Google Ads has added two new metrics to Shopping ad reports: product clicks and non-product clicks. Product clicks occur when a user taps directly on a specific product in the ad. Non-product clicks occur when they click another element, such as the brand name, store logo or other non-product area. For Indian ecommerce and retail advertisers, this distinction unlocks genuinely useful optimisation insight that was previously invisible.
What the New Metrics Actually Track
A Shopping ad can contain multiple elements: individual product images with prices, a brand name, a store rating and sometimes promotional text. Previously, all clicks on a Shopping ad were reported as a single click metric, making it impossible to know whether a user was interested in a specific product or just in the brand generally. Product clicks now specifically measure taps on individual product units within the ad. Non-product clicks measure all other click types, including the brand name, store logo, ratings badge and other ad elements. Separating these two click types reveals fundamentally different buyer behaviours within the same ad unit.
What the Ratio Between Them Tells You
A high ratio of product clicks relative to non-product clicks suggests buyers are engaging with specific items, meaning price, imagery and individual product relevance are doing the work. A high ratio of non-product clicks relative to product clicks suggests buyers are clicking to explore the brand rather than to buy a specific item, so they are interested but still in the discovery phase rather than the ready-to-buy phase. This distinction matters for how you allocate budget between Shopping campaigns targeting different intent stages, and for which creative elements deserve more investment: product imagery quality, pricing display or brand prominence.
How to Use This Data to Improve Campaign Performance
Run the product vs non-product click breakdown for each Shopping campaign and each product category. For campaigns showing high product click rates paired with strong conversion rates, the product imagery and pricing are resonating, so prioritise budget and bid increases here. For campaigns showing high non-product click rates with lower conversion, consider whether the brand presentation needs improvement or whether the products being shown need to be better matched to the queries triggering the ad. For campaigns with high product clicks but low conversion rate, the issue is likely on the landing page or product page rather than the ad itself, which makes a conversion rate optimisation review the right next step. Combining this signal with structured performance marketing analysis helps connect click behaviour to actual revenue outcomes.
Connecting This to Product Feed Optimisation
Non-product click patterns can also reveal product feed quality issues. If certain product categories consistently generate non-product clicks rather than direct product engagement, the imagery, titles or pricing displayed in the product feed for those categories may be driving users away from individual items. Audit the feed entries for low-product-click campaigns specifically. Are product titles accurate and specific? Is the main image high resolution and accurately representative? Is pricing current and competitive relative to competitors appearing in the same shopping results? Product feed quality is the upstream factor that determines Shopping ad quality regardless of bid level.
Setting Up the Right Reporting Framework
Add product clicks and non-product clicks as columns to your standard Shopping campaign report in Google Ads, and calculate the product click rate (product clicks divided by total clicks) for each campaign weekly. Track this ratio over time alongside conversion rate and ROAS to build a picture of how intent quality varies across your product catalogue. Indian brands working with a digital marketing agency for Shopping ads should expect this metric to appear in regular performance reporting now that Google has made it available, rather than having to request it specifically.
Working With DigiVeritaz on Shopping Ad Optimisation
DigiVeritaz optimises Google Shopping campaigns for Indian ecommerce and retail brands, including product feed management, bid strategy and now product vs non-product click analysis to drive better decisions. Book a free Shopping ads audit to see how your current campaigns stack up and where the new click data reveals improvement opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the product vs non-product click data in Google Ads?
Add 'Product clicks' and 'Non-product clicks' as custom columns in your Google Ads reporting interface when viewing Shopping campaign data. These are new columns that may not appear in your default reporting view.
What is a good product click rate benchmark?
Benchmarks vary significantly by product category and ad format. Focus on your own account's ratio trend over time rather than absolute benchmarks. Improving your product click rate month-over-month is a more reliable performance signal than hitting an industry average.
If non-product clicks are high, does that mean my products are bad?
Not necessarily. High non-product clicks may indicate users are interested in your brand but not the specific products being shown, which could reflect a product feed mismatch (wrong products being shown for the query) rather than poor product quality.
Should I optimise specifically to increase product click rate?
Yes, as a directional goal. Higher product click rates generally indicate better product-query matching and more decisive purchase intent. Improving product imagery, pricing accuracy and title relevance in your feed typically moves this metric in the right direction.
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