How to show up in ChatGPT and AI search (The ultimate guide for ecommerce)
The way customers search for products is changing – and beyond that, AI Search itself is changing.
Imagine a customer asks their phone, “What’s the best smartwatch for under $200? I need it for running and office wear.”
Instead of showing a list of links, as might have been the case just one short year ago (and who’s to say how accurate those links might have been) – the latest AI search engines will now come back with a handful of hyper-specific product recommendations. They’ll mention, say, three smartwatch models – including why each one might be a good fit – and they’ll even show you where to buy them.
This isn’t science fiction or a far-off future scenario. This is how people are starting to shop online in 2025.
In the past few months, AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT have rolled out major updates that transform how products are found and recommended. If you’re a business owner or marketer, these changes affect you: they redefine what it means to be “visible” online. Traditional SEO (getting to the top of Google) is no longer the only game in town – now we also have to consider “AI SEO”, or what some are calling “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO for short).
The good news? By understanding how AI search engines like ChatGPT work, you can adapt your eCommerce strategy to ride this wave rather than be drowned out by it.
Let’s break down the latest developments in AI-driven search and, crucially, how you can optimize your product pages so that your business stays front-and-center.
What’s new in ChatGPT for ecommerce?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is famous for chatting. Who’d have guessed? But as of early 2025 it’s also a pretty powerful search engine. In late 2024, OpenAI bestowed ChatGPT with the ability to search the web for up-to-date info. Now, when you ask ChatGPT a question, it can pull in current information and even provide sources via links. Building on that, OpenAI launched a shopping feature in ChatGPT in April 2025 – essentially turning ChatGPT into a personal shopping assistant.
What does this look like? Let’s say you type: “I need a good office chair for back pain under $300.” ChatGPT will do a web search and then answer you with a short list of chairs. For each recommended product, you’ll see an image, a brief description or review highlights, and a direct link to where you can buy it. It might say something like, “ErgoComfort Deluxe Chair – $249 – Great lumbar support and adjustable height” and then give a link to the retailer’s site. You can follow up with questions like “Does it come in black?” and ChatGPT will dig further. In essence, ChatGPT is trying to give you the answer you need (the chair to buy) all in one go, rather than making you sift through search results.
A few important things to note about ChatGPT’s shopping results:
ChatGPT is an ads-free experience… for now.
They include sources and stay up-to-date. ChatGPT will often cite where it found the info (e.g., “according to this Wired review…”). And since it’s using web search, it can reference the latest products and prices – an improvement from earlier versions that only knew information up to 2021.
No ads (for now). Unlike Google, which is filled with sponsored results for shopping queries, ChatGPT’s recommendations currently have no paid placements. OpenAI says it’s picking products based on data (like reviews and specs) pulled from third-party sites and structured databases, not based on any advertising arrangement. They’ve hinted that affiliate links or “tasteful ads” might come later, but as of early 2025, it’s organic. This levels the playing field – your product can show up if it’s relevant and well-reviewed, not just if you outbid others.
Personalization on the horizon. OpenAI is also working on letting ChatGPT use a user’s chat history (with permission) to refine product suggestions. This means in the near future, if someone has previously asked ChatGPT about back pain relief, the AI might remember that and suggest ergonomic office chairs that help improve posture.This isn’t fully launched yet globally (and some regions like the EU may not get it due to privacy), but it signals where things are going – ultra-tailored recommendations.
So, how do I optimize my products for ChatGPT?
Let’s look at some strategies to keep your products visible in AI search results.
Answer Questions Your Customers Are Asking – Before They Ask the AI:
This is the time to beef up the FAQ sections on your website and product pages. Think about questions customers ask in support emails, in reviews, or on forums. Does your product page content answer those? If not, add a Q&A or a simple paragraph. For instance, if you sell a blender and people often ask in reviews “Can it crush ice?”, make sure your page explicitly states “Yes, this blender can crush ice – it has stainless steel blades and a ‘pulse’ function for ice crushing.” This way, if someone asks an AI “Can the XYZ blender crush ice?”, the AI can confidently pull that from your page.
2. Use Schema Markup & Structured Data:
ChatGPT and other AI need to be able to find your product information – and that means your product pages should be easily crawlable
Adding structured data (like schema.org Product, FAQ, How-To schemas) to your pages is a great way to make them more digestible to LLMs. To be sure, ChatGPT’s shopping mode relies on “structured metadata” for things like price, reviews, and specs. Google’s Bard and others will also likely use structured data as they integrate more AI. By marking up your pages, you ensure the LLM sees exactly the key info.
For example, use FAQPage schema for your Q&A section – so an AI looking for “does it have feature X” might directly pick that Q&A answer. Use Product schema to feed the AI details like price, brand, dimensions, etc., which should also be mentioned in a best-in-class product listing.
3. Focus on Contextual, Natural Language Content:
AI search is all about context. Instead of just dumping keywords, write copy that provides context around your product’s use.
Paint a picture: “This tent is perfect for winter camping – tested to stay warm in sub-zero temperatures.” A sentence like that covers a lot of potential queries (“Is it good for winter?”, “What temp can it handle?”). It’s also just more conversational and more aligned with how people ask questions. In this way, the sentence includes related terms without feeling forced (winter, sub-zero, warm – all relevant, naturally).
