Google Ads Shopping study plan

Map the full Google Ads Shopping surface area by listing every campaign type, ad format, and feed surface you must know, then rank them by exam weight

Define Merchant Center account structure, including the relationship between a multi-client account and its sub-accounts, and write a one-page diagram of it from memory

Explain product data specification fields (id, title, description, link, image_link, availability, price, condition, brand, gtin, mpn) and note which are required versus recommended

Describe how a product feed becomes an approved product and trace the path from feed upload through processing to eligibility for Shopping ads

Diagnose disapproved or limited products by matching at least eight common disapproval reasons to the specific feed attribute or policy that causes them

Build a feed quality checklist covering title structure, image requirements, price and availability accuracy, and identifier completeness

Compare automated feed rules, supplemental feeds, and the Content API by writing when each is the right tool

Practice interpreting Merchant Center diagnostics categories and state what action each one triggers

Set up a Standard Shopping campaign structure end to end, including priority settings and how they interact with inventory filters

Configure product groups by building a branching subdivision tree and predict which group a given product will fall into

Explain how campaign priority, product group bids, and inventory filters resolve when multiple campaigns could serve the same product

Distinguish Smart Shopping from Standard Shopping and from Performance Max, and state when each is appropriate

Compare manual CPC, maximize clicks, target ROAS, and target CPA bidding and identify which campaign requirements each one imposes

Calculate break-even ROAS from margin data and use it to judge whether a target ROAS setting is realistic

Interpret the search terms report and negative keyword lists in a Shopping context, where keywords are not used for targeting

Explain how audience segments, device bid adjustments, and geographic settings layer onto Shopping campaigns

Define the core Shopping performance metrics (clicks, impressions, conversion value, ROAS, cost, benchmark CTR, benchmark CPC) and explain what each one signals

Diagnose an underperforming Shopping campaign by separating feed-side causes from bid-side and budget-side causes

Describe how to use reporting dimensions such as product type, brand, and category to isolate poor performers

Outline a structured optimization cycle that moves from data review to hypothesis to change to measurement

Explain how local inventory ads and free listings differ from standard Shopping ads in eligibility and setup requirements

Describe the role of product ratings, promotions, and Merchant Center programs in ad enrichment and eligibility

Identify policy areas that most often affect retail advertisers, including restricted products and misrepresentation

Practice answering scenario questions that combine feed eligibility with campaign structure and bidding

Complete a full timed practice set covering all Shopping topics and log every miss with the underlying concept it exposed

Re-teach your five weakest concepts in your own words without consulting notes

Re-derive the feed architecture diagram, troubleshooting tree, and break-even ROAS formula to confirm retention

Drill scenario questions that require choosing between competing diagnoses rather than recalling a definition

Review the error log and convert each remaining weak concept into a flashcard or one-line rule

Run a second timed practice set and compare scores against week 7 to confirm improvement

Rehearse the highest-risk areas: disapproval diagnosis, campaign priority resolution, and bid strategy selection

Build a one-page pre-exam summary sheet you can reread in the final hour