When setting up product catalog feeds for platforms like Google, Bing, Pinterest, and Meta, it’s crucial to understand the role of specific attributes—namely the link, ad link, and mobile link. These attributes, while seemingly straightforward, are foundational for tracking, validation, and providing a way for retailers and advertisers to track the performance of their product feed in both organic and paid experiences. This post will explore the differences between these attributes, their specific roles, and why they matter.
The Importance of Product Catalog Feeds
A product catalog feed serves as a data pipeline, ensuring your product information (such as price, availability, title, description, and links) reaches advertising platforms. Platforms like Google Merchant Center, Bing Merchant Center, Pinterest Shopping, and Meta’s catalog manager use this feed to create dynamic ads, free listings, and personalized recommendations.
While most fields in the feed, such as titles and images, are relatively standardized, the link, ad link, and mobile link attributes deserve special attention. These fields ensure that users land on the right pages, vendors can validate your content, and businesses can track performance effectively.
The Link Attribute
The link attribute specifies the canonical URL of your product. It is the URL that platforms like Google, Bing, and Pinterest will crawl using robots or access manually via human reviewers. The purpose is to validate the content, ensure it complies with platform policies, and verify that users are directed to a consistent and high-quality page.
Key Details of the Link Attribute
Platform Validation: Platforms use the link to crawl your site and ensure that:
- The page is live and functional.
- The content (title, description, price) matches what’s sent in the product feed.
- The page provides a good user experience.
Tracking Settings: While link is primarily for free product listings, businesses often append parameters to track traffic from these listings. For instance:
- A UTM parameter like
utm_source=google&utm_medium=free_listingmight be added to distinguish traffic from free product listings on Google. - A common approach is to include parameters like
free_listingin the link, indicating traffic is from free channels rather than paid ads.
Best Practices for Link Attribute
- Always ensure the
linkURL is accurate and points to a live, relevant product page. - Avoid placing heavy tracking parameters here, as this can complicate platform validation.
- Check your settings in tools like Google Merchant Center to ensure you’re leveraging tracking capabilities correctly.
The Ad Link Attribute
The ad link attribute specifies the URL for paid shopping ads. Unlike the link attribute, it can include robust tracking parameters, such as UTM tags, to monitor ad performance.
Key Details of the Ad Link Attribute
Tracking Paid Ads: UTM parameters are essential for tracking performance. UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, a system that appends tags to URLs so businesses can identify where traffic originates. For example:
utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping_ad&utm_campaign=spring_sale- This indicates traffic came from a Google Shopping Ad as part of the Spring Sale campaign.
Platform-Specific Usage:
- Google and Bing use the
ad linkfor shopping campaigns. This allows advertisers to monitor how paid clicks are performing versus free traffic. - Pinterest uses similar links for its Product Pins.
Human Review and Crawling: These links are not used by advertising platforms (which generally require links to lead to working pages). The primary focus is on tracking and monetization. Why this mattes:
- Proper UTM tracking in
ad linkhelps distinguish paid traffic from free traffic. This is critical for Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) calculations. - Using separate
ad linkURLs ensures no mix-up between organic and paid traffic.
The Mobile Link Attribute
The mobile link attribute specifies a mobile-optimized version of the product page. This attribute is crucial for delivering a smooth experience to users on smartphones and tablets.
Key Details of Mobile Link Attribute
Mobile-Specific Experience: For many businesses, mobile traffic accounts for a significant portion of overall visits. Ensuring a responsive and fast mobile landing page enhances the user experience and increases conversions.
Free Listings on Mobile: The mobile link is often used for free product listings on mobile platforms. Businesses can append parameters to track this traffic, such as:
utm_source=google&utm_medium=mobile_free_listing
Ad Tracking on Mobile:
- While
ad linkhandles paid traffic, you can ensure the mobile version of your ad leads to the correct page usingmobile link.
Best Practices for Mobile Link Attribute
- Use URLs tailored for mobile (e.g., m.example.com or responsive designs).
- Ensure mobile pages match desktop pages in content and price to avoid policy violations.
Differences Between Link, Ad Link, and Mobile Link
| Attribute | Purpose | Tracking Usage Tips | Platform Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | Canonical URL for free product listings and validation. | Minimal tracking (e.g.,free_listing). | Used by platforms to crawl and validate content for free listings and organic traffic. |
| Ad Link | URL for paid shopping ads. | Advanced tracking with UTM parameters (e.g., utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping_ad). | Used by platforms to track performance and ensure ad page quality. |
| Mobile Link | Mobile-optimized URL for free listings and mobile ads. | Similar to link, with mobile-specific tracking (e.g., utm_medium=mobile_free_listing). | Ensures mobile users land on a fast, responsive page tailored to their device. |
Why These Attributes Are Important
Tracking Performance:
- Properly using these attributes allows businesses to separate free traffic from paid traffic and track mobile-specific campaigns.
- Advanced tracking through UTM parameters helps businesses measure key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rates (CTR) and ROAS.
Ensuring Policy Compliance:
- Platforms like Google and Bing manually review the
linkandad linkURLs to ensure they meet their standards. Incorrect usage can lead to disapproval of products or ads.
Optimizing User Experience:
- The
mobile linkattribute ensures mobile users are directed to pages that load quickly and display properly. This is critical for maintaining high-quality scores on platforms like Google.
Streamlining Validation:
- Accurate
linkattributes allow platforms to validate your content efficiently, minimizing delays in feed approvals.
Examples of Implementing Link Attributes
Let’s break down how businesses might set up these attributes:
Scenario 1: Google Free Listings
link:https://www.example.com/product123?utm_source=google&utm_medium=free_listing
Scenario 2: Google Shopping Ads
ad link:https://www.example.com/product123?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping_ad&utm_campaign=holiday_promo
Scenario 3: Mobile Free Listings
mobile link:https://m.example.com/product123?utm_source=google&utm_medium=mobile_free_listing
Scenario 4: Pinterest Shopping Ads
ad link:https://www.example.com/product123?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=shopping_ad&utm_campaign=pinterest_promo
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mismatched URLs: Ensure that the
link,ad link, andmobile linkpoint to the correct pages with consistent content. - Overloading Parameters: Avoid using excessive tracking parameters in the
linkattribute to prevent validation issues. - Neglecting Mobile Optimization: Always test mobile links to ensure they load properly across devices.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the distinctions between link, ad link, and mobile link attributes is essential for businesses leveraging product catalog feeds. These attributes not only facilitate smooth validation and tracking but also ensure that users enjoy an optimized experience, whether they’re clicking on a free listing or a paid ad.
By adhering to best practices and implementing proper tracking, you can maximize the efficiency of your campaigns, measure performance accurately, and maintain compliance with platform policies.