What is the AdRoll Product Feed?
The AdRoll product feed is a structured data file that syncs your product inventory with AdRoll's retargeting and advertising platform. This feed allows you to maintain accurate product information across your campaigns, ensuring that ads display current pricing, availability, and inventory details to potential customers.
Merchants use the AdRoll product feed to power dynamic product ads, which automatically pull information from your catalogue and display relevant items to users who have previously visited your site. This approach reduces manual campaign management and increases the relevance of your advertising to each audience member.
The feed acts as a centralised source of truth for your product data. When you update prices, add new products, or mark items as out of stock, these changes propagate through your AdRoll campaigns automatically. This synchronisation keeps your ads aligned with your actual inventory and pricing strategy.
Core Feed Fields and Their Purpose
Essential Identification Fields
Every product in your AdRoll feed requires accurate identification data. The id field serves as a unique identifier for each product within your catalogue. This identifier must be consistent across all your data feeds and systems, as AdRoll uses it to track products and match them with user behaviour.
The title field contains the product name that appears in your ads. Keep titles concise, descriptive, and keyword-rich without being misleading. A clear title helps both the algorithm and users understand what the product is at a glance.
The description field provides detailed product information. Use this space to highlight key features, benefits, and differentiators. Well-written descriptions improve ad relevance scores and help users make informed decisions before clicking through to your site.
The link field directs users to the product page on your website. This URL must be valid, accessible, and lead directly to the specific product rather than a category page. Mobile users represent a significant portion of traffic, so ensure your links work properly on all devices.
Product Identification and Compliance
The gtin (Global Trade Item Number) and mpn (Manufacturer Part Number) fields help identify products uniquely across retail systems. If your products have these identifiers, include them. These fields are particularly important for compliance with advertising policies and for helping AdRoll match your products with user intent data.
The identifier_exists field indicates whether the product has a valid gtin or mpn. Set this to 'true' if your product has at least one of these identifiers, and 'false' otherwise. AdRoll uses this signal to assess data quality and product eligibility for certain campaign types.
The brand field specifies the manufacturer or brand name. This helps filter and organise products in your campaigns and allows AdRoll to apply brand-level targeting and segmentation rules.
Visual and Categorical Data
The image_link field points to a high-quality product image. Use clear, well-lit images that show the product prominently. Poor image quality directly reduces click-through rates and conversion rates. The image should be at least 100 x 100 pixels, though larger images (600 x 600 pixels or more) perform better.
The additional_image_link field allows you to include multiple product images. Providing several angles and variations helps users understand the product better and can improve engagement metrics.
The google_product_category field classifies your product within Google's product taxonomy. This classification helps AdRoll understand what your product is and apply appropriate targeting rules. Use the full path (for example, 'Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts') rather than just a top-level category.
The product_type field is your own internal categorisation system. This differs from google_product_category and allows you to organise products according to your business logic. You can use this field for custom segmentation and filtering within AdRoll campaigns.
Pricing and Availability
The price field contains your standard product price. Always use the final price including any mandatory charges or fees, but exclude shipping costs. Format prices consistently (for example, '19.99' for £19.99).
The sale_price field shows a discounted price when applicable. Use this field only when running a genuine promotion or sale. The sale_price_effective_date field specifies the date range during which the sale price applies. Format dates as YYYY-MM-DD with a forward slash to separate start and end dates (for example, '2024-01-15/2024-01-31').
The availability field indicates whether a product is in stock. Use values such as 'in stock', 'out of stock', or 'preorder'. Accurate availability data prevents users from clicking through to unavailable products, which wastes ad spend and damages user experience.
The availability_date field specifies when a preorder item will be available. This field is useful for products not yet in stock but expected soon. Format this as YYYY-MM-DD.
Product Attributes and Variations
The color, size, age_group, gender, material, and size_type fields provide detailed product attributes. These fields help AdRoll match products to specific user intents and enable attribute-based filtering in your campaigns.
The size_system field specifies the sizing standard used (for example, 'US', 'EU', 'UK'). This is particularly important for clothing and footwear where different regions use different size conventions.
The condition field describes the product state. Use 'new' for new items, 'refurbished' for restored products, or 'used' for second-hand goods. Accurate condition data builds user trust and reduces returns.
The item_group_id field groups related products together. If you sell the same product in multiple colours or sizes, assign them the same item_group_id. This allows AdRoll to treat variations as a single product family for reporting and optimisation purposes.
Custom Labels and Business Logic
The custom_label fields (custom_label_0 through custom_label_4) allow you to add your own categorisation tags to products. Use these fields to mark products by margin, seasonality, supplier, or any other business-relevant attribute. Custom labels enable powerful segmentation and bidding strategies within AdRoll.
For example, you might use custom_label_0 to mark high-margin products, custom_label_1 to indicate seasonal items, and custom_label_2 to flag products with low stock. This approach gives you flexibility to adjust your campaigns based on business priorities.
Advanced and Specialised Fields
The shipping_weight field specifies product weight for shipping calculations. This helps AdRoll understand delivery feasibility and can inform dynamic shipping cost estimates shown in ads.
The mobile_link field allows you to specify a mobile-specific landing page. If your mobile experience differs significantly from your desktop site, use this field to direct mobile users to an optimised version.
The cost_of_goods_sold field contains your acquisition cost for the product. While not visible to users, this data helps AdRoll optimise bidding strategies based on profitability rather than just revenue.
