What is CSS (Comparison Shopping Service) and why is it important?
A Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) is a platform that allows products from different retailers to be compared and displayed in ads on Google Shopping. By using a CSS platform such as Channable, you can significantly reduce the cost of your ads and increase your visibility.
How does a Comparison Shopping Service work?
When you promote products through Google Shopping, you are using a CSS platform. Google offers its own CSS service, but there you indirectly pay extra fees. Up to 20% of your bids are retained as margin by Google.
With an external CSS, such as Channable CSS, no margin is retained. This means that 100% of your bidding budget is used to promote your products. This gives you up to 25% more bidding power, which gives your products a better position in search results.
Benefits of an external CSS such as Channable
Choosing an external CSS brings a host of benefits to your marketing strategy:
Lower advertising costs
When using Google's own CSS, 20% of your bids go to margin. With an external CSS, you save this cost, leading to a more effective use of your budget.
More visibility
Because your full bidding budget is used, your ads get a better position on Google Shopping, resulting in more clicks and higher conversion.
Better ROI
Because you pay no margins to Google, your return on investment (ROI) increases. This makes your campaigns more profitable and competitive.
Easy switching
Platforms like Channable offer an easy-to-use CSS solution. Switching is easy and you retain full control over your campaigns.
What does this mean for your SEO and SEA strategy?
An effective CSS strategy strengthens your Search Engine Advertising (SEA), which can have a positive impact on your SEO performance. Increased visibility and clicks through Google Shopping increase the overall authority of your website and improve your brand recognition.
In addition, there are ways to use your CSS campaigns smartly, such as:
- A/B testing of bidding strategies.
- Optimization of product feed titles and descriptions.
- Using dynamic remarketing to recall customers.
Frequently asked questions about CSS
The biggest difference is the margin Google withholds. With Google CSS, 20% of your bids are retained as margin. With an external CSS, such as Channable, you don't pay this margin.
With Channable CSS, 100% of your budget goes to bids, meaning you have up to 25% more power to achieve higher positions on Google Shopping.
No, switching is easy. Channable CSS offers seamless integration, so you can quickly reap the benefits without rebuilding your existing campaigns.