Question
Froogle News
Issue 2 - March 2004
Welcome to the second edition of Froogle News, which offers news, tips and other relevant information to keep you in the Froogle loop. We welcome and encourage your feedback about this issue, as well as suggestions for future editions. Write to us at feeds-support*google.com.
The Froogle Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this issue:
New Developments
Popular Searches
Tips of the Quarter
Froogle in the News
Final Question
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Developments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Froogle on Google.com
There’s no need to do an Advanced Search to find products these days, since Froogle is now a convenient link on the Google home page:
http://www.google.com/
It’s just one more way for us to provide our users with the best possible search experience – and one more way to bring those users to your site! We hope you’ll enjoy the new placement as much as we do.
Toolbar 2.0
Froogle has also been added to the latest version of the Google Toolbar. The Google Toolbar, which includes a pop-up blocker and a form autofill tool, can be downloaded for free here:
http://toolbar.google.com/
Once the Toolbar is set up on your browser, you can choose 'Search Froogle' as an option listed under 'Extra Search Buttons.'
Product Search Results in Google
Google has begun integrating Froogle search results with the regular Google search results. When users search for certain products on Google, the web search results page will display the top three product results from Froogle.
For example, here are the results for the query [hiking boots]:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...q=hiking+boots
These 'Product Search' results are not paid advertisements, but free, relevant, product-specific search results. As you know, merchants are included in Froogle at no cost, and as with Google's web search results, Froogle results are unbiased by human intervention. Google does not accept payment for placement within the Froogle results themselves.
This results feature was integrated as an enhancement that will further simplify our users’ shopping experience. By integrating Froogle into the Google search experience, users can quickly and easily be connected to relevant web pages selling the products they’re looking for.
Merchants currently featured in Froogle also benefit by this enhancement as they broaden their customer outreach to include all Google users. Froogle will continue to remain free to all merchants who would like to submit a data feed.
Safe Search
Froogle has implemented a Safe Search feature that is currently the default for all searches. Adult products should not be displayed if Safe Search is turned on. If your site contains non-family-safe products, some of these products might not be displayed if Safe Search is turned on.
To turn Safe Search on or off to block or view adult products, click on ‘Preferences’ next to the search box on the Froogle home page: http://www.froogle.google.com. Once you select your preferred level of restriction, Froogle will save your preferences.
Make sure you have cookies enabled on your browser, or the preferences will not be saved.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions on these changes at feeds-support*google.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Popular Searches
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are Froogle users looking for? Here are the top 10 popular searches on Froogle.
ipod
xbox
digital camera
mp3 player
prom dresses
playstation 2
treo 600
laptop
ugg boots
poker chips
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips of the Quarter
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tip one: Use your own category structure – we’ll map your products to Froogle.
We do it for you! We will manually map your store's product categories to our own hierarchy. All that we ask is that you include the same category information in your data feed as those on your product pages.
Tip two: Include all data, even specs, in your product descriptions.
Be sure to include the same descriptions that are on your product pages in the description field in the feed file. Information that spans multiple paragraphs or bullet points, like those for product specifications in the page can all be included as well. The more descriptive the information, the more likely Froogle users will be able to find your products.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Froogle in the News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recent notable mentions of Froogle include stories on Forbes, Wired, and The Motley Fool. Click through the links to learn the latest.
Google Puts Froogle on Site, Tests Personalization
Forbes.com, March 29, 2004
“Google's Froogle shopping feature helps users sort items such as digital cameras or Apple iPod music players by price.”
Google Gets Its Groove On
Wired, March 29, 2004
“Google has fine-tuned its popular online search engine with a new look designed to drive more traffic to its shopping service, Froogle...”
Google's Froogle Goes Shopping
The Motley Fool, March 29, 2004
“Google's made the latest move today, having smacked its Froogle service for online shoppers up on its home page early today.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Question
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a merchant, what features and enhancements do you think Froogle users would like to see? Please send any ideas or suggestions to feeds-support*google.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank You!
Thanks to all who contributed to this newsletter. Let us hear from you at feeds-support*google.com.
The Froogle Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opt Out:
If you're not interested in receiving the Froogle Merchant Newsletter, please click here to unsubscribe.
©2004 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Answer
Thanks Melbay I didn't get a copy because I have changed my email address. Guess I need to go sign up again.
Mike