Beyond Google: SEO for ChatGPT, Gemini, and the Era of LLM...
Search engine optimization is evolving beyond the traditional focus on ranking #1 on Google. With the advent of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others, a new era of conversational search has emerged. Ecommerce businesses that embrace this shift early on stand to gain a competitive advantage in a landscape where AI-driven platforms are now providing product recommendations directly within user queries, without relying on conventional ads or paid placements.
Optimizing for Visibility in the LLM-Powered Ecosystem
So, how can you ensure your brand is optimized for visibility in this new LLM-powered ecosystem, especially with platforms like ChatGPT gaining prominence?
ChatGPT, for instance, leverages a crawler known as OAI-SearchBot to surface product recommendations when user queries demonstrate purchase intent. It's essential to ensure that this crawler is not blocked in your robots.txt file to avoid being invisible to ChatGPT's search functionality. To achieve this, include the following directives:User-agent: OAI-SearchBotAllow: /
Bonus Tip: Keep in mind that any traffic referred by ChatGPT will be tagged with utm_source=chatgpt.com, enabling you to easily track and analyze performance using Google Analytics.
OpenAI is also working on a merchant feed submission option tailored for ecommerce brands. By submitting this feed, merchants can help ChatGPT access accurate and real-time product information directly. If you're interested in this opportunity, you can sign up here to receive notifications when submissions open.
Enhancing Your Site's LLM-Friendliness
For optimal visibility on LLM-driven platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, it's crucial to employ structured data markup (Schema.org) on your product pages. Including details such as pricing, reviews, availability, and category information can significantly enhance LLMs' understanding of your products and improve their accuracy in displaying them to users. To validate your structured data, consider using tools like Google's Rich Results Test.
Moreover, LLMs prioritize content that addresses real user questions rather than just listing product specifications. Crafting informative and helpful content that integrates your products as part of the solution can boost your visibility on these platforms.
While LLMs may not directly reward performance metrics, it's important to prioritize user experience to avoid high bounce rates, which can negatively impact engagement metrics visible to both traditional search engines and LLMs. Factors like page load speed, responsive design, and user-friendly interfaces remain critical in this evolving landscape.
Optimizing for Gemini and Other Platforms
In addition to ChatGPT, platforms like Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and You.com are also exploring citation-based responses and linking behavior. This underscores the growing importance of establishing authority and ensuring accessibility to enhance your brand's visibility in AI-driven search environments.
At Absolute Web, we specialize in guiding brands towards a holistic approach to SEO that extends beyond conventional tactics. Optimizing for LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini isn't just a passing trend - it represents the future of search. By ensuring your content is discoverable in a landscape where users seek advice from AI assistants, you can stay ahead of the curve and drive valuable engagement for your brand.
If you're interested in modernizing your SEO strategy to feature your products in AI-powered searches or create content that resonates with both Google and LLMs, feel free to reach out to Absolute Web, a trusted leader in ecommerce strategy, Shopify and Adobe Commerce development, and forward-thinking digital marketing initiatives.
