Source: SEO – Practical Ecommerce by Louis Camassa. Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of How AI-Powered Search is Changing E-Commerce SEO with GEO Tools
AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT and Claude deliver product answers directly, impacting traditional organic search traffic. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tools help brands track and optimize their product visibility in AI responses, with varying capabilities. Solutions like Writesonic focus on content rewriting and publishing, Peec AI offers competitive benchmarking, and Profound provides deep measurement analytics. Small and mid-sized businesses can start improving AI visibility using affordable GEO tools and targeted content strategies.
Optimixed’s Overview: Navigating the New Frontier of AI-Driven Product Discovery and Optimization
Understanding the Impact of AI on E-Commerce Product Search
AI-powered search engines are reshaping how shoppers find products by answering queries directly, reducing the need for extra clicks and traditional search traffic. This shift presents both opportunities and challenges for e-commerce brands striving to maintain visibility and drive sales.
Key Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Platforms for Brands
- Writesonic: Enables merchants to optimize and rewrite individual product pages or articles for AI, with direct publishing capabilities on platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WordPress. It excels in content optimization but lacks automatic SKU performance detection and competitive benchmarking.
- Peec AI: Focuses on SKU-level competitive benchmarking, showing where brands and competitors appear in AI-generated answers. While it doesn’t create or publish content, its visibility gap analysis helps guide optimization efforts.
- Profound: Specializes in comprehensive monitoring of brand presence across AI search engines, benchmarking, and prompt discovery to inform strategy. It requires training to use effectively and does not offer content creation or publishing features.
Strategies for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
Businesses do not need costly tools to enhance their visibility in AI-powered search. Recommended steps include:
- Conducting an audit of current AI presence using free trials or affordable GEO tools.
- Identifying high-intent customer prompts by analyzing common questions from various forums and reviews.
- Starting with a manageable set of products and categories to monitor and optimize continuously.
- Using insights from GEO platforms to refine on-site content and metadata, improving AI search rankings.
While AI-powered search can attract new customers, sustained loyalty depends on traditional marketing and excellent service.
