Sale events are a new type of data that you can submit on Google and are shown on non-product-centric surfaces. Unlike promotions, which require direct mapping to specific products in Merchant Center, events don't require product mapping.
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How it works
Sale events highlight a general sale happening in your store on different Google surfaces. Events don’t show up on product listings, both organic and ads.
Unlike promotions, events aren’t mapped to offers. Since events aren’t directly mapped to offers, you can use ranges for discounts, such as “Up to 40% off,” which isn’t allowed with promotions.
Event data is a combination of:
- Title: Describe the sale event and a shopper incentive associated with the event.
- For example, “Black Friday sale - up to 70% off” and “Spring furniture sale - 10% off on dining tables”.
- Start and end date: Sale events need to be time-bound to drive urgency.
- Destination URL: The URL should clearly mention the ongoing event that users can be redirected to.
- Custom images and video attachments
- Mapped categories: These are necessary for categorical events.
- For example, “Winter coats sale”.
How to set up a sale event
Currently, events can be submitted either using the promotion builder tool in Merchant Center under the "Promotions" tab, or a promotion source.
Option 1: Use the promotion builder
In the creation flow:
- Under “Country and language”, select the country as the United States and the language as English.
- Under “Promotion on Google”, select “Show in free listings” only. This means the promotion will only show on Google’s organic surfaces.
- Under “Promotion applies to”, select “An event with its own URL for a sale, special occasion, or product category”.
- Provide the full URL of the landing page showcasing the sale event.
- Optionally, add up to 3 promotional images for the event.
- Indicate whether the promotion applies to select specific product categories. You choose up to 5 categories. This step is required if your promotion is applicable only to some product categories.
- If you don’t make a selection, the promotion will be applied to all product categories.
- Follow the prompts, then click Save.
Option 2: Use a promotion source
Refer to promotion feed specifications that outline the specific attributes and formatting required for uploading events via a feed. These attributes provide detailed information about the event, including its destination, type, applicability, URL, images, and more.
Review process
Once you've created and submitted your events, like promotions, Google will review them before they can go live. This review process involves several checks:
- Policy review: Ensures that the shopper incentives comply with Google's promotions policies, such as adding value to the customer and avoiding overly restrictive terms. Additionally, policy review includes the following checks:
- URL review: Verifies that the landing page URL works, is accessible, and accurately reflects the promotion details.
- Image review: Checks any uploaded images for compliance with image guidelines, such as appropriate resolution, content, and the absence of promotional text or watermarks.
If any issues are found during the review, the promotion may be disapproved. To ensure your deal images are successful, follow these guidelines:
Image specifications
- File types: Use PNG or JPG files.
- Aspect ratio: Use a 1:1 aspect ratio for all images.
- Image resolution:
- Minimum image resolution: 250 x 250 pixels
- Maximum file size: 16MB
- Cropping: Use a 1:1 aspect ratio. The image will retain this ratio, even after cropping. You can crop images using the image picker during implementation.
Image content recommendations
- Content placement: Place the most important content in the center 80% of the image. Avoid showing important details in the bottom third of the image, in case text is overlaid.
- White space: Use adequate white space to make the subject easy to see, but avoid excessive white space.
- Image style: Photos where the subject is in focus, use natural lighting, and have minimal editing are ideal. Staged photos are acceptable as long as the products are visible and relate to the theme of the promotion.
- Subject matter: Preferably use images that depict products included in the featured deal. Ensure the image is sharp and in focus.
- If the exact products aren't shown in the image, use images that feature items from the same category. For example, if the deal is 50% off back-to-school basics, you may display backpacks if they’re included in the deal.
- Color and lighting: Use natural color tones and lighting. Avoid using lighter images or images with a solid white background. White text will be applied on top of the image which may be difficult to read.
- Background: Select images with a clean background where the subject is in focus. Avoid cluttered backgrounds.
- Composition: Avoid using composited images. Naturally occurring collages and flatlays are acceptable.
- Text or graphic overlay: Don’t use images with text or graphic overlay, including:
- Brand logos, names, or watermarks
- Callouts such as discounts, shipping information, condition
- Barcodes
- Graphical borders
- Prohibited imagery: Images with nudity, including nudity used for artistic purposes, are not permitted. Sexually suggestive images are prohibited.
- Modeled clothing and swimwear: Images for modeled clothing are allowed if there’s good coverage and the model is not showing excessive skin. Images that feature lingerie and bathing suits are allowed if they’re pictured as flat lay shots or displayed on a mannequin.