The product type [product_type] attribute in Google Merchant Center allows you to include your own internal product categorization system in your product data. This attribute is a key tool for managing your inventory organization, specifically for structuring bidding and reporting in your Google Ads Shopping campaigns.
Unlike the Google product category [google_product_category] attribute, which relies on a predefined set of Google-provided categories, the product type attribute lets you define your own taxonomy to match your store's navigation.
On this page
When to use
Optional for each product
Use the product type [product_type] attribute to map your own store’s categorization hierarchy to your product data within Google Merchant Center. This helps Google better understand your inventory, allowing you to organize your Shopping Ads campaigns, bidding, and reporting based on your specific business structure and hierarchy.
Format
Follow these formatting guidelines to make sure Google understands the data you're submitting. Learn when and how to submit your product data.
| Formatting specifications | |
| Technical name | product_type |
|---|---|
| Type |
String (Unicode characters. Recommended: ASCII only) |
| Limits |
0 - 750 characters |
| Repeated field | Submit up to 5 times, but keep in mind that only the first value will be used to organize bidding and reporting in Google Ads Shopping campaigns. |
| Schema.org property (What’s this?) | No |
File format examples
To ensure your attribute is recognized correctly, use the formatting specific to your data source type.
| Data source format | Examples |
|---|---|
| Text (TSV or CSV) data sources |
Alternatively, you can enclose each value with quotation marks (“”), and separate the values with commas, for example:
Note that content in the quoted values is treated as a single value. Learn more about Quoted attributes. |
| XML data sources | <g:product_type>Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses</g:product_type> |
| Merchant API | To format your data in the Merchant API, check the Merchant API resource. |
Understanding product taxonomy
[product_type] values, aim for consistency and granularity. Start with broad categories (for example,”'Apparel”) and drill down to specific subcategories (for example,, “Apparel > Men > Shoes > Running Shoes”). This not only helps Google better understand your inventory but also allows you to create more effective, targeted campaigns in Google Ads by organizing your bidding and reporting around these specific categories.Best practices
These best practices can help you go beyond the basic requirements to optimize your product data for performance.
- Use
>to separate multiple levels in a category. Also, include a space before and after the > symbol. For example: Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses. - Submit this attribute for products used in any campaign type. When you submit a product type, we can better understand what you're selling, and when we understand what you're selling, we can help connect users with your products. Plus, you can also use the values you submit to organize your Shopping campaign by values of your own choosing.
- If you use product type to organize your bidding and reporting in Google Ads, we recommend that you submit only 1 value. If you submit more than one value, only the first value will be used.
- If your own product categorization includes multiple levels, include all the levels. For example, if your products belong in "Maxi Dresses," list the full string: Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses.
- Use the full “breadcrumb” information. Wherever possible, we recommend you include more granular categories as it classifies your product more precisely. For example, "Books > Non-Fiction > Sports > Baseball" is better than "Baseball."
- It's OK to provide the same value for the Google product category
[google_product_category]attribute and the product type[product_type]attribute, but that value must be a supported Google product category.
Product type vs. Google product category
- Product type
[product_type]: You define your own categorization system (your store's taxonomy), which is helpful for internal inventory management, custom bidding, and reporting in your Shopping campaigns. - Google product category
[google_product_category]: Uses a predefined, standardized Google taxonomy. This is mandatory for Google to accurately categorize your products in our system. - Key takeaway: While both help categorize products, Google product category is required for system-wide categorization, whereas product type is optional and reflects your specific store structure.
Examples
Product type with multiple levels
|
Product data for a maxi dress |
|
|
Attribute |
Value |
|
Product type |
Home > Women > Dresses > Maxi Dresses |
|
Product data for a Google Pixel 3 |
|
|
Attribute |
Value |
|
Product type |
Product > Mobile Phones > Android |
|
Product data for an SLR Camera Lens |
|
|
Attribute |
Value |
|
Product type |
Home > Photography > Lenses > SLR Lenses |