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SmartSearch

Today’s consumer is an informed consumer and is likely to research a product online while standing in the middle of a store aisle or before even leaving the house.

GS1 SmartSearch brings the world of standards to online search so that business can optimize how, when and what product content is shown in search results, potentially increasing sales whether going direct-to-consumer or through a retailer.

SmartSearch uses GS1 Vocabulary Standards. The vocabulary standards will include the definition of parties and of a trade item. Their properties and definitions come from existing GS1 standards including Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) and Global Product Classification (GPC). The exceptions to this rule include the definition of Offering and Thing which do not exist in any of the above standards.

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Structured data - GS1 SmartSearch, helping shoppers to find your products online

How it works

Specifically designed standards and guidelines create structured data about a product. This organizes your product data into logical, consistent categories that make it easier for search engines to understand and display to potential customers.

This information can be linked to a product’s GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), which generates search results that are more accurate and detailed, giving online shoppers the information they are looking for.

GS1 pilot research indicates that products with structured data appear three positions higher in search results and that higher positions lead to a 30% increase in web traffic.

Benefits of SmartSearch:

  • A structured vocabulary base provides improved search results for consumers to find the products and information they need
  • Greater visibility to products in online searches
  • Improved, accurate online product content
  • Shared product information via consumer-facing mobile devices and websites, which can ultimately drive sales

What should you do next?

Read the GS1 FAQ to understand how SmartSearch is being rolled out to market, and how it works with GTINs and search engines such as Google.

Join the pilot program to test GS1 SmartSearch on your own web pages.