Data feeds: make a name for yourself correctly

Data feeds: make a name for yourself correctly

30/10/2017 | Pinta Webware

Since the appearance of the first markets, the custom has included praising one's product in the style of "the best sherbet in Ali's shop" or "forshmak like mom's". Gradually, these promotional tricks turned into a whole science, and advertising has become a full-fledged engine of commerce. But successful sales on the Web, in addition to advertising tricks, are based on a competent and detailed description of the product. On the Internet, feeds successfully replaced handwritten and printed plates. What is it and why are network store owners cannot go without them?

Terminology note

A feed is a file that contains all the data about the proposed product. The more complete the information will be indicated in it, the sooner the target audience will see the products. Information in the feeds is presented in coded form using special attributes. Specification of product data includes mandatory and optional attributes. For some of them, only fixed values are applied, for others, options are acceptable. It is important to understand one thing - without the use of feeds, your product will remain in the shadow of oblivion.

Create feeds correctly – come out of the shadows

Google Merchant Center is a service center that is a global multi-functional product catalog. Loading feeds into this extensive list will allow the seller to significantly expand marketing opportunities. But you should pay attention to social networks. In recent years, they have ceased to perform purely communicative functions - now these sites also represent excellent trading platforms. In particular, in this capacity "Facebook" serves with success. Data feeds uploaded to the specified resource directory is a convenient and fast distribution of information about your product in the target environment.

To create feeds for GMC and Facebook, you must follow the formatting rules. XML-based and text-based formats are supported.

Which attributes are required to create a feed, and which ones are specified variably, let’s analyze in the table.

Basic

Additional

· Personal and unique identifier (id)

· Title of the product (title)

· Description (description)

· Link to posting page (link)

· Image link (image_link)

· Indication of availability of goods in the online store (availability)

· Price of a commodity position (price)

· Product category (google_product_category). This attribute is required only if the product group is in the GMC list)

· Brand (brand). The attribute is optional only for products from the “Books”, “Music” and “Movies” categories.

· Marking code (gtin). Required for new items

· Manufacturer code (MPN). Mandatory if previous marking is missing.

· Condition of the goods (condition). Attribute relevant to used items

· Links to additional photos and to the page adapted for gadgets (additional_image_link, mobile_link)

· Indication of the potential date of delivery of goods (availability_date)

· Discount price (sale_price)

· Individual product classification (product_type)

· Energy efficiency class (energy_efficiency_class). Required in the EU

 

These are not all attributes, but the most often used. For each of them specific rules of execution are spelled out. Among other things, the main feed should contain information about the region of product sales and the language in which the data will be published, as well as include attributes in accordance with the category (size, color, material, sex of TA, weight of the goods, delivery nuances, etc. )

Please note that feeds require regular updates to keep them current.