Google Ads adds loyalty features to boost shopper retention

Google is rolling out new loyalty integrations across Google Ads and Merchant Center, giving retailers tools to highlight member-only pricing and shipping benefits to their most valuable customers.

How it works:

• Personalized annotations display member-only discounts or shipping benefits in both free and paid listings.
• A new loyalty goal in Google Ads helps retailers optimize budgets toward high-value shoppers, adjusting bids to prioritize lifetime value.
• Sephora US saw a 20% lift in CTR by surfacing loyalty-tier discounts in personalized ads.

Why we care. With 61% of U.S. adults saying tailored loyalty programs are the most compelling part of a personalized shopping experience (according to Google), retailers face pressure to prove value beyond discounts.

By surfacing member-only perks directly in search and shopping results, retailers can boost engagement from their most valuable customers and optimize spend toward higher lifetime value, not just single conversions. It’s a way to tie loyalty programs directly to ad performance — and win more share of wallet from existing shoppers.

The big picture. Loyalty features are Google’s latest move to keep retail advertisers invested in its ecosystem — positioning search and shopping as not just discovery channels, but retention engines. Expect more details at Google’s Think Retail event on Sept. 10.