Getting the Feed Right
* Titles. The title provided for your product is essential to Become's algorithm. Titles cannot exceed 80 characters and generally speaking should be ordered as follows: Brand>Model>Descriptive Copy>Product Type. An example of this would be: Gap Red Fitted Women's Cotton Sweater.
* Promotional messages. Most CSE's provide a feature where you can specify "promotional test" for your products. This allows you to distinguish your products by calling out special promotions like "free shipping" or "special discount" either in the merchant center dashboard provided by the CSE or adding a separate column in the feed. Speak with your account manager to ask if there is a specific section for "promotional messages."
* Proper categorization is very critical. CSE's like Become.com offer related products and similar search options, so if your products are correctly categorized, they will show up in additional locations such as related products, accessories for the searched product or similar searches.
* Customize product descriptions for seasonal events. Most CSE's like Become.com will create special pages around events such as Valentine's day or Halloween and your products are more likely to be featured on these pages if they include descriptions or promotions for seasonal events.
* Location data. If you have data about the local stores that carry the product, include the locations in the product data. When CSE's provide data on local stores that carry the product or shipping cost by zip code, users will have all the information they need to move ahead with the purchase.
* Fashion talk. Find out what clientele calls the product and provide alternate names for the product in the title. If people are searching for the product by a new name because that's what everyone is calling it, make sure you have it as part of your product title or description.
* Include all product attributes in the feed data. Searchers online get very specific about what they are looking for and include color, size, style, speed, brand and more depending on what type of product they are searching for. Searchers who know what they are looking for are in the last stage of the buying cycle and most likely to convert.
* Add detailed specifications for the product. This helps in conversion as the searcher is able to evaluate the product based on the detailed specifications. Specifications also help with comparison and will allow your product to stand out against competitors.
Featured in "magazine" or "show". If the product was featured in a magazine article or on a TV show, mention that in the description. For example, "As seen on ..." Many people watch a show or read a magazine and start searching using the show or magazine name.
* Multiple images. If possible, provide multiple images with relevant anchor text.
List your gift cards on comparison shopping engines to get additional traffic and visibility, especially during events and the holiday season.
Communicate top selling products and keywords to your account managers so that they can publicize and help promote your top selling products or work with internal teams to optimize for top selling products.
* Include MSRP. At CSE's like Become, including a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price will automatically generate a % off icon for your products if your price is lower than the manufacturer recommends. This will draw attention to your products and consumers will be more likely to want to purchase from you.
* Increasing bids for your top products or specific categories. If bidding up to the highest bidder is not an option for you, try increasing your bids by $0.01 or $0.02 to differentiate your products from those not bidding.