TL;DR: The Keyword Paradigm Shift

• The Shift: In 2026, Google Shopping is an intent-engine, not a keyword-engine.
• The Strategy: Manual keyword lists are out; Feed Structure and Negative Keywords are in.
• The Solution: Use PMax for discovery, negatives for control, and detailed product attributes to win the “Visual Search” war.
• The Proof: How Campusbokhandeln increased conversion value by 355% by structuring their feed, not just bidding on keywords.

Overview

Google Shopping keywords may seem like a wild beast to tame, but in 2026, the game has changed entirely. The question isn’t just “how to find keywords,” but how to structure your data so Google’s AI can find you. With the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and visual search, manual keyword lists are being replaced by rich, descriptive product attributes. This guide explores the new rules of intent-driven Shopping ads, how to master negative keyword lists, and how to turn your product feed into your most powerful targeting tool.

Read the full breakdown below.

How Keywords Work in Google Shopping (2026)

Surprisingly enough, the question “Does Google Shopping use keywords?” still pops up. In 2026, the answer is a nuanced “No, but…” Google Shopping keywords have evolved into an intent-driven, AI-powered system where product feed data—specifically titles and descriptions—acts as the primary keyword source.

1. Product Titles as Keywords

The product title in your merchant feed is the most critical “keyword” mechanism for Shopping ads. Detailed, specific titles are essential, as broad, generic terms are ignored by AI.

• Old Way: “Men’s Running Shoe”
• 2026 Way: “Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 – Men’s Running Shoe – Black – Size 10 – Road Racing”

2. AI Interpretation of Intent

Instead of matching exact phrases, Google’s AI analyzes user intent, conversational questions, and visual inputs (e.g., photo searches) to display relevant products. It matches your product feed against the user’s problem, not just their search query.

3. Attributes > Keywords

Detailed product attributes (GTINs, size, color, gender) are more important than traditional keyword lists for ranking. If your feed lacks these, you are invisible to the algorithm.

4. Shift from Keywords to Signals

In 2026, everything is a signal. Visual data, offline conversions, and first-party customer lists hold more weight than traditional, low-volume keywords.

Proof of Concept: For our client Campusbokhandeln, we stopped hunting for keywords and focused entirely on Feed Structure. By creating granular bidding buckets for every single book title (SKU), we increased their conversion value by 355% in just two months.

How to “Add” Keywords: The Product Title Strategy

You can’t directly add keywords to a Shopping campaign, but you can engineer your feed to act like a keyword list. Here is how the three main attributes function as triggers:

1. Product Title: This is your “H1” for Shopping. It must include Brand, Product Type, Key Attributes (Size/Color), and Model.
2. Description: Use this to capture long-tail intent. Include synonyms (e.g., “sneakers” vs “trainers”) and problem-solving language naturally.
3. Product Type: This backend attribute guides Google’s categorization engine. Use it to layer in broader category keywords that might not fit in the title.

Automation Tip: Manually updating thousands of SKUs is impossible. Tools like BrightBid use AI to auto-inject high-performing search terms directly into your feed titles in real-time.

5 Ways to Find “Keywords” (Intent Signals) for Shopping

Since you can’t bid on keywords directly, you need to find the Intent Signals that drive conversion and inject them into your feed.

1. Competitor Feed Analysis

Don’t just look at ads; look at Feed Structure. What attributes are competitors highlighting? Tools for competitor monitoring can reveal the specific terms they use in titles to capture traffic.

2. Search Term Report (The Gold Mine)

Even with AI, the Search Term Report is your source of truth.

• Action: Filter by “Converted” and sort by “Volume.”
• Feed Injection: If users convert on “waterproof hiking boots” but your title just says “hiking boots,” update your feed title immediately to include “Waterproof.”

3. Brainstorm User Needs (Intent Mapping)

Think beyond the product name. What problem does it solve?

• Product: “Noise-cancelling headphones.”
• User Need: “Headphones for airplane travel” or “Focus music headset.”
• Action: Add these “Use Case” keywords to your product descriptions.

4. PMax as a Discovery Engine

Use Performance Max (PMax) to test your products against millions of new queries. Review the “Insights” tab to identify new search themes, then move those winning themes into your Standard Shopping campaigns for manual control.

5. First-Party Data Signals

Feed the AI with high-quality data. Upload your Customer Match lists and offline conversion data. This tells Google, “Find me more people like this,” effectively creating a “Keyword List” made of people, not words.

How to Use Negative Keywords in 2026

While AI handles targeting, Negative Keywords are your primary control lever to stop budget bleed.

The 3 Match Types for Control

1. Broad Match Negatives (No punctuation): Blocks the phrase in any order.
   • Example: running shoes blocks “blue running shoes,” “shoes for running,” etc.
   • Use Case: Blocking entire irrelevant categories (e.g., rent, used, free).
2. Phrase Match Negatives (“Quotes”): Blocks the exact phrase in that order.
   • Example: "cheap shoes" blocks “buy cheap shoes” but allows “cheap red shoes.”
   • Use Case: Nuanced blocking of specific low-value modifiers.
3. Exact Match Negatives ([Brackets]): Blocks only that specific query.
   • Example: [nike shoes] blocks only the query “nike shoes.”
   • Use Case: Rare. Mostly used to funnel traffic between campaigns.

Strategic Tip: In PMax, use Brand Exclusions to ensure your prospecting budget isn’t wasted on people who already know you.

How to Set Up a Multi-Campaign Structure (The Priority Hack)

To gain control over “keywords,” use Google’s Campaign Priority settings (High, Medium, Low) to funnel traffic.

1. High-Priority Campaign (The “Clearance” or “Best Seller” Layer)

• Goal: Capture specific, high-value traffic or move inventory fast.
• Strategy: Set priority to “High” and use Negative Keywords to block generic terms. This forces Google to show these products only for specific, long-tail queries.

2. Medium-Priority Campaign (The “Category” Layer)

• Goal: Target broader category terms (e.g., “Running Shoes”).
• Strategy: Exclude brand terms here to focus on generic acquisition.

3. Low-Priority Campaign (The “Catch-All”)

• Goal: Capture cheap, broad traffic that slipped through the other filters.
• Strategy: Low bids, broad reach. Let the AI pick up the pennies.

Final Takeaway: You Are Not Competing on Keywords

To find the right approach to Google Shopping in 2026, you need to shift your mindset from “Words” to “Signals.”

By optimizing your Product Data, leveraging AI-Powered Campaigns, and prioritizing High-Value Data, you stop fighting for clicks and start winning on relevance.

Google Shopping Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Google Shopping use keywords in 2026?

Technically, no. It uses Product Data (titles, descriptions, GTINs) as keywords. However, you can use negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic.

What is the most important ranking factor?

Relevance. Specifically, the match between your Product Title/Image and the user’s Semantic Intent. Price and Feed Quality are tied for second.

Should I use PMax or Standard Shopping?

Use both. PMax is best for scale and finding new audiences. Standard Shopping is best for control, brand protection, and specific high-priority SKUs.

How often should I update my feed?

Continuously. A static feed is not an efficient feed. Use tools to dynamically update titles based on search trends.