Your products are approved and showing in free listings, but when you build a Shopping or Performance Max campaign in Google Ads, there’s no product feed to pick. That’s a missing link. This guide is for merchants and marketers who want to link Google Merchant Center to Google Ads, approve the request properly, understand the limits and know exactly what happens if they unlink later.
In Merchant Center, go to Settings (gear icon) > Access and services > Apps and services > Add service > Google Ads, pick the account and click Link[1]. If the request goes to an account you don’t manage, someone with access has to approve it in Google Ads under Tools > Data manager > Connected products[2]. To unlink, use the same menus and choose Unlink or Remove access[3].
Before you start
You need two things. First, admin access in Merchant Center, because only an admin can start a link request[1]. Second, the customer ID of the Google Ads account if you don’t manage it yourself, for example when an agency runs your ads[1].
Know the limits before you click anything:
- You can’t link a Google Ads manager account. Link the individual client account instead[1].
- A Merchant Center account can link to up to 500 Google Ads accounts. A Business Manager can link to up to 20[1].
- A campaign links to one Merchant Center account at a time[1].
Tip
Linking is the step where free listings can turn into paid campaigns. Clicks on Shopping ads cost money, so check the budget and the product data before you launch anything. If you’re still unsure which parts of Merchant Center are free, read https://oxfordimpulse.com/is-google-merchant-center-free-what-you-pay/ first.
Step 1: Start the link from Merchant Center
This route starts on the Merchant Center side, and it’s the one the Merchant Center help page walks through[1].
- Sign in to Merchant Center with an admin account.
- Click the gear icon for Settings.
- Open Access and services, then Apps and services.
- Click Add service and choose Google Ads.
- Click Next.
- Choose the Google Ads account you want from the list.
- Click Link.
You may also see a “Link to Merchant Center only” option[1]. Read the description before you choose, and bear in mind that labels can vary a little between interface updates.
If you’re an admin on both accounts, the link is approved automatically and you’re done[1]. Skip to the checks in step 4.
Watch out
A mismatched sign-in can make an account look as if it’s missing. If you’re logged into Merchant Center with one Google login and Google Ads with another, the account you expect may not appear in the list. Check which Google account you’re using on both screens.
Step 2: Link an account you don’t manage
If an agency, freelancer or sister company owns the Google Ads account, you send a request instead of linking directly[1].
- In Merchant Center, follow the same path: Settings > Access and services > Apps and services > Add service > Google Ads.
- Choose “Account you don’t manage”.
- Enter the Google Ads customer ID.
- Click Send request.
Nothing is live yet. The request sits in the Google Ads account until someone there approves it. Message the account owner as soon as you send it, so the request doesn’t sit unnoticed.
Step 3: Approve the request in Google Ads
This step is for whoever owns the Google Ads account[2].
- In Google Ads, click Tools.
- Open Data manager, then Connected products.
- Click Google Merchant Center, then Manage & link.
- Open the Received tab.
- Find the request marked “Needs your approval”.
- Click Review, then Approve.
Good to know
The button may read Manage & link or Details depending on what your account shows. The route through Tools and Data manager stays the same[3].
Starting from Google Ads instead
You can also begin on the Google Ads side[2].
- In Google Ads, go to Tools > Data manager > Connected products.
- Click Google Merchant Center, then Next.
- Complete the details and click Submit.
- Switch to Merchant Center. Under Third-party apps, find the request and click Accept in the Action column.
Whichever side starts it, the other side has to accept, unless the link is approved automatically because you’re admin on both accounts[1]. Approval depends on the other account owner, so don’t plan a launch date around a request you haven’t confirmed.
Step 4: Check the link worked
Don’t assume. Check both sides.
- In Merchant Center, open Settings > Access and services > Apps and services and confirm the Google Ads account is listed[4].
- In Google Ads, open Tools > Data manager > Connected products and look at Google Merchant Center. The linked account should show there[3].
- Create or open a Shopping or Performance Max campaign and check that your Merchant Center account is selectable as the product source.
If the account doesn’t appear, the request is probably still waiting for approval. Go back to step 3.
Step 5: Unlink when you need to
There are good reasons to unlink: you’ve changed agency, moved to a new Merchant Center account or want to stop paid product ads. Know the consequence first. After unlinking, campaigns that use Merchant Center product data stop serving. Other campaign types keep running[1].
You can unlink from either side[3].
- In Google Ads: Tools > Data manager > Google Merchant Center > Details > Unlink.
- In Merchant Center: Settings > Access and services > Apps and services, select the Google Ads account, then click Remove access.
Watch out
If you’re swapping to a new Merchant Center account, remember a campaign can only link to one at a time[1]. Plan the switch so you don’t leave live Shopping campaigns without a product source.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Trying to link a manager account. Not supported. Link the client account directly[1].
- Starting the request without admin access. Ask an existing admin to upgrade your access, or ask them to send the request[1].
- Sending the request and forgetting it. Tell the Google Ads owner to look in the Received tab[2].
- Wrong customer ID. The request goes to the wrong account or fails. Copy the ID from Google Ads itself.
- Unlinking mid-campaign. Product-based campaigns stop serving[1]. Pause and plan it instead of finding out from a revenue dip.
Linking checklist
Once the accounts are connected, this week’s job is to check your product approvals and budget before you switch campaigns on. More on the Merchant Center side is at https://oxfordimpulse.com/google-merchant-center/ and if you’d like a second pair of eyes on the setup, Oxford Impulse can review it with you.
FAQs
How do I link Google Merchant Center to Google Ads?
Who can link Merchant Center to Google Ads?
Only someone with admin access in Merchant Center can start a link request[1]. The Google Ads side needs someone who can approve incoming requests.
Do I need to approve the link request?
Can I link a Google Ads manager account to Merchant Center?
No. Manager accounts can’t be linked[1]. Link each client Google Ads account instead.
How many Google Ads accounts can one Merchant Center account link to?
A Merchant Center account can link to up to 500 Google Ads accounts, and a Business Manager up to 20[1]. Most merchants will never come near either limit.
Can a campaign use more than one Merchant Center account?
No. A campaign links to one Merchant Center account at a time[1]. If you run several stores, each campaign needs to point at the right one.
Why can’t I see my Google Ads account in Merchant Center?
Often you’re signed in with a different Google login, or the account is one you don’t manage. Check your login first. If the account belongs to someone else, use “Account you don’t manage” and enter the customer ID[1].
What happens after I send a link request?
How do I unlink Merchant Center from Google Ads?
In Google Ads, go to Tools > Data manager > Google Merchant Center > Details > Unlink. Or in Merchant Center, go to Settings > Access and services > Apps and services, select the account and click Remove access[3].
What happens to my campaigns if I unlink?
Campaigns that use Merchant Center product data stop serving. Other campaign types continue[1]. Pause and check your campaign list before you unlink.
Sources
- Google Merchant Center Help: Link a Google Ads account to Merchant Center support.google.com
- Google Ads Help: Link a Google Ads account to Merchant Center support.google.com
- Google Ads Help: Manage linked accounts support.google.com
- Google Merchant Center Help: About the Apps and services page and linking Google services support.google.com
