Last Updated on May 19, 2023

Structured Snippets are one of Google’s many tools and ad extensions that can improve the performance of your ad campaigns. It lets merchants emphasize their products’ key features, allowing them to attract their target audience based on their interests, behaviors, and preferences.

The structured snippets feature appears in a header format beneath the text in the advertisement. 

The header can be “Destinations” and can be accompanied by different values, like the Caribbean, Maldives, Vietnam, etc. When a customer sees an ad on their computer or laptop, the structured snippet appears on two headers simultaneously, while on a tablet or smartphone, the snippet appears only on one header. 

With the help of Google’s algorithm, Google Ads picks the most compatible header and adds it to the advertisement, so if you want to play it on the safe side, include multiple headers and let Google select the best one. 

You can’t click on structured snippets because they’re only part of the text included in the ad. Since they’re not redirecting customers to another link, they’re free of charge.

These are the available headers right now: 

• Brands
• Degree programs
• Destinations 
• Amenities
• Courses
• Featured hotels
• Neighborhoods
• Models
• Insurance coverage
• Service catalog 
• Types
• Styles 
• Shows

Now that we’ve introduced you to structured snippets, let’s cover some strategies on how to use all the benefits of this excellent extension.

Tip 1: Understand Your Audience

The first thing to do before creating your first structured snippet is to understand your target audience. When you have all the necessary information on your potential customers, you’ll be able to tailor the snippets precisely to their needs and expectations. 

Identifying Your Target Audience

If you want to reach potential customers successfully, use audience segment targeting for your ad groups. For example, you can target different individuals based on various details, such as their shopping habits or interests and how they interact with your ecommerce shop. 

This feature can help you improve your ad campaigns since it will target potential customers who are browsing specific web pages or using various mobile apps. Google Ads has an advertising policy for personalized ads that can help you understand how to use this method properly. 

Tailoring Structured Snippets for Your Audience

Tailoring structured snippets for the specific needs of your audience should be your priority just as much as identifying your audience. If you want to tailor them to meet your customers’ expectations perfectly, you can try and implement some of the following tips:

• Custom segments: Customizing your Gmail, Video, Discovery, and Display campaigns always does the trick. You can add unique URLs or keywords that are connected to specific products available in your ecommerce shops and set up your ads for individuals that Google will target as potential customers. 

• Data segments: Analyze your data and reach customers that have already bought something from your ecommerce shop. 

• Demographics: Reach your audience by targeting them according to their gender, age range, monthly or annual income, and parental status.

• Affinity segments: Focus on reaching potential customers that share the interests and shopping habits of your target audience.

Using Language and Tone That Resonates with Your Audience

Always make sure you’re using appropriate and accurate language and tone when advertising your products. Your tone should be friendly and energetic if you want to reach more people. 

Also, keep in mind that many of your customers might not be native speakers of the language you’re using, so avoid using slang and keep things easy to understand.

Tip 2: Highlight Key Features

If you want to attract the right audience, highlight your products’ key features. With structured snippets, you can provide all the necessary information about your products since the extension lets you include more than four values in one header. 

Identify the Most Important Features of Your Products or Services

You need to identify the most unique and interesting features of your products or services before you highlight them. 

For example, if you’re selling perfumes, you can identify the unique ingredients that help them stand out, such as amber, musk, lavender, bergamot, etc.

Provide Specific Details About Your Products

Once you identify the more important features of your products and services, you can add the attribute [product_highlight] to write down all your products’ unique features.

The highlights should be short sentences to help your customers learn more about the product’s specific features. 

Highlighting your products’ unique features that distinguish them from other similar products on the market can instantly make them more attractive to potential buyers.

Tip 3: Use Keywords

It’s also recommended to add keywords that describe your products’ unique features in a descriptive and accurate manner. By adding relevant keywords, your ads will most likely appear on the screens of your target audience, which is the ultimate goal. 

How to Use Keywords to Your Advantage in Structured Snippets

One great thing about structured snippets is that it lets website visitors get a glimpse of all the key information and keywords on certain services and products without even clicking on a Google ad. 

That’s why it’s important to use relevant keywords that will stand out and attract the attention of your website visitors. 

If you want to increase the visibility of a product in which only a specific audience is interested, you’ll also need to use unique keywords to ensure the right people see and click on your ad. 

Use general keywords if you’d rather just reach more customers instead of targeting a specific group of people. By using generic and widely-used keywords, your ads will appear to different groups of people. 

Keep in mind that it can appear to people who would never purchase the product you’re advertising. However, this strategy will help your business become more visible and popular among various audiences.

The only negative thing about this strategy is that commonly used keywords are usually more competitive, so you’ll likely need to place high bid amounts.

Tip 4: Utilize Different Formats

By using various formats, such as lists, tables, or bullets, you’ll enhance the visual look of your structured snippets and provide a bigger service or product group. Make sure to select the format that works best for your business.

Also, don’t forget to follow Google Merchant Center’s rules about not using symbols or punctuation in snippet format that doesn’t have a specific purpose, otherwise, you risk getting your ad suspended. Well-structured snippets examples don’t contain exclamation marks, symbols, or emoticons.  

Tip 5: Keep It Concise

Here’s what you can do to keep your structured snippets concise and accurate:

Write Clear Structured Snippets

Make sure that your structured snippets are written in a clear and concise manner. If they’re not, they are highly unlikely to capture the attention of your potential customers.

Avoid Jargon and Technical Language

Another thing to keep in mind is that gimmicky or excessive, over-the-top phrases or words are a no-go. Google Merchant Center even mentions that they simply won’t allow merchants to use repetitive language. 

Using technical language is also not a good strategy since your ad might come off as dull and potential customers might skip clicking on it. 

If you want to learn more about Google Merchant Center’s rules on repetitive phrases, check out their Repetition policy. 

Provide Succinct Information that Encourages Readers to Click Through to Your Website

Always add brief and concise information if you want to encourage your website visitors to stay longer on your website. No one wants to spend a lot of time reading unimportant details about a specific product. Keep things straightforward and easy to grasp.  

Ready to Start Using Structured Snippets?

Structured snippets are indeed an excellent powerful tool that can help merchants create more effective and successful Google campaigns. 

By using them properly and highlighting all the benefits and attributes of your products, your product listings’ relevance will improve, and your customers will get the essential information on your products without clicking anywhere! 

They have a user-friendly format and are free of charge, so why not start using them today and improve your customers’ user experience instantly? 

The post Structured Snippets: 5 Tips to Optimizing Your Search Engine Results appeared first on Store Growers.