With Google’s recent Google Merchant Center specification update, merchants using AI-generated product titles are now being asked to submit them via the new [structured_title] attribute, instead of the traditional [title] field. But why is Google requesting this change, and does it have any impact on feed performance?
At VersaFeed, we decided to test it.
The Test
For this experiment, we generated AI product titles for 9,000 products and ran two tests:
- Test Group: Submitted the AI titles in the [structured_title] attribute, as per Google’s guidelines.
- Control Group: Submitted the AI titles in the [title] attribute, ignoring Google’s request.
We wondered if being a "rule breaker" by submitting AI titles in the [title] attribute might result in increased performance across key metrics. But, as it turns out, there were no significant differences in performance. Both groups delivered identical results across KPIs like impressions, clicks, and CPC.
Conclusion: Don’t Be a Rule Breaker
In the end, our testing showed that submitting AI-generated titles in the [structured_title] attribute, as Google requests, has no adverse effects on performance. There’s no penalty for following the rules, and you remain in compliance with Google's latest specifications.
In short, if you’re using AI-generated titles, you might as well use [structured_title]. It won’t change your KPIs, but it ensures you’re aligned with Google’s guidelines—always a good practice.