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Google and Shopify team up to blunt Amazon’s digital ad push


Written by RetailWire Staff

Source: Shopify

Google is making it easier for retailers and brands to get their ads out on some of the media giant's most popular platforms, and it's using Shopify to do it.

Google is rolling out a suite of tools that allow retailers to buy ads directly through Shopify and display them in places like Google's search interface, Google Maps and YouTube, according to Bloomberg. The main tool is replacing the need to set up and track individual ad campaigns on each Google service. Other commerce-related tools Google is launching include one that enhances the keyword relevance of brands' ads and increases click-throughs and a tool meant to push foot traffic to stores via online ads.

The move by Google to increase its focus on facilitating advertising for brands and retailers comes as Amazon.com has made big inroads into digital advertising. Last year, eMarketer estimated that Amazon would own 10 percent of the share of digital advertising industry's spend by 2020, a jump from 3.5 percent in 2016. And some brands have reported significantly greater success promoting through Amazon Sponsored Products than through Google Adwords.

Shopify's collaboration with Google looks like another instance of big players picking sides to stake out territory against Amazon. Shopify's widely-used all-in-one e-commerce platform allows stores to build their own e-commerce presences. While Amazon shut down its competitive tool, Amazon Webstore, years ago, standalone online storefronts position businesses to work outside of the Amazon Marketplace.

Digital advertising isn't the only area in which Google has been shoring up competition against Amazon. In voice commerce, Google and Walmart partnered last year to offer thousands of products through Google Home.

Later in 2017, Target began selling through Google's shopping service, Google Express, also making the products accessible through Google Home, according to AdWeek. Home Depot likewise joined up to offer products via Google Express towards the end of last year.

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