AI is changing the way shoppers search for information. Are you adjusting your strategy to reach them?
I recently heard a millennial podcaster mention that he’s stopped using Google when he needs to do a quick search for information, whether he’s looking to confirm a fact or find a restaurant. The dominant search engine is gunked up with sponsored posts and other unhelpful links, he says. So, he’s typing his queries into ChatGPT instead.
That podcaster is not alone. Last fall, Google’s worldwide search engine market share fell below 90% for the first time in a decade, according to Statcounter.
Search is going through a messy transition right now,
upending the well-honed search engine optimization strategies of many companies, according to EMarketer, a New York-based provider of media, advertising and commerce data.
Technology companies are rolling out search tools powered by artificial intelligence, from OpenAI’s SearchGPT to Microsoft’s Bing generative search to Google’s own AI Overviews. And “smartphone integration will accelerate consumer adoption of (AI) generative search,” according to EMarketer’s Carina Perkins and Jacob Bourne, who wrote about AI-driven changes to search in January.
In a period of great flux, it’s hard to know how to adapt but there are some things you can do now:
Mastering Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for AI Search
Today, AEO, or answer engine optimization, is as important as SEO. Much AI search is based on responding to informal questions from users so it prioritizes clear, concise content that can be worked into its responses. “One strategy is to implement a robust Q&A-style format in most or all of your content. Think including FAQs in your articles,” according to Semrush, a Boston-based online visibility management and content marketing platform. “Then, take it one step further to structure long-form content around key questions and scenarios that a user might use in a conversational search.”
Expert Content: The Key to Ranking in AI-Driven Search
SEO and AEO value expert, authoritative information. According to Semrush, you can respond by “developing comprehensive, expert and high-quality content across a specific topic; building a deep catalog of content on related topics and subtopics; and implementing a site architecture that makes it easy for humans and bots to discover relevant related content across your website.”
Leveraging AI Tools for Advanced SEO Optimization
You can use AI SEO tools to both analyze search trends and suggest ways to optimize your content across platforms. “Whereas AI SEO tools previously could provide only generalized recommendations such as, ‘Here are four possible target keywords for your page,’ it can now say, ‘Here are five specific edits to your code and content to better optimize this page to rank for your ideal target keyword,’ suggests a blog from Shopify, an e-commerce platform and service provider based in Calgary, Canada.
As AI search evolves, remember there are other ways to reach shoppers. Stay active on your social media channels, participate in online communities where potential customers may hang out and use email marketing for a direct link to consumers.
For more tips and strategies, visit SleepSavvyMagazine.com.
