How to Use Google Product Category To Optimize Sales and Conversions in 2025?

Your ads will only appear for relevant search queries if your products are assigned to the correct Google categories. Imagine someone searching for “plumbing” and Google shows them an ad for “pumps.” Not exactly what the user is looking for at that moment.

In this article, you’ll learn what Google Product Categories are and how to use Google’s taxonomy strategically to improve your product visibility, optimize your conversion rate, and turn clicks into real sales.

What is a Google product category?

The Google taxonomy includes over 6,000 predefined product categories that are sent via the attribute “google_product_category” in your Google product feed. These categories help Google Shopping assign your products to the right category so users can find them more easily.

You have two options for categorizing your products:

You can either let Google automatically determine a suitable category or manually set and submit the category to Google in your product feed. Each Google Product Category includes both a category path and a numeric code.

Please note that Google Shopping categories are not identical in all countries. In markets like the UK, the US, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the taxonomy is more extensive—categories often have more subcategories.

What’s the difference between product type and Google product category?

Not sure what the difference is between Product Type and Google Product Category? You’re not alone!

The Product Type is your own manual categorization, while the Google Product Category is based on Google’s predefined taxonomy. You can use Product Type to correct a category if Google doesn’t categorize your product accurately or specifically enough.

Google taxonomy and Google Ads

The categories you include in your product feed also influence your Google Ads, since Google Shopping is linked to the Google Merchant Center and directly synced with Google Ads.

You can also use product categories strategically as long-tail keywords in your ads. These specific keywords usually lead to higher conversion rates and lower bounce rates, as they reflect a stronger purchase intent.

For example, someone searching for “black leather jacket with zipper for men” has a stronger intent to buy than someone searching for “black jacket.” Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to determine the search volume for your product categories.

Benefits of Google Shopping categories

While assigning categories on Google Shopping isn’t mandatory (except for selected categories like clothing or software), it’s still highly recommended if you want your product ads to appear in relevant searches. Categorization offers the following benefits:

• More visibility for your products and better rankings

• Higher click-through rates for your Google Shopping campaigns

• Correct tax calculation in markets like the US

• Additional reference on channels such as Criteo or Facebook Ads, which also use Google Product Categories

Let’s take a closer look at these benefits.

More visibility for your products

Over 50,000 companies use Google Shopping, and 85% of all product searches begin on Amazon or Google. The first organic search result on Google gets 10 times more clicks than the next result, capturing 27.6% of all clicks. Securing a good position in the search results can therefore give you a decisive competitive edge.

Google uses the category to evaluate ad relevance and match your products with user search queries. It would be frustrating if your tennis racket showed up every time someone searched for a badminton racket and your ad got no clicks as a result.

Higher conversions and more sales

Google Shopping ads generally have a positive impact on conversion rates and traffic. Sam Baldwin, founder of KeyCommerce, explains this on his YouTube channel:

Because of how Shopping Ads are designed, customers who click on them already have a pretty good idea of the product and how much it costs. That means they’re more likely to buy. That’s why conversion rates for Google Shopping campaigns are typically higher than for regular search campaigns.

Users who find your products via Google Shopping know exactly what they’re looking for and decide to purchase faster. The more precise your Google categories are, the more high-intent shoppers you’ll attract, leading to more conversions and higher sales.

Your products are always categorized correctly

Depending on the country, products may be taxed differently, even within the same category. This is especially relevant when selling in the US. The correct Google category ensures that your products are always listed with the right tax rate (e.g. VAT or sales tax).

Google categories can be used on other channels

Google categories aren’t just used on Google Shopping. Since Google has the most comprehensive taxonomy, other platforms like Criteo or Facebook Ads also rely on it.
So, if your product feed is clean and includes Google Product Categories, you can list your products on other channels even faster.

How to set up Google categories

There are three ways to assign the right Google categories to your products:

• Automatic categorization by Google

• Manual categorization

• Intelligent categorization

Automatic categorization by Google

Since filling in Google categories is optional, Google can automatically assign a category to your product based on the product data you provide. Easy-peasy, right?

Unfortunately, you can’t always rely on Google to choose the correct or most specific category. Google categorizes your products automatically based on data such as titles, descriptions, and GTINs. In many cases, these aren’t specific enough, leading Google to use a generic or inaccurate category.

