What is the Google Product Taxonomy?
The Google Product Taxonomy (GPT) is a standardized classification system developed by Google to categorize products listed on Google Shopping and other Google surfaces. It's a hierarchical list containing thousands of categories, ensuring products are shown to relevant users.
You can find the latest version of the taxonomy here (link may change, search for "Google Product Taxonomy list").
Structure Example
The GPT uses a > separator, similar to how Taxonomy Matcher handles custom taxonomies:
Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Outerwear > Coats & Jackets
Electronics > Audio > Audio Players & Recorders > MP3 Players
Each category also has a unique numeric ID, though typically providing the full path string is sufficient for feeds.
Why is it Important?
- Google Shopping Ads: Accurate GPT categorization is crucial for Performance Max and standard Shopping campaigns. Google uses it to understand your product and match it to relevant search queries.
- Free Listings: Correct categorization helps your products appear in relevant free listings on the Google Shopping tab.
- Bidding & Campaign Structure: Advertisers often structure campaigns and set bids based on Google Product Categories.
- Performance Analysis: Analyzing performance by GPT category provides valuable insights.
Using Taxonomy Matcher with GPT
Taxonomy Matcher uses the official Google Product Taxonomy as its default structure.
- No Upload Needed: When you don't upload a custom taxonomy file, our AI automatically matches your products against the latest GPT.
- Accuracy: Our AI aims to find the most specific and relevant category within the GPT for each product based on its title and description.
- Feed Integration: You can export the results and easily populate the
google_product_categoryattribute in your product data feed.
By leveraging Taxonomy Matcher, you can save significant time and improve the accuracy of your Google Product Taxonomy assignments, leading to better performance on Google's advertising platforms.