Google unveils Product Studio: A new tool that will help promote products

In a groundbreaking announcement at the highly anticipated Google Marketing Live event, the Google has introduced Product Studio, an innovative tool poised to revolutionize the way merchants create product imagery using cutting-edge generative AI. This latest offering allows brands to effortlessly generate captivating visuals within Merchant Center Next, Google's platform designed to help businesses optimize their product visibility on the search engine giant, Techcrunch.com reports.

For example, a skin care manufacturer can use artificial intelligence to create new versions of an existing cream photo "surrounded by peaches, tropical plants in the background." The tool can also be used to remove distracting backgrounds and improve the quality of small or low-resolution images.

With the introduction of Product Studio, Google aims to provide merchants with a cost-effective means of generating compelling product imagery, enabling them to extract maximum value from their existing image assets. Gone are the days of expensive photoshoots for product updates. For instance, a skincare company can effortlessly showcase a seasonal version of a product by requesting an image featuring the product adorned with luscious peaches against a backdrop of tropical plants.

Beyond its remarkable creative capabilities, Product Studio also equips merchants with the power to eliminate distracting backgrounds. Suppose an image features a complex backdrop that detracts from the product's appeal. In that case, merchants can effortlessly remove the unwanted elements and replace them with a sleek, plain white background. Moreover, the tool boasts the ability to enhance the quality of small or low-resolution images, eliminating the need for costly reshoots.

The initial rollout of Product Studio will be available to merchants in the United States within the next few months. Moreover, Google has extended its partnership with Shopify, ensuring that these exciting features will also be accessible to merchants leveraging the Google and YouTube apps on the Shopify platform.

During a briefing with reporters, Matt Madrigal, the Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping at Google, emphasized the pivotal role of advanced technologies, including AI, in the evolution of Google Shopping products. Product Studio represents a game-changing step as it democratizes these technologies, empowering small and medium-sized businesses to harness their transformative potential.

In addition to Product Studio, Google also unveiled measures to simplify the process of listing products on Google through Merchant Center Next. Previously, merchants setting up their presence on Google had to manually input product details, including descriptions, images, prices, and more. However, Google has streamlined the process by automatically populating a merchant's product feed with information detected from their website. Merchants retain full control over the data and can modify or disable this automated feature as desired.

Moreover, Google seeks to enhance merchant understanding of their performance by consolidating all insights reports into the Performance tab. Merchants now have a comprehensive overview of their best-selling products, the businesses that appear alongside theirs, and how shoppers engage with their local business through Search and Maps.

"For merchants with both online and brick-and-mortar stores, Merchant Center Next presents a unified view of all products, simplifying the management of online and in-store inventory," the company stated in a blog post. "Furthermore, we will provide new insights into the potential benefits of rectifying product data errors, enabling easier prioritization of updates."

Merchant Center Next has already begun rolling out to new users, and Google plans to progressively upgrade smaller businesses over the coming months. The global rollout is expected to conclude by 2024. Merchants will receive notifications when the new experience becomes available to them, ensuring a seamless transition.

With the introduction of Product Studio and the enhancements to Merchant Center Next, Google continues to cement its position as a trailblazer in empowering businesses of all sizes with innovative tools and insights to thrive in the digital landscape.