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To add a product video in Google Merchant Center, include the optional video_link attribute in the product data you submit through a connected ecommerce platform, a file feed, or the Merchant API. The value must be a direct HTTP or HTTPS URL to a supported video file. You can submit up to 10 links for one product.

After submission, Google separately checks the product data, the video’s technical and policy eligibility, and the offer’s approval status. A video can remain unavailable or fail review while the associated offer continues to serve. For a replacement, use a new unique video URL: Google says that normally triggers a recrawl in 24–72 hours, while changes made behind an unchanged URL can take up to six weeks to detect.

What the video_link attribute does

video_link is an optional product attribute. It tells Merchant Center where to fetch a video that demonstrates the specific product represented by that item in your catalog. The URL is submitted as part of your normal product data; it is not a separate video-only upload form.

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The attribute affects video eligibility and serving, not the basic approval decision for the offer. Google’s Merchant Center Help documentation states: “This attribute won’t impact the approval status of your offers.” In practice, an offer may be approved and eligible to serve without a video, while the linked video is still being checked, rejected for quality, or blocked by a policy issue.

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Use a separate product-data row or API item for each product whose video differs. Do not attach a general channel trailer, a category montage, or a video that does not clearly show the product identified by the offer.

Choose how Merchant Center will receive your product data

The right submission method depends on how often your catalog changes, how many products you manage, and what systems you already operate. All of these methods can carry video_link.

Method Best fit How updates arrive Important qualification
Connected ecommerce platform Stores that already maintain products in a supported platform connection The connection synchronizes product information automatically Google notes that changes can take 24–48 hours to appear
Uploaded data file Catalogs managed from spreadsheets, exports, or scheduled jobs Upload a local TXT, XML, or TSV file, or let Merchant Center fetch a hosted file Google’s current file-help page specifies a maximum file size of 4 GB
Hosted file URL Teams that publish a feed on their own server Merchant Center fetches the file on a schedule The default fetch interval is every 24 hours and can be adjusted
SFTP Automated file delivery from a server or commerce system Merchant Center reads the matching file after it is transferred Keep the file name, credentials, and transfer process consistent
Merchant API Large catalogs or frequent, programmatic changes Your application inserts or updates products directly An insertion response means the data was accepted for processing, not that the offer is approved

For a small catalog, a local or hosted file is often easiest to inspect. For frequent inventory and content changes across many products, Google recommends the Merchant API. Whichever route you choose, the video URL is only one field in a product submission and follows the same product-data processing pipeline.

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Step 1: prepare a direct video URL

Before editing a feed, make sure the URL points directly to the video file rather than to a product page, a login screen, a player page, or a redirect that requires a user session. The URL must use http:// or https://, use ASCII characters, and follow RFC 3986 URL rules. Google documents a maximum URL length of 2,000 characters.

  • Host a file that can be fetched by Google without a password, cookie, or interactive consent screen.
  • Use a stable URL and ensure your server returns the video with a successful HTTP response.
  • Confirm that the file is the product shown in the corresponding offer and complies with Shopping policies.
  • Make sure you own, or have obtained, the licensing rights for the marketing content in the video.
  • Check that the file uses one of Google’s documented formats: MPG, MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG-1, or MPEGPS.

A URL that opens a web page containing an embedded player is not the same as a direct file URL. If your content delivery system uses signed or expiring links, verify that the link remains valid when Google fetches it; a link that expires before crawling can leave the video unavailable.

Step 2: add video_link to product data

TSV or other delimited file

Use the exact attribute name video_link in the header row. When one product has multiple videos, provide repeated values according to the feed format. In TSV, Google documents comma-separated links for multiple values. A comma that belongs inside a URL must be encoded so it is not interpreted as a separator.

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id	title	link	video_link
SKU-104	Cotton overshirt	https://shop.example/items/SKU-104	https://cdn.example/videos/SKU-104-front.mp4,https://cdn.example/videos/SKU-104-fit.mp4

The example shows two links for the same product. Keep the product ID identical to the ID used by the rest of your feed. Do not add spaces or explanatory text in the attribute value.

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XML feed

In an XML feed, place the video-link element inside the item for the product. Use the namespace and element spelling required by the feed specification configured in your account.

<g:item>
  <g:id>SKU-104</g:id>
  <g:title>Cotton overshirt</g:title>
  <g:link>https://shop.example/items/SKU-104</g:link>
  <g:video_link>https://cdn.example/videos/SKU-104-front.mp4</g:video_link>
  <g:video_link>https://cdn.example/videos/SKU-104-fit.mp4</g:video_link>
</g:item>

Validate the XML structure and namespace before submitting. A malformed feed can prevent all fields in an item from being processed, whereas a valid item with a problematic video URL can be diagnosed as a video-specific issue.