Remember, AI understands synonyms and implicit meanings. If your content only lists bullet points like an old catalog, you might be missing out. Expand it into short paragraphs that teach the customer something. To give another example, including a line like “This 55” 4K Smart TV features an OLED display, delivering deep blacks and vibrant colors” on your page not only helps traditional SEO but also gives AI a juicy fact to latch onto. And it will likely engage your human visitors more too!
4. Highlight and Encourage Customer Reviews (Especially Detailed Ones):
On your own website, consider showcasing some customer testimonials or reviews that mention specific uses. “I took this tent on a 3-night trip in snow – it held up wonderfully.” A quote like that, if indexed, could be gold for an AI answering “Is this tent durable in snow?”
On Amazon or other platforms, encourage customers to leave feedback on specific aspects (“How was the fit?”, “Did the product meet your expectations for X?”). More detailed reviews = more material for AI to work with.
Some brands even use inserts or follow-up emails to ask for feedback on what shoppers used their product for. Just be sure to follow platform rules on how you can solicit reviews.
5. Keep Content Fresh and Up-to-Date
AI tools will favor current information, especially for queries like “latest” or “2025 best…”. Update your blog posts or buying guides regularly. If you have a “Top 10 gifts” article from 2022 that still gets traffic, consider making a 2025 version and linking to it on the page. ChatGPT’s search might surface the newer article first. Also, if your product has a new version or update, update the listings and descriptions promptly. Don’t let outdated info linger – you don’t want the AI summarizing an old spec sheet.
6. Monitor AI Mentions and Citations
This is a new area, but start paying attention to whether and how your brand appears in AI-generated answers. You can do some tests: ask ChatGPT (with web browsing enabled) a question relevant to your niche and see what it cites. Do the same on Perplexity or Bing’s AI chat. If competitors are being cited but you aren’t, take a hard look at what sources are being used. Are they major media reviews? Specific blogs? Maybe you need to focus on PR to get covered in those sources, or improve your own site’s content to outrank them. Some SEO tools are beginning to offer “AI search result” tracking. While still early, it might be worth experimenting with those to see how you’re faring in AI answers versus traditional search.
7. Embrace New Best Practices for “AI SEO”
We’re in a phase of experimentation, but some best practices are emerging specifically for AI. For instance, ChatGPT uses Bing’s index, so make sure your site is indexed on Bing and the content isn’t hidden behind logins or scripts.
Another up-and-coming best practice for AI search is the use of llms.txt – a proposed text file (similar to robots.txt) where you can provide instructions or data to AI language models crawling your site. It’s not widely adopted yet, but keep it on your radar as a potential tool to ensure AI models interpret your site correctly.
Another practice is structuring your URLs and meta tags in a way that’s AI-friendly. For example, having human-readable, descriptive URLs (instead of random IDs) might give AI a hint about content.
Even meta descriptions are seeing a new use: some experiments show that AI might use meta description content in crafting answers. So instead of a fluffy marketing meta description, you might opt for a concise summary of the key info on the page – essentially answering a likely question in 160 characters. This could help your chances of being picked up as a source.
8. Maintain a Strong Multi-Channel Presence
Since AI engines pull from all over, having your product information and positive reputation across multiple channels helps. This means continuing efforts in content marketing (blogs, guides, videos), PR (getting expert reviews or mentions on reputable sites), and community engagement (maybe your brand reps answering questions in relevant forums).
For instance, if there’s a popular Q&A site or a subreddit for your industry, being present there (in a genuine, helpful way) can indirectly boost the AI’s awareness of your brand.
Perplexity citing Reddit shows that even informal community answers can shape the narrative. So, the more you legitimately contribute to those conversations, the better.
How to keep up with AI Search in 2025
The takeaway is simple: the way people find products is evolving, and fast. AI-driven search isn’t replacing traditional search overnight, but it’s certainly supplementing it in important ways. Shoppers are getting used to the idea of asking a question and getting a direct answer.
Optimizing for this isn’t as intimidating as it might sound. In fact, it’s largely about doubling down on what we’ve always known to be good eCommerce practices: provide clear, thorough information; understand what your customers care about and speak to those points; keep your data accurate; and deliver a great product experience that people will talk about. The AI part just means the format of discovery is changing – from lists of links to conversational snippets.
For now, start implementing the strategies above. Update one product page and then test it: ask ChatGPT or Bing, “Is [Your Product] good for XYZ?” See what comes back. It can be an eye-opening exercise.
And remember, we’re still early in this AI search revolution. Larger changes (and opportunities) are surely on the horizon, like deeper integration of shopping into these AI platforms, or new AI search entrants. By staying informed and agile, you can turn these changes into a competitive advantage.
In 2025 and beyond, the brands that thrive will be those who provide the most useful and relevant information – because that’s what these AI search engines are looking to deliver to users. Make your content count, and your products will be the ones that these smart assistants recommend first.
Clarity and actionable insight are the name of the game. The world of search might be getting more complex behind the scenes, but the mission remains the same: connect people with what they want. If you help the AI do that with honest, helpful content, it’s likely to reward you by putting your business in front of more eyeballs (or ears, if they’re listening to the answer!).
In short: be the answer, and customers will find you – no matter how they ask.
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