Google Vehicle Ads — get your exact inventory in front of car buyers

In the UK, VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is classified as Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and is therefore optional for Google Vehicle Ads. Instead, you must submit a unique internal stock ID [id] attribute as the alternative identifier. This ID must appear on the vehicle's landing page. Trajekt handles this UK-specific requirement automatically, using your internal stock number as the primary identifier.

Google Vehicle Ads accepts a primary feed in XML or CSV (delimited text) format. The XML format uses the standard Google Shopping RSS namespace (xmlns:g="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0") with vehicle-specific attributes. The feed is uploaded to Google Merchant Center as a new data source with "Vehicle Ads" as the destination. Trajekt generates XML format by default as it handles nested attributes more reliably.

Yes. Each vehicle in your Google Vehicle Ads feed must have its own unique landing page URL that shows the specific vehicle being advertised, with a price on the page matching your feed exactly. Google crawls these pages to verify data consistency. If you use link templates, ensure they include the store_code parameter (e.g. ?store={store_code}).

The store_code must exactly match the store code in your Google Business Profile. This is how Google matches your vehicle inventory to your physical dealership location for local inventory purposes. If you have multiple dealerships, each has its own store_code. If a store_code in your feed doesn't match a Business Profile location, those vehicles will be disapproved.

Yes. Google Vehicle Ads supports all types of vehicle inventory including caravans, motorhomes, campervans, and other recreational vehicles. The format is not restricted to cars and trucks. Trajekt has been specifically tested with UK caravan and motorhome dealer feeds and handles the specific data structure used by UK recreational vehicle inventory providers.

Google recommends updating your vehicle feed at least daily, and ideally twice daily for dealers with frequently changing inventory. After submitting updates, allow 24-48 hours for changes to sync and the review process to complete. For best results, time your feed updates to capture overnight price changes and morning stock updates before peak shopping hours.

If the price in your vehicle feed does not exactly match the price displayed on your vehicle's landing page, Google will disapprove that vehicle listing. This is the most common cause of Vehicle Ad disapprovals in the UK. Ensure your feed and website prices are always in sync and consistently include or exclude VAT. Trajekt logs warnings when potential price inconsistencies are detected.

Yes. Google Vehicle Ads require a linked Google Business Profile account with verified dealership locations. The store_code in your feed must match the store codes in your Business Profile. If you don't have access to your dealership's Business Profile, Google offers an alternative Store Feed submission route — contact Google support to request access.

Unlike standard Shopping ads, Vehicle Ads do not require vehicles to be purchasable online — they can lead users to complete the purchase in person. They use vehicle-specific attributes (make, model, year, mileage, VIN, store_code) not found in standard Shopping feeds. The google_product_category is typically "920" (Vehicles). Standard disapproval policies around direct purchase don't apply to vehicle ads.

The underlying vehicle data is the same, but Meta Vehicle Ads use a different CSV format with different field names. Trajekt can generate both Google Vehicle Ads XML and Meta Vehicle Ads CSV from the same inventory source — connect your feed once and output to both platforms. See our Meta Vehicle Ads page for full details.