Merchant API

When using the Merchant API, include the video-link field in the product input for the item. Treat a successful insertion response as confirmation that Google accepted the request for processing. Check the product status and diagnostics afterward; the API response alone does not grant approval or guarantee that the video will serve.

Step 3: submit the feed and inspect diagnostics

  1. Open the source you use for products. For a file, upload the TXT, XML, or TSV file locally, configure the hosted URL and fetch schedule, or transfer the file through SFTP. For a platform connection or API, publish the updated product records through that integration.
  2. Confirm that the product item contains the new field. Check the product ID, the exact URL, and the supported extension before waiting for processing.
  3. Submit or trigger the update. A local upload starts processing after submission; a hosted file is picked up on its configured schedule; an API update is queued after the insertion request.
  4. Open product status and “Needs attention.” Look for feed errors, missing required product data, URL fetch failures, policy findings, and video-specific validation messages.
  5. Resolve the cause, then resubmit. Correct the source data or the hosted file and send it again. Do not assume that a successful upload means the item is already approved or visible.

For a hosted file, the current default fetch schedule is every 24 hours, although Merchant Center lets you adjust that schedule. A platform connection may also take 24–48 hours for changes to appear, according to Google’s guidance. These are processing expectations, not guarantees for a particular account.

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What Google checks, and when video validation applies

Google processes a video in stages. It first has to ingest the product data and retrieve the file. It then evaluates technical validity, serving eligibility, policy compliance, and quality. The offer itself continues through the ordinary product-review and Shopping-policy process.

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Google’s 2026 change notice gives two rollout dates that matter when diagnosing a new attribute:

  • April 14, 2026: technical validation errors for the new video attribute were scheduled to begin appearing.
  • June 30, 2026: video-serving eligibility checks and policy and quality validation were scheduled to begin.

If a video fails one of these checks, Google says it will not serve that video. The associated offer can still serve because the attribute is optional. Correcting a video problem therefore does not necessarily change an offer’s approval state, and an approved offer does not prove that its video has passed.

Typical status interpretations

What you see What it means What to do
Offer approved, video processing or under review The product can be eligible independently while the video is being evaluated Allow processing to finish and watch the video diagnostics
Video rejected for policy or quality The video is not eligible to serve Read the specific finding, replace or edit the video, and resubmit
Video URL or technical error Google could not retrieve or validate the file Test the direct URL, file format, server response, and URL syntax
Offer not approved The product has a separate data or policy problem Resolve the offer issue in product diagnostics; changing the video alone will not fix it

How long a new video takes to show

For a replacement, submit a new unique URL whenever possible. Google’s video-link guidance says that a new URL typically prompts a new crawl within 24–72 hours. The previous video may continue serving while the new URL is under review.

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If you overwrite the file while keeping exactly the same URL, Google says detection of that content change can take up to six weeks. This is why changing the URL is the practical way to signal that the asset itself has been replaced. The published windows are expectations, not service-level deadlines; account load, file accessibility, policy review, and feed timing can extend the process.

Replacement procedure

  1. Upload the new file to a stable location and verify that its URL is different from the old one.
  2. Confirm that the new file shows the same product and meets the format, policy, and licensing requirements.
  3. Change the video_link value in the product source and submit the update.
  4. Monitor the product’s video diagnostics and the Video assets page rather than relying only on the feed-upload timestamp.
  5. Remove the old URL from the product data once the replacement is the version you intend to maintain.

Supported formats and URL requirements

Requirement Documented rule Why it matters
Transport HTTP or HTTPS URL Merchant Center must be able to fetch the file over a supported web connection
Character set ASCII characters and RFC 3986 URL rules Invalid or unescaped characters can cause parsing or fetch errors
Maximum URL length 2,000 characters Long signed URLs can exceed the attribute limit
Number of links Up to 10 repeated video_link values per product Use only the videos that materially represent that product
File formats MPG, MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG-1, and MPEGPS Files in other formats are not among the formats Google documents for this attribute
Policy and rights Video must comply with Shopping policies; the merchant must have marketing-content licensing rights A technically valid file can still be blocked from serving

Format support does not guarantee that every encoding, codec, bitrate, or frame layout will pass quality checks. Keep the file playable, clearly associated with the item, and free of content that violates Shopping policies.

Manage videos and product matching in the Video assets page

Merchant Center’s Video assets page, under Creative content, brings together video assets discovered from connected websites, social channels, and Product Studio. The page can display a thumbnail, duration, source, and the products Google recognizes in the video.

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Review product suggestions

Google can automatically map website videos to product offers. YouTube videos can receive AI-powered product suggestions. Review each suggestion and accept, modify, or reject it so that the video is associated with the correct product rather than a visually similar item.