For example, if you sell “veterinarian-approved cat food,” Google might assign it to:
Animals & Pet Supplies > Pet Supplies > Cat Supplies > Cat Food.

You could manually refine this further to:
Animals & Pet Supplies > Pet Supplies > Cat Supplies > Cat Food > Prescription Cat Food.

Manual product categorization

You can disable automatic categorization by submitting your categories manually. Download the Google Product Taxonomy, import it into Excel, and use the search function (CTRL+F) to find the appropriate category for your product. Then, add it to the google_product_category field in your data feed.

However, with large product catalogs, manual categorization can quickly become time-consuming and prone to errors. That’s where intelligent categorization solutions come in.

AI Product Categorization

With AI product categorization solutions like Channable, you can categorize hundreds of products automatically and accurately. The powerful AI algorithm assigns products in your Google Shopping feed to the most likely category with 98% accuracy.

This keeps your feed up to date, improves your search ranking, and saves valuable time.

Since the algorithms are trained on millions of categories across different industries, the learning curve is steep. The user-friendly interface allows you to categorize hundreds of products within minutes. When creating your export feed, Channable automatically suggests a product category for each product—so you can simply choose the most logical one.

Here’s what intelligent product categorization looks like in Channable:

Intelligent product categorization in Channable

4 tips to optimize Google categories for more conversions

Incorrect categorization not only reduces visibility on Google Shopping but can also trigger additional required fields or incorrect taxation in markets like the US.

Use these four tips to optimize your Google Product Categories and take greater control over your ads:

1. Review all Google product categories before publishing

Whether you rely on Google’s automatic assignment or assign categories manually—always double-check your product categories before publishing. With hundreds or thousands of products, errors happen quickly, and Google may have added the wrong category.

For example, if you sell cooking pots, your product should fall under:
Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Cookware.

This ensures your products appear to users actively searching for pots—not flowerpots.

Incorrect categorization leads to fewer sales and a low ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), so always verify your product categories before going live.

2. Choose the best, most specific, and up-to-date category

This tip comes directly from Google. According to Google, you should:

Choose the category that best fits your product’s primary function.
Example: A smartphone’s main function is communication, not serving as an alarm clock. Choose Electronics > Communications > Telephony > Mobile Phones.

Select the most specific category possible.
Example: If you sell unlocked or prepaid phones, go one level deeper and choose Electronics > Communications > Telephony > Mobile Phones > Unlocked Mobile Phones.

Use the latest version of the taxonomy.
Google regularly updates categories, especially for Google Ads, so always use the latest taxonomy version when mapping your products.

Tip: If none of the predefined Google Product Categories fit, you can use the “product_type” attribute.

3. Test different product categories

If you sell dog food, you might use either Dog Food or Dog Treats. Both categories could technically fit—but which one drives better results?

Run A/B tests to compare performance and find out which category resonates most with your target audience.

4. Align product details with your landing page

When users search for a product, see your ad, and click through, they already have strong purchase intent. To ensure they complete the purchase, your landing page must provide a seamless experience.

First, make sure that product details—like title, description, price, and category—match exactly between your Google Shopping listing and your website.

Next, align your website’s navigation hierarchy with your Google Shopping feed. If users search for “dog food,” your website categories should mirror Google’s categories as closely as possible.

Finally, ensure that your category pages are mobile-friendly—optimized for speed, usability, and responsiveness.

5. Use local market product categories

Remember: each country has its own taxonomy. Configure your feed and categories specifically for the markets where you sell your products. Otherwise, Google may reject your listings due to local tax laws.

In the US, for example, tax rates vary by state, and other countries also have product-specific tax rules. Make sure your feed is configured accordingly to apply the correct tax rates.

Ready to optimize your Google categories?

Save time and effort by categorizing your Google Product Categories with Channable.
Channable’s feed management solution helps you organize and optimize your Google product data, identify top-performing products and categories, and streamline your workflows with AI product categorization.

Boost your conversions, optimize your ROAS with Performance Segmentation, and keep all your product data up to date with automatic feed updates.

Our multi-step process ensures Google categories are assigned precisely, with just a few clicks. Manage your Google Shopping feed effortlessly, and start optimizing your product categories today by booking a free demo with our experts.