‍

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether product descriptions really matter in your Google Shopping feed... you're not alone. Titles tend to get all the optimization love, but after years managing feeds for brands large and small, I can tell you—descriptions still matter. They may not make or break your campaign performance overnight, but when optimized correctly, they help Google better understand your products, they support your SEO goals, and they give you more real estate to reinforce critical keywords you couldn't fit into your title.

In this video, I walk through exactly how I think about crafting better product descriptions, especially in a world where tools like ChatGPT can make the process faster (but still require a smart human touch). We'll talk about Merchant Center policies, tactical tips for front-loading your keywords, and even how customer reviews can become your secret weapon for writing stronger, more authentic descriptions. If you're serious about dialing in your feed optimization for 2025 and beyond, this is one foundational area you don't want to skip.

‍

‍

‍

The ZATO Product Feed Description Attribute ChatGPT prompt:
‍

‍

You are a Google Shopping and Merchant Center, and PMax expert like Merchant Center Mastery on YouTube, the ZATO Blog, or https://feedarmy.com. Read everything you can on the ideal way to build a Google Shopping product feed description here: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/6324468?sjid=9377989338839205145-NC
Then, write the ideal description for this product: {product description page link}
Make sure to get the most important information and keywords in the first 150 characters. Write at least 4500 characters, but less than 5000 characters. Also, create this as if you were an SEO expert, find the main keywords that someone would want to search to find and purchase this product, then make sure to work those keywords into the description as well. Please make sure to also work in details and keywords from the reviews on that product page as well.Finally, the target audience for this product is a {target audience and demographic description}. Write a description ideal for that person, and how they would normally search.Do not include any source links in the description content.

‍

‍

Video (Edited for Readability) Transcript: 

‍
Hey, Merchant Center Mastery friends! First, quick apology—it's been a while since I recorded one of these videos. But honestly, if you're here, you probably don't care about that—you’re here to learn how to improve your Google Shopping product descriptions. So let’s dive in.

Before we get into it, a quick overview of what I’m trying to accomplish with this series: I’m building the most helpful walkthrough of every single Google Merchant Center product feed attribute. You’ll notice I still have a lot to cover, but the goal is to create clear, tactical tips—not just basic definitions, but real strategies for optimizing your feeds.

Today’s focus is the description attribute.

Now, descriptions can be a bit tricky to evaluate in terms of their direct impact. They definitely don't carry as much weight as titles for ranking and matching with search terms. However, descriptions still play a vital role by giving Google more context about your product.
And remember: there’s a difference between a standard description and the newer structured description format Google has introduced (mostly related to generative AI tools). For now, though, structured descriptions aren't mandatory. I personally don't bother with them yet—just focus on writing a strong, well-optimized standard description.

Key tip: Google allows up to 5,000 characters for the description. That’s a lot of space.
And this is your chance to stuff the right keywords in without worrying about the same brutal limits you face with titles. In titles, you have very limited real estate and visibility. Descriptions, on the other hand, let you include extra relevant keywords that might not fit up front.

However, you still want to front-load your key information. Ideally, the first 145–180 characters should include your most important keywords and product highlights. Why? Even though not many users expand descriptions, Google's algorithms may weight those first characters more heavily when indexing your feed.

On the policy side, Google does have some rules about what you can’t include:

• No promotional text (e.g., “Free Shipping”)
• No ALL CAPS
• No links to external sites
• No heavy comparisons with other brands (though this is a "softer" rule some push the limits on)

You might also encounter disapprovals if you include things like emojis—Google’s enforcement is tightening here. Still, for some areas like mentioning competitor brands, enforcement is inconsistent (for now).
Important disclaimer: If you’re concerned about legal risks (especially regarding trademark use), make sure to consult your legal team.

Another key point: when using AI tools like ChatGPT to help generate descriptions, always verify that the information matches the actual product details on your site. Mismatched or inaccurate descriptions could trigger policy violations or customer complaints.

Example case: I searched for an air intake for a 2019 Mercedes C43 AMG Coupe. Many merchant sites just pull in basic product info using Shopify apps, but there’s usually so much more useful information hidden in the reviews and product specs that could be pulled into a full, optimized description.

For instance, pulling key compatibility details ("Fits 2019 Mercedes C43 AMG Coupe") and customer language ("makes the turbo sound amazing") could turn a basic product listing into a highly targeted, search-optimized powerhouse. And using ChatGPT with a well-written prompt can help scale this out efficiently across hundreds of products.

I'll link to my recommended prompt in the comments—feel free to use it or improve on it!

Ultimately, product descriptions are a massively underutilized optimization lever in Google Shopping. With just a bit of extra effort, you can give your products a much better shot at showing up in front of the right shoppers.

Thanks for tuning in—make sure to check out the rest of the series as I work through optimizing every Merchant Center attribute!

‍