increasing ad spend.
• Brick-and-mortar retailers. GMC boosts product visibility and drives foot traffic to physical stores. Local Inventory Ads (LIAs) showcase real-time stock availability at specific locations.
• Manufacturers. Brands can showcase their catalog to consumers, strengthening recognition and trust. You can manage catalogs, control product information, and promote new product lines.
• Service businesses with physical inventory. While you can’t sell services directly through GMC, you can promote related physical products. For example, a car rental company may list available vehicle models to attract customers.

Why GMC Matters for Your Business

Google Merchant Center is more than a place to upload your product feed. It helps you:

• Display products in Google Shopping, where users actively compare prices, features, and sellers
• Power Performance Max campaigns, which automatically optimize delivery across Google’s inventory
• Access analytics to refine pricing and product selection
• Set up dynamic remarketing to bring back shoppers who viewed your products but didn’t convert
• Maximize return on ad spend (ROAS) through more precise targeting

For e-commerce businesses focused on growth, GMC isn’t just useful — it is a must-have. 

How to Get Started with Google Merchant Center 

• Create a Merchant Center account and verify your site.
• Add your business details, including contact information and shipping and return policies. The key requirement is that users must be able to complete a purchase directly on your site.
• Upload a product feed with accurate product data. Each listing must include a high-quality image with no text overlays or watermarks.
• Link your Merchant Center account to Google Ads to start running campaigns.

Optimizing Your Product Feed

A product feed is a structured file (XML, CSV, or JSON) that contains your product data. The quality of your feed directly determines how relevant your ads will be.

Key steps to optimize your feed:

• Craft structured, relevant product titles using the formula: brand + product type + key attributes 
• Write unique, SEO-friendly descriptions and avoid templates or content copied from competitors 
• Add high-quality images with a clean background, at least 800×800 pixels
• Fill in the GTIN, Google Product Category, color, size, material, and other relevant attributes
• Set up automatic updates to keep pricing and inventory data current 
• Check the Diagnostics tab regularly and review any items marked “Needs attention” or disapproved

Feed optimization is an ongoing process that directly impacts performance. The more complete and structured your data is, the better Google can match your products with the right audience — increasing clicks and the likelihood that shoppers will choose your product. 

Why Proper GMC Setup Matters

Proper Merchant Center setup determines:

• Product visibility & CTR
• Eligibility for free listings
• Google Ads campaign performance
• ROI and sales growth

How to Analyze Performance

Use a three-layer analytics approach:

• Merchant Center: Core metrics, including impressions, clicks, CTR, top-performing products, and competitive visibility
• Google Ads: Detailed insights for paid campaigns, including clicks, CPC, conversions, and ROAS
• Google Analytics: Full-funnel insights, including customer journeys, organic and paid traffic, and complete conversion data

Integrating data from all three platforms provides a complete performance picture.

How to Avoid Account Suspensions

Suspensions can affect both new accounts and experienced advertisers. Watch out for these common triggers:

• Website issues: Missing return/privacy policies, slow page load times, or a broken checkout process
• Data mismatches: Differences in price, availability, or specifications between your feed and your landing page
• Prohibited content: Restricted items such as tobacco, weapons, alcohol, or counterfeit goods
• Price manipulation: Deceptive discounts, fake sales, or non-transparent pricing 
• Feed quality issues: Technical errors, broken links, or low-quality images
• Misrepresentation: Overpromising results, omitting material information, or misleading product descriptions

If your account is suspended, do not create a new one. Resolve the violations and consult PPC specialists if needed. Merchant Center is not a one-time setup — it requires ongoing data management, testing, and optimization. The more consistently you invest in this process, the more stable your sales growth will be. 

Expert Takeaways from MixDigital 

• Regularly update your product feed and audit your site to meet Google’s standards.
• Avoid manipulative tactics — transparency builds trust and prevents bans.
• If suspended, never create a duplicate account. Fix the issue and consult a PPC specialist.

At MixDigital, we help clients avoid common mistakes, set up the Google Merchant Center from scratch, optimize Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, and recover suspended accounts.