Google Merchant Center
Product Feed Extras: Custom Labels, Product Highlights, Multiple Languages and Feed Tools
Once required attributes are right, a few optional ones and the right tooling make a feed easier to manage and more useful to shoppers.
Required attributes get products approved. Optional attributes like product highlights help shoppers, and custom labels help you organize campaigns.
This guide covers those attributes, the choice between files, Google Sheets, the Merchant API and feed management tools, and running feeds in several languages.
Short answer: Use custom labels 0 to 4 to group products for Performance Max, Shopping and Demand Gen bidding and reporting (shoppers never see them; up to 1,000 unique values per label). Add 4 to 6 product highlights per product, each up to 150 characters, describing only the product. Use files or Google Sheets for small catalogs, the Merchant API or a feed tool for large or fast-changing ones, and create a separate primary data source with translated data and landing pages for each additional language.
Key Takeaways
- Custom labels are for your campaigns, not shoppers.
- Up to 1,000 unique values per custom label.
- Product highlights: 2 to 100 allowed, 4 to 6 recommended.
- API or feed tools suit large or frequently changing catalogs.
- Each extra language needs its own data source and translated pages.
Custom labels
- Five attributes, custom_label_0 through custom_label_4, each with your own definition.
- Common uses: margin band, season, clearance, best sellers, price range.
- One value per label per product; up to 1,000 unique values per label across the account.
- Use feed rules to assign labels automatically, for example price ranges 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20+.
- Set them up with feed rules or supplemental sources (feed rules, supplemental feeds).
Product highlights
- Short, scannable fragments answering common buyer questions.
- 1 to 150 characters each; at least 2 and at most 100 per product; 4 to 6 recommended.
- Describe only the product, not accessories, your store or policies.
- No all caps, symbols or promotional text.
- Google says highlights can help shoppers discover products across AI-driven surfaces such as AI Mode.
For titles and descriptions, see product titles and the feed optimization checklist.
Files, Sheets, API or a feed tool?
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| Google Sheets template | Small catalogs edited by hand |
| File (upload, scheduled fetch, SFTP) | Exports from your platform on a schedule |
| Platform app (Shopify, WooCommerce) | Most small and mid-size stores |
| Merchant API | Large catalogs or frequent price and stock changes |
| Feed management tool | Multiple channels, complex rules, many countries |
When comparing feed tools, check: supported channels, rule flexibility, how often they sync, error reporting, support for supplemental data and how they handle variants and identifiers.
Feeds in multiple languages
- Create a new primary data source for each country and language combination, with translated product data.
- Landing pages must be in the same language.
- Product data in one language can target speakers of that language in other countries if policies, shipping and targeting are met.
- Keep the same product ID for the same product across countries and languages.
- Currency and tax rules differ by country (multiple countries, tax and prices).
Frequently asked questions
Do custom labels affect ranking in free listings?
No. They’re for organizing campaigns and reporting and aren’t shown to shoppers.
Are product highlights required?
No, they’re optional, but they give shoppers quick facts.
Do I need a paid feed tool?
Most small stores don’t. Consider one for many channels, countries or complex rules.
Need help with Merchant Center?
We fix disapprovals, policy issues and feed problems so your products can show in Google Shopping and free listings.
Sources
- Merchant Center Help: Custom label 0-4 [custom_label_0-4]
- Merchant Center Help: Product highlight [product_highlight]
- Merchant Center Help: Shopping ads and listings policies
Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
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Merchant Center Problems?
Disapprovals, suspensions and feed errors, fixed within Google’s policies.
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