Set up the Google & YouTube channel

This page was printed on May 28, 2023. For the current version, visit https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/create-marketing/google/setup.

The Google & YouTube channel automatically syncs your products and relevant information about your Shopify store with the Google Merchant Center. You can then update your Google product feed directly from Shopify. For eligible stores selling in the United States, products synced to Google Merchant Center using the Google & YouTube channel can appear in Google Shopping tab search listings for free.

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Set up the Google & YouTube channel to sync your products

You can install the Google & YouTube channel from the Shopify App Store. Learn how to install an app.

After you install the Google & YouTube channel, you need to connect your Google account and Google Merchant Center account so that you can sync your Shopify products with Google.

Your store needs to meet a few requirements for the Google & YouTube channel to work. When you set up the Google & YouTube channel, you can review the requirements to learn if you need to make any changes to your online store or shipping settings.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, click Settings > Apps and sales channels.
  2. From the Apps and sales channels page, click Shopify App Store.
  3. If applicable, then log in to continue to the Shopify App Store.
  4. From the Shopify App Store, search for Google & YouTube to learn more about the sales channel.
  5. Click Add channel or Add app.
  1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
  2. Tap Add channel beside Sales channels.
  3. From the Add sales channel screen, tap Google & YouTube.
  4. Tap Add Google & YouTube.
  1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
  2. Tap the + button beside Sales channels.
  3. From the Add sales channel screen, tap Google & YouTube.
  4. Tap Add GOOGLE & YOUTUBE.
  1. Click Connect Google Account, and then select a Google account or create a new one. You need to allow Shopify to access your Google account information.
  2. Review the setup requirements for your online store, and make any required changes.

  3. Select or create a Merchant Center account:

    • Select a Merchant Account from the drop-down list. The Merchant Center IDs listed are the ones associated with your Google account where your Google account is an administrator.
    • If you don't have a Merchant Center account, then click Create new, and then complete the account creation process from Google Merchant Center.

  4. You need to verify yourself as the Merchant Center account owner.

    1. In the Verify it's you section, enter your phone number, select your country from the drop-down menu, and click Get code to receive your verification code.
    2. In the Verify it's you window, enter the 6-digit code that is sent by text message to your phone.
    3. Click Verify.

  5. Click Select beside Target market to set up where you want to sell your products, and then select a target market and the language. Your store's currency settings determine the countries and regions available for you to target. The languages available are based on those supported by Google, and depend on your target market.

  6. If you're setting up for paid marketing on Google, then click Select beside Shipping settings, and then click the drop-down menu to select automatic or manual configuration of shipping rates:

    • Select Automatically import shipping settings to sync your shipping rates from Shopify, and then click Save. Learn more about syncing your shipping rates with Google Merchant Center.
    • Select Manually set up shipping settings in Google Merchant Center to set up your shipping rates on Google Merchant Center, and then click Save.

  7. Optional: set your product title and description preferences for products synced with Google. Learn more about optimizing your product titles and descriptions for Google Shopping.

After you complete setup, products that are available to your online store automatically begin to sync with Google. For eligible stores, products synced to Google Merchant Center using the Google & YouTube channel can appear on relevant Google surfaces for free.

Learn more about syncing your Shopify products with Google and product sync errors.

From the Overview page in the Google sales channel, you can view your product listing and marketing information:

  • Product listings: All of the products that you have synced to the Google Merchant Center. Your approved products might be eligible to show for free across different Google surfaces such as, the Shopping tab, Google Search, Google Images, Google Maps, and Google Lens. Learn more about listing your products for free on Google.
  • Marketing: Access your Google Merchant Center account, where you can create Performance Max campaigns. Learn more about Google Performance Max.

Earn Google Ads credit

When you create a Google Ads account using the Google & YouTube channel in Shopify, you can qualify for extra ad credits. When you start advertising with Google Ads, you can get 500 USD in ad credits when you spend your first 500 USD on Google Ads within your first 60 days.

After you spend 500 USD on advertising on Google Ads, the credit is applied to the Billing Summary of your Google Ads account within 5 days. The 500 USD threshold doesn't include taxes or other fees, and must be spent within the 60-day promotional period. To learn more, refer to the Google Ads promotions terms and conditions.

You don’t receive a notification when your credit is used up, and any additional advertising costs are charged to the payment method in your Google Ads account. If you don’t want to continue advertising with Google Ads, then you can pause or delete your campaigns at any time.

Eligible countries

Google offers the Google Ads credit in the following countries, and for the following amounts:

Country eligibility and amounts for the Google Ads credit
Country Spend match amount
United States 500 USD
Canada 600 CAD
United Kingdom 400 GBP
Australia 600 AUD
Austria 400 EUR
China 3,000 CNY
Denmark 3,000 DKK
Finland 400 EUR
France 400 EUR
Germany 400 EUR
Greece 350 EUR
India 20,000 INR
Indonesia 3,000,000 IDR
Ireland 400 EUR
Italy 400 EUR
Japan 60,000 JPY
Malaysia 1,500 MYR
New Zealand 600 NZD
Norway 4,000 NOK
Philippines 20,000 PHP
Portugal 400 EUR
Singapore 600 SGD
South Africa 6,000 ZAR
Spain 400 EUR
Sweden 4,000 SEK
Switzerland 400 CHF
Thailand 12,000 THB

Getting help with Google Ads

Contact Google Ads Help to get help with the following topics:

  • billing and invoicing for Google Ads
  • policies, ad reviews, and campaign optimization
  • setting up ad types that the Google & YouTube channel doesn't support, such as video campaigns
  • Google Merchant Center
  • Google Analytics

You can contact Shopify Support to get help setting up or using the Google & YouTube channel.

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