Connecting Shopify and Google Merchant Center: Improved Conversions

If you want your products to appear in Google's "Shopping" tab or to run Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, you need Google Merchant Center.

But in 2025, connecting the catalog is only half the battle. Due to cookie blocking (iOS 14, Chrome), Google Ads is "blind." It's missing out on many sales that are actually happening.

The solution is to activate Enhanced Conversions . And the good news is that Shopify is the only platform that lets you do this with one click using its native app, without touching any code.

Step 1: Install the Native App "Google & YouTube"

Forget about manually uploading XML files. Shopify has an official integration maintained by Google.

1. Go to the Shopify App Store and search for Google & YouTube .
2. Click on Install and then on Add sales channel .
3. Connect your Google account (it must be the same email you use in Merchant Center and Google Ads).

Step 2: Link Merchant Center and Google Ads

The setup wizard will ask you to verify three things:

• Google Merchant Center account: If you already have one, select it. If not, click "Create new" from within Shopify. The app will automatically claim and verify your domain (no more uploading HTML files to the server).
• Google Ads Account: Select your advertising account to allow Shopify to send conversion events.
• Target audience: Select "Spain" (and other countries if you sell abroad) and the language.

Once completed, product synchronization will begin. It may take up to 3-5 days for Google to approve your products.

Step 3: Activate Enhanced Conversions (The "Game Changer")

This is where you make a difference. Enhanced Conversions sends encrypted customer data (email, phone number) to Google when they make a purchase, allowing you to attribute sales that cookies don't detect.

How to activate it in 1 minute:

1. Within the Google & YouTube app in Shopify, go to Settings .
2. Look for the Google Ads Conversion Tracking section.
3. You'll see a switch that says "Turn on Enhanced Conversion Tracking" .
4. Activate it. Done!

Note: On other platforms like PrestaShop, this requires programmers and Google Tag Manager Server-Side. On Shopify, it's a button.

Step 4: Manage the Product Feed

Not all your products should go on Google. Sometimes you want to exclude low-margin products or cheap accessories.

To manage what is sent:

1. Go to the page of any product in Shopify.
2. On the right, under Sales Channels , click on "Manage".
3. Check or uncheck Google & YouTube .

Pro Tip: If you're missing data (like the GTIN/EAN or Google Category), use Shopify's bulk edit option to fill in the "Barcode" and "Google Product Category" fields. Without a GTIN, Google won't show your ads.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shopify and Google

Why are my products showing as "Rejected" due to lack of GTIN?

Google requires a globally unique identifier (EAN, UPC, ISBN) for branded products. If you are a manufacturer or sell handcrafted goods, you must mark your product as a "Custom Product" in the Google app to avoid being required to provide a barcode.

Do I need to set up shipments in Merchant Center?

Yes. Although Shopify syncs products, you must manually configure shipping costs within your Google Merchant Center account (Settings > Shipping). If the shipping price on your website and on Google doesn't match, your account will be suspended.

Do Enhanced Conversions comply with the LOPD/GDPR?

Yes. Shopify applies a hash algorithm (SHA256) to customer data (email, phone number) before sending it to Google. Google never sees the actual email address, only the encrypted code used to match it in their database.