It’s clear the world of search is undergoing its most profound change since Google launched back in 1998. Consumers now use AI tools to find and buy products, so brands must go beyond traditional SEO to stay visible. That shift makes AI search optimization for products essential for any brand that wants to show up where buying decisions occur.
Yet, as SEO and generative engine optimization (GEO) consultant Liam Carnahan points out, some foundational principles still stand. The challenge with AI search optimization for products is understanding which principles still apply and which require a new approach.
TL;DR: AI Search Optimization for Products
- AI assistants like ChatGPT are reshaping product discovery and checkout, making product AI search optimization essential for visibility, as buyers now make decisions.
- The fundamentals still matter: quality product content, strong authority signals, accurate product data, and solid technical SEO all contribute to AI-driven results.
- AI platforms rely more on sentiment, UGC, community discussions, and Bing performance to recommend products.
- Key visibility tactics include: monitoring AI search results, optimizing for Bing/Webmaster Tools, creating granular comparison pages, and earning coverage from high-authority sources.
- Quick wins for AI search optimization for products: apply to ChatGPT’s merchant program, ensure About pages are accurate and updated, and actively contribute to relevant forums.
- AI shopping features and Instant Checkout will increasingly keep users inside AI systems, driving the need for both organic and paid AI search strategies.
- Brands that proactively manage their AI presence now will stay ahead.
The Shifting Search Reality for AI Shopping Features
Product discovery has moved beyond Google’s traditional search results page. AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s own AI Overviews increasingly mediate the relationship between consumers and products.
Recent research found that Google users who are presented with an AI summary are half as likely to click through to links to other sites. Users clicked a traditional result only eight percent of the time when Google showed an AI summary, compared with 15% without one.
Publishers and product marketers are feeling the pinch. For example, zero-click news searches grew by 13% in the year after Google launched AI Overviews.
“People are saying nothing has changed, and AI optimization is the same as it’s always been,” Carnahan says. “Then you have other people who are saying it’s completely different, and you need to rethink your whole strategy. In my opinion, it’s somewhere in between.”
AI Search Optimization for Products: What Still Works
Despite the disruption, several core principles of product visibility still apply, according to Carnahan.
- Quality content: Creating detailed, helpful content about your products remains essential.
- Technical optimization: Proper schema markup, site structure, and crawlability are still critical.
- Authority building: Establishing your brand as a credible voice in your industry still drives results.
- Product information accuracy: Clear, complete product data remains non-negotiable.
“A lot of the same strategies are still working, but they need to be done in a different order or different priorities,” Carnahan explains. The key difference now is that these elements serve a dual purpose. They help both traditional search engines and AI platforms understand and recommend your products.
AI Search Optimization for Products: What’s Changed
The shift to AI-mediated search introduces several critical differences.
- Reduced narrative control: Unlike traditional search, where you could optimize your own pages to appear in results, AI platforms synthesize information from multiple sources.
- Sentiment becomes critical: What others say about your products matters more than ever, as AI platforms prioritize peer reviews and discussions.
- Community content drives AI: Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and niche forums now directly influence AI recommendations.
- Bing matters again: Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI means Bing performance directly impacts ChatGPT search results.
“You have a lot less control over the narrative around your products today with AI than you do with Google search,” Carnahan says. “Sentiment in general is a way bigger factor than it used to be.”
This reality makes user-generated content platforms essential. As we explored in From Content to Conversation: Why Forums and UGC Sites Still Matter in the Age of AI, conversations on these platforms become training data for AI models. They directly shape what AI systems say about your products.
Strategic Actions for AI Visibility in AI Shopping Features
To increase your chances of appearing in AI shopping recommendations, strengthen your presence across platforms and trusted sources. Carnahan advises taking the following steps to make that happen.
Monitor Your AI Presence
Start by understanding how AI platforms represent your products. Use AI search tools from providers like Semrush to track where and how your products appear in AI-generated results.
“If you are not monitoring in any way how your product is showing up in AI search, then you are now officially behind the game,” Carnahan says.
Optimize for Bing
Set up Bing Webmaster Tools and actively monitor your Bing performance.
