Today, I’m thrilled to share that Google has unveiled exciting new tools in the Merchant Center, all geared towards boosting retailer visibility on AI-driven shopping platforms. Announced at Google Marketing Live 2026, these tools are set to transform how products are discovered.
Driving the news. Let me introduce you to AI Performance Insights, a fresh reporting feature that gives merchants a snapshot of their brand’s performance across AI platforms.
This handy tool lets me compare my brand’s share of voice with similar competitors, ensuring I stay on top of AI-driven discovery metrics.
Google is also introducing Conversational Attributes, enhancing how we optimize our product listings to align with natural, conversational searches.
How it works. I can now add conversational attributes and update descriptions directly in the Merchant Center. Google’s AI can utilize this structured data to meet conversational search queries seamlessly across AI Mode, Gemini, and other AI platforms.
These updates are crafted to enhance discoverability as AI continues to reshape shopping experiences.
Moreover, Ask Advisor integrations are soon to be part of my Merchant Center tools.
Why we care. Structured product data is now more essential than ever as AI shopping experiences proliferate across Search, Gemini, and Maps.
By adapting product descriptions for conversational discovery, I can better position my products within AI-generated recommendations and shopping paths.
These new reporting tools also give me early visibility into how my brand performs in AI-powered environments.
What to watch. With the rise of conversational search behavior, optimizing product feeds for AI visibility is becoming increasingly critical. I’ll also be keeping an eye on how Google defines and measures “share of voice” within these AI-powered shopping ecosystems.
Availability. AI Performance Insights will soon roll out in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Conversational Attributes are launching globally.
Dig deeper. Here are some more updates from Google Marketing Live 2026:
- Google tests new conversational ad formats in AI Mode and Search
- Google expands Direct Offers with AI-generated bundles, native checkout, and travel deals
- Google brings Meridian marketing mix modeling into Analytics 360
- Google expands Demand Gen with YouTube creator tools
- Google upgrades Asset Studio with Gemini-powered creative generation and video tools
- Google expands Universal Commerce Protocol and launches new agentic shopping tools
- Google launches Ask Advisor across Ads, Analytics, and Merchant Center
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
