Running Google Ads Internationally Just Got Easier
Shopify store owners in New Zealand can now reach more international customers effortlessly. Thanks to a recent update in the Google & YouTube app, your Shopify shipping countries will now automatically sync with Google Merchant Center. This means your free listings and ads can be shown in more countries without manual adjustments, making it easier to run Google Ads internationally.
What’s Changed?
Previously, syncing your store’s shipping countries with Google Merchant Center required manual adjustments to get all of your destination countries set up (or alternatively, a third party feed app). Now, the Google & YouTube app automatically syncs all your Shopify shipping countries. This update allows your ads to reach international audiences more efficiently without extra setup or costs.
💡 Key Benefits:
- No need to manually add shipping countries in Merchant Center.
- Your free listings and paid ads can appear in more locations.
- Potential for increased sales by reaching new international markets.
- You can potentially uninstall costly third party apps in favour for this free alternative.
Why Are International Ads Important for Shopify Stores in NZ?
For New Zealand-based Shopify stores, expanding internationally can boost revenue and brand reach. With a small domestic market, selling beyond NZ is often essential for scaling your business.
We have worked with many Shopify merchants in New Zealand that hit a wall in revenue and growth when just advertising to the New Zealand market. If you only advertise domestically, depending on how niche your products are, you may quickly run into the problem where your ads are just being seen repeatedly by the same people. Even for larger and wider reaching brands, we have found it requires comparatively little budget to be reaching all the possible customers in NZ compared to other countries with larger audiences.
🌏 Benefits of Running International Ads:
- Access to larger customer bases in markets like Australia, the U.S., and Europe.
- Increased brand awareness on a global scale.
- Potential for higher revenue in regions with high demand for your products.
With the Google & YouTube app’s latest update, it’s now easier than ever to capitalize on these opportunities.
What Are the Risks of Running International Ads for Shopify Stores in NZ?
Before you jump straight into advertising internationally, you need to be careful about the differences between running Google Ads in NZ vs running Google Ads internationally to avoid wasting budget. Here are some common pitfalls you need to think about before you start advertising internationally:
- Which country will you start with? - Avoid running ads globally in every country. Each campaign should be targeted to one specific country or group of countries (e.g. Europe or pacific islands can possibly be a single campaign, but I would have a dedicated campaign for countries like Australia, USA, Japan, etc)
- Is your website set up to sell to this country? - At the minimum, you should have a Shopify market set up for your new country you are advertising too, as well their local currency. You should also make sure you comply with local laws (e.g. gdpr for europe), and that your shipping policy & rates are set up for this country. Ideally, you will also have a local domain for your new country - some countries such as Australia though will require you to register a business in the country or trademark to get a .com.au domain.
- How will you handle shipping? - People expect fast shipping times, which can be difficult when your products are shipping from e.g. New Zealand to Germany. Ideally, you will need to consider having a 3PL set up at target locations to improve your shipping costs and times to international markets, but many businesses understandably first want to see a demand for their products in a country before setting up a fulfillment center.
- Expect a rough start - To put it simply, do not expect the level of returns you get for a domestic market straight away. You likely don’t have fast and cost-effective shipping to this country as I noted above, and you haven’t built up a loyal customer base or any brand awareness in this new country yet. If you are advertising internationally and expecting high returns straight away, you are looking at it the wrong way. The point of advertising internationally is to get a new foothold in a new market so that you have more room to grow, which will mean short term pain for your bottom line, but with the potential for a much larger audience then you would ever have if you just stuck to New Zealand only.
How Can I Optimize My International Ads?
There are a few ways you can make sure that you get the most out of international ads, here are the most important factors to look out for:
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Shipping is the most important – Blame stores like Amazon, but people now expect fast and free shipping. While it is a significant investment, consider at some point getting a 3PL in international countries so that you can improve shipping times and costs. Before you are ready to do that, at minimum you should clearly communicate shipping times and costs to customers, usually this is done on the product and checkout page.
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Localise Your Website Domain – If you have a .co.nz domain or similar, make sure you get set up with a domain to match your new country (e.g. .com.au for Australia). Shopify Markets makes this easy to set up, so that you can do this all under one Shopify store. You can also consider using an international domain like .com, but a local domain works better for markets that focus on individual countries like Australia, Japan, etc.
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Personalise your website – Similar to the above point, you should also: Make sure you offer the currency of your new country on your website, communicate the shipping policies and rates clearly, customise any website banners or messaging to suit this market , e.g. free shipping goals (This can be done with Shopify markets), and make sure you comply with any local laws (such as gdpr for Europe).
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Personalise your campaigns – Don’t run just one campaign for all countries, each market you advertise into should have it’s own unique campaign, and you should edit the wording & media to match your market’s interests.
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Testing is crucial – Don’t start with a big budget on one ad. Instead, run a lot of different ads with a smaller budget, and test what works and what doesn’t. A new market will work differently than local markets, so you should test different keywords, tones for your copywriting, media, media formats, target demographics, etc.
Should I Use the Google & YouTube App or a Third-Party App?
While the Google & YouTube app is the official Shopify integration and provides automatic sync, some store owners might prefer a third-party app for more advanced features.
📌 Google & YouTube App Pros:
- Easy setup and automatic sync with Merchant Center
- No extra cost
- Works seamlessly with Shopify
📌 Third-Party App Pros:
- More customization options
- Generally better feed management and reporting
- Greater control over country-specific settings
If you have complex product feeds or need more flexibility, a third-party app might be a better choice. However, for most store owners, the Google & YouTube app provides a simple and effective solution, especially with these new changes.
Final Thoughts
With Shopify and Google Merchant Center now automatically syncing shipping countries, running international Google Ads has never been easier.
If you’re looking to expand your Shopify store globally, this update is a game-changer. Now’s the perfect time to explore international advertising and unlock new growth opportunities. 🚀