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Use the page as an asset-management view

  • Check whether an expected video was discovered and whether its source is correct.
  • Review recognized products before accepting a suggested match.
  • Compare the displayed duration and thumbnail with the file you intended to submit.
  • When Merchant Center is linked to Google Ads, note that videos shown in the asset page are shared with the Ads asset library.

The Video assets page complements product-data submission; it does not remove the need to provide a correct video_link for products managed through a feed or API.

Can you make a product video inside Merchant Center?

Product Studio can generate a video from merchant product imagery, but the current Google help page lists the feature only for accounts in Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Country availability and interface controls can change, so check the feature in the account where you will publish the asset.

Typical Product Studio workflow

  1. Open Product Studio from Merchant Center and choose a product image.
  2. Edit the generated prompt to describe the motion, setting, or presentation you want.
  3. Generate the available options and review them for product accuracy, branding, and policy compliance.
  4. Select an acceptable result, then save or download it.
  5. Host the resulting file at a fetchable URL and add that URL to the product’s video_link data, or manage it through the applicable asset workflow.

Generation does not bypass video review. A generated file still has to meet the supported format, policy, quality, and licensing requirements before it can serve.

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Choosing a workflow for your catalog

Use a platform connection when your store system is the source of truth

This approach reduces duplicate catalog maintenance because product information and video fields can be synchronized from the connected system. It is most practical when your platform already exposes a reliable product-video field. Allow for the documented 24–48-hour propagation expectation when planning launches or replacements.

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Use a hosted file when you publish on a regular schedule

A hosted feed works well for scheduled exports. Merchant Center fetches it every 24 hours by default, and you can adjust the schedule to suit your operation. Make sure the file remains available at the published URL and that the export preserves the video_link column or element.

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Use SFTP when your organization has controlled file delivery

SFTP is useful when a commerce or enterprise system already transfers files to a managed server. Automate the transfer, retain the expected file name, and validate the file before it replaces the previous version.

Use the Merchant API for high-volume or near-continuous updates

The API is the better fit for large numbers of products or frequent changes because your application can update only the records that changed. Build monitoring around API errors, product status, and video diagnostics; an accepted API request is not an approval result.

Troubleshooting common video problems

The video never appears in diagnostics

  • Check that the product source actually contains video_link for the intended product ID.
  • Verify that the feed was fetched or uploaded after the field was added.
  • Open the URL without signing in and confirm that it returns the video file, not an HTML page.
  • Check for redirects, expired signatures, blocked crawlers, or server errors.
  • Confirm that the URL is under 2,000 characters and uses valid ASCII URL syntax.

The video is under review longer than expected

Do not infer that the offer is rejected merely because the video has no serving status yet. Check whether the product data itself is processed, whether the file is reachable, and whether a policy or quality finding is listed. If you replaced a file without changing its URL, remember that Google’s detection window is substantially longer than for a new URL.

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The video is rejected but the product is approved

This is an expected separation of statuses. Read the video-specific policy or quality reason, edit or replace the asset, and submit a new unique URL when replacing it. The offer can continue to serve without that video because the attribute is optional.

Multiple videos are being treated as one value

In TSV, separate multiple links with commas and encode any comma that is part of a URL. In XML, use repeated video-link elements. In an API request, follow the repeated-field structure required by the product resource rather than placing several URLs in one unparsed string.

The new file is not replacing the old one

Confirm that the product data points to a genuinely new URL. Updating the bytes behind an unchanged URL does not provide the same change signal and can delay detection. Also check that the old URL was removed from every active source so another feed or integration does not restore it.

The offer is disapproved after a video update

Inspect the offer’s own diagnostics. Google states that the video attribute does not affect offer approval status, so a simultaneous offer issue is likely caused by another product-data or Shopping-policy change. Correct that issue separately from the video review.

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Pre-submission checklist

  • The product ID in the video record exactly matches the live offer.
  • The video_link value is a direct HTTP or HTTPS URL.
  • The URL uses valid ASCII characters, RFC 3986 syntax, and no more than 2,000 characters.
  • The file is MPG, MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG-1, or MPEGPS.
  • No more than 10 video links are supplied for the product.
  • Multiple TSV links are comma-separated, with URL commas encoded.
  • The server allows Google to fetch the file without authentication or an expiring session.
  • The video clearly represents the product and complies with Shopping policies.
  • You have the necessary rights to the marketing content.
  • You know whether your source is local upload, hosted URL, SFTP, platform connection, or API, and when that source will next update.
  • After submission, you will check product status, “Needs attention,” and the Video assets page.

Key distinctions to remember

Product-data submission tells Google about the product and its video URL. Video processing determines whether Google can retrieve, validate, and serve that asset. Offer approval determines whether the product itself can participate in Shopping. These processes are related but not interchangeable: a feed can be accepted while the offer is still under review, an offer can be approved while its video is rejected, and a video can be replaced without changing the offer’s approval.

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