A product listing advertisement is the top result of products and their prices. These help consumers connect with different online sellers. This type of advertisement often includes an image of the product, pricing, and a link to the website, or landing page, you can purchase it on. Product listing ads, also known as PLAs, generate many clicks and eCommerce site traffic.

How do they work?

PLAs use a pay-per-click model, which means the advertiser pays every time the ad is clicked on. These are most often used by social networks and search engines. By connecting online products to the price and image it shows potential buyers a look into the inventory. Digital marketers set up PLAs through search engines such as Google.  There is a designated area at the top of each page for these ads. So if engagement on your ad is high, you will have to pay more for the spot. Every time a consumer clicks on the link or leaves the ad open for at least 10 seconds it counts as engagement.

Should my company use PLAs?

The target market for these ads are consumers who are actively shopping. By including an image and the price of the product it leads to more clicks by actual buyers. It is important to think about your budget when looking into PLAs. If your budget for ads is low, you may not be able to purchase a spot. Also, take into consideration the sales volume and the competition in your product group. The fewer clicks the less visibility of your PLA.

How to create a PLA?

  1.   Find a merchant center to help set up an account for you. Once you have done this you can add any information to your advertisement. Most add their business name, website, customer service contact, and business address.
  2.   Claim your URL. This shows search engines, like Google, that you are the owner of the website. There are four different ways to verify your website. Choose the one that best fits you. Then you will have exclusivity to your URL in the merchant center.
  3.   Fill in the product data. List the product type and other attributes including price, availability, and a clear image of the product. The merchant center has its own guidelines for each PLA as well as Google has certain guidelines. Google allows different enhancements to step up the PLA. Enhancements often lead to more clicks on your ad. On your PLA you can include a special offer at no additional cost. Also, you can include product ratings. You can show this on a 5-star system rating scale. It is important to remember you can only add this enhancement if your product has over three reviews.