The expiration_date field marks when a product should no longer appear in campaigns. This is useful for perishable goods, limited-edition items, or products being discontinued. Format as YYYY-MM-DD.
The unit_pricing_measure and unit_pricing_base_measure fields show price per unit. For example, if you sell shampoo, you might show '£5.00 per 500ml'. This transparency helps users compare value and improves ad credibility.
The multipack field indicates the number of items in a bundle. Use this for multi-packs sold as a single product (for example, 'multipack: 3' for a three-pack of socks).
The is_bundle field marks whether a product is a bundle of different items. Set to 'true' for bundles and 'false' for single products. This helps AdRoll understand product composition and apply appropriate pricing rules.
The energy_efficiency_class field is required in some regions for certain product categories (particularly appliances). Use standard classifications such as 'A', 'B', 'C', and so on.
The promotion_id field links products to specific promotions or campaigns. This allows you to track which products are included in particular offers and analyse promotion performance.
Practical Feed Optimisation Strategies
Data Quality and Consistency
Maintain consistent formatting across all feed fields. Use the same currency format for all prices, the same date format for all dates, and the same terminology for categorical fields. Inconsistency confuses AdRoll's systems and can cause data validation errors.
Validate your feed regularly using AdRoll's built-in validation tools. Check for missing required fields, malformed data, and inconsistencies. Fix errors promptly to prevent campaign disruptions.
Keep your product titles and descriptions accurate and up-to-date. If you change product names or descriptions, update them in your feed immediately. Stale or inaccurate information leads to poor ad performance and user frustration.
Image Optimisation
Use high-quality images that show products clearly against a clean background. Products photographed on white backgrounds typically perform better than busy or cluttered backgrounds.
Include multiple images using the additional_image_link field. Provide different angles, close-ups of key features, and lifestyle shots showing the product in use. More images lead to higher engagement rates.
Optimise image file sizes to ensure fast loading. Compress images without sacrificing quality. Large files slow down ad rendering and mobile browsing.
Category Mapping and Attributes
Map your products to the correct google_product_category. Incorrect categorisation can prevent your products from appearing in relevant searches or placements. Refer to Google's product taxonomy documentation and map conservatively, choosing the most specific applicable category.
Fill in all relevant attribute fields. Products with complete attribute data perform better because AdRoll can match them more precisely to user intent. If a field doesn't apply to your product, omit it rather than using placeholder values.
Use custom labels strategically. Create a labelling scheme that aligns with your business priorities and campaign structure. Document your labelling logic so team members can apply it consistently.
Pricing and Promotion Strategy
Keep your feed prices aligned with your website prices. Discrepancies confuse users and damage trust. If you run frequent promotions, update sale_price and sale_price_effective_date regularly.
Use the cost_of_goods_sold field if you want AdRoll to optimise bids based on profitability. This helps ensure your campaigns focus on high-margin products when appropriate.
Test different promotional messaging in your product titles and descriptions. A/B test which approaches drive the most conversions. Update your feed to reflect the most effective messaging.
Inventory Management
Update availability status immediately when products go out of stock or become available again. Out-of-stock ads waste budget and frustrate users. Implement automated feeds that sync with your inventory system in real-time or at least daily.
Use the availability_date field for preorder products. This sets user expectations and can drive sales for upcoming items.
Monitor which products drive the most conversions relative to their inventory levels. Use custom labels to flag fast-moving or slow-moving products, then adjust your campaign strategy accordingly.
Feed Submission and Monitoring
Submit your feed in a format AdRoll supports (typically XML or CSV). Follow AdRoll's technical specifications precisely, including field order, encoding, and formatting requirements.
Set up automatic feed updates if possible. Manual updates are error-prone and time-consuming. Most e-commerce platforms offer integrations or plugins that automate feed generation and submission.
Monitor feed performance metrics within AdRoll. Track which products drive clicks, conversions, and revenue. Identify underperforming products and investigate whether feed data quality is the issue.
Set up alerts for feed errors and validation failures. Respond promptly to issues to minimise campaign disruption.
Common Feed Issues and Solutions
Missing required fields cause validation errors and prevent products from appearing in campaigns. Audit your feed regularly to identify and fill missing data.
Incorrect or missing image links result in ads displaying without product images. Verify all image URLs are accessible and return valid image files.
Inconsistent product identifiers across multiple feeds cause duplicate products and tracking problems. Use a master product database and generate all feeds from that single source.
Outdated pricing or availability information leads to poor user experience and wasted ad spend. Implement real-time or daily feed updates to keep data current.
Poorly written titles and descriptions reduce click-through rates. Invest time in writing clear, compelling product copy that emphasises benefits and key features.
Conclusion
Your AdRoll product feed is the foundation of effective retargeting campaigns. Accurate, complete, and well-optimised feed data directly impacts your ad relevance scores, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
Prioritise data quality and consistency. Implement automated feed generation and submission processes to reduce errors and save time. Monitor feed performance regularly and iterate based on results.
Use the full range of available fields to provide AdRoll with rich product data. Custom labels, detailed attributes, and complete pricing information enable more sophisticated campaign strategies and better performance optimisation.
Treat your product feed as a living asset that requires ongoing attention and refinement. Regular audits, prompt error correction, and continuous optimisation will help you get the most value from your AdRoll advertising investment.