When you type into Google: “I am looking for waterproof asphalt running shoes that don’t pinch the heel,” the system doesn’t care that you have filled in color: black in your spreadsheet. It cares whether it can find an answer to this specific situation in your product data.

That is why a new setting has quietly appeared in Google Merchant Center: Conversational Attributes (konverzačné atribúty)

For years, it was enough to pour stark parameters into your feed-size, brand, material, or product code. Today, however, Google requires you to add fluent sentences and explanations to the Merchant Center about the specific situations in which the product actually helps people.

Why did this shift happen?

People are asking increasingly complex questions in the search engine. Instead of two keywords, they write a whole sentence with context. Artificial intelligence in Google Shopping therefore needs to know more than just how much the item costs and what color it is.

When a customer searches for goods via an AI interface, the system doesn’t just browse dry codes in a spreadsheet. It scans the new conversational attributes and looks for a match with what the customer exactly needs. If it finds a clear answer there, it pulls your product to the forefront in Google Shopping. If you only have basic data without context in your feed, the algorithm will bypass you because you haven’t explained who the product is suitable for.

What is the difference between the old and the new feed?

Let’s look at a specific example. The difference in how the algorithm sees the data is vast:

Old Approach (Classic Parameters)New Approach (Conversational Attributes)
Brand: RunningX“The shoe is designed for heavier runners who need extra cushioning on hard surfaces.”
Material: Gore-Tex“Ideal for winter and rainy weather; the waterproof membrane keeps the foot dry even when running in puddles.”
Use: Sport“Suitable for beginners looking for stable footwear with Achilles tendon protection.”

If someone asks AI in a shopping chat for shoes for a 90 kg beginner for running in the city, the old parameters will tell the algorithm almost nothing. However, the conversational attribute gives it a direct answer.

How to put conversational attributes into practice?

You don’t have to immediately overhaul your entire catalog of tens of thousands of products. Proceed systematically:

1. Extract data from real customer support

Look at emails, chat messages, and the most common reviews. What do people ask before buying?

  • Does it leak water?
  • Is it also suitable for wider feet?
  • Will it survive a dishwasher?

2. Prioritize your top 20% of products

Work first with the products that make up the majority of your revenue. It is with these items that modifying your Google Shopping feed will yield the fastest return on investment.

3. Bridge the gap between the e-shop and the physical store

magine how a salesperson in a store would recommend a given product to a customer who came in with a specific problem. Transfer these exact sentences to the Merchant Center.

Why start immediately?

Most competitors are still sending only a basic product feed to Google Merchant Center. While others are waiting, you can upload data to your Google Shopping campaigns that makes the algorithm’s job easier. The moment a user asks the AI about a specific problem, Google will bring to the forefront the product that gives them the most precise answer.