Category mapping
Pick one Google category for a whole product type, collection or Shopify category, instead of product by product. Your Shopify store doesn't change.
Map your groups
Open Category mapping
Go to Optimize and click Category mapping. Needs category lists the groups whose products have no Google category yet. Under Mapping order, each product takes its category from the first source that has one. If none match covers every product the steps miss.
Pick a category
Click the pencil on a row, search Google's category list and pick one. Click Save in the dialog. To set many groups at once, tick them and choose Set category....
Save
Click Save in the save bar. Feeds that use Category mapping get the new categories about a minute later.
Suggest with AI
Click Suggest with AI at the top of the page. AI fills every group that has no category and saves it right away. Groups you already set stay as they are. Rows AI filled show an AI badge. The AI button on a row suggests a category for that group only and opens it for you to check before you save.
Check the feed
Open the feed in Manage feed and go to Attributes. Google product category must be Category mapping. New feeds use it by default. Older feeds may use Shopify category (mapped): click the pencil on Category & identifiers to switch.
See the category
On the feed's Products tab, open a product. Google product category shows the category from its group, like Home & Garden > Lighting.
Good to know
- Groups come from your catalog sync.
- A category you set on a single product beats the group's category.
- AI skips groups that give no clue, like a marketing collection with no products, and Shopify categories under Services. Set those yourself.
- Shopify's Uncategorized has no row. Its products follow Mapping order, then If none match.
- Rule conditions on Google category use the product's own Shopify category, not the one set here.
- Feed health shows a Map categories button next to Missing product category. It opens this tab.
FAQs
Will Suggest with AI change categories I already picked?
No. It only fills groups with no category. Use the AI button on a row to get a new suggestion, then check it before you save.
I set categories, but my feed still shows Missing product category. Why?
Check that the feed's Google product category is Category mapping on its Attributes tab. The feed updates about a minute after you save.
Changelog
- October 2026: Category mapping tab added to Optimize, with Suggest with AI.
Still have questions?
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