“How you show up in Bing results directly impacts how well you show up in ChatGPT search, and that includes shopping,” Carnahan says.
Create Granular Comparison Content
Develop detailed comparison pages that address specific product features, not just general brand comparisons. For example, instead of a generic “Our Product vs. Competitor” page, create content like “Our Product vs. Competitor: Invoice Management Features.”
AI systems frequently use structured data from tables in their responses. They pull from clear, labeled information because it helps them answer questions more accurately, such as listing product features or comparing pricing options side by side.
Invest in PR and Outreach
When AI platforms generate product recommendations, they typically cite sources with high domain authority like Forbes, NerdWallet, and Wikipedia.
“If you’re on the list, you’ll be in ChatGPT shopping and ChatGPT search,” Carnahan says.
Getting “on the list” may mean shifting the budget from traditional content creation to relationship-building with authoritative publications and platforms.
Engage Authentically in Communities
Active participation in relevant Reddit threads, Quora discussions, and industry forums influences how AI systems understand and recommend your products.
Focus on providing genuine value rather than promotional content, Carnahan advises. Answer questions, share insights, and address pain points. When you do mention your product, it should feel like a natural extension of the help you have already provided.
Quick Wins for AI Search Optimization for Products
A few strategic actions can boost your AI search presence.
Apply to the ChatGPT Merchant Program
OpenAI offers a merchant application form for businesses interested in appearing in ChatGPT shopping results and enabling Instant Checkout functionality.
While it’s still early days for the program, Carnahan recommends completing the application. “That is a little thing that is such a no-brainer,” Carnahan says.
Perplexity and other AI platforms have similar programs in the works.
Update Your About Page
AI bots might pull from About pages when generating brand information. Yet many businesses neglect them, according to Carnahan.
“Most people write out their About Us page as an afterthought, and they never go back to it,” Carnahan says. “Well, now it’s time to go back to it because it is where the AI bots go to get information about your website.”
If you haven’t done so recently, update your About page to include relevant search terms and reflect your current offerings. A strong About page quickly explains who you help and why you are different. Lead with your mission, core products, and one clear proof point that builds trust.
Rethinking Content Strategy for ChatGPT Product Discovery
AI search requires some adjustments to how you approach content creation. It changes how people find information, so brands must target conversational queries and answer-focused results. To stay visible, you provide clearer context, verified expertise, and structured details that AI models can easily interpret.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Promotional
In the AI era, Carnahan believes content titles and body copy should more explicitly feature a marketer’s brand and products.
“For a very long time, it was kind of considered bad etiquette to be overly promotional,” Carnahan says. “That’s over.” Instead, Carnahan says, “If your title is like How to Find the Best Pair of Leather Sandals, now the title should be Why Liam’s Shoe Store Has the Best Leather Sandals.”
Answer Questions AI Platforms Ask
Searches for products in ChatGPT or other AI platforms often generate follow-up questions to refine recommendations. Carnahan recommends creating content that anticipates those questions by thinking through what a buyer typically needs next.
Start by mapping the decision path:
- price concerns (“How much does this cost?”)
- fit or compatibility (“Will this work with my setup?”)
- trust signals (“Do other customers like it?”)
Then build short FAQ sections or supporting paragraphs that proactively answer those queries, such as:
- “What’s the difference between the basic and premium versions?”
- “How do I choose the right size/capacity/model?”
- “What does installation look like?”
- “What’s included in the warranty?”
This approach gives AI search engines the context they need to recommend your product without requiring the user to ask again.
AI platforms may answer these questions using information from across the web. You make sure your content appears in that source material by covering these answers clearly.
The Future of Product Search and AI Checkout Tools
Carnahan foresees developments on the horizon that will further reshape product discovery.
AI Shopping Features Become Standard
Carnahan predicts that AI shopping features within AI search platforms will be the norm. AI checkout tools will handle the entire transaction internally, similar to how some social media platforms and Amazon do today. They won’t direct buyers to your website for checkout.
This shift would turn AI search platforms into marketplaces in their own right.
AI Search Advertising Opportunities
Following the pattern of traditional search, it seems inevitable that paid advertising will come to AI search results.
“You’re going to have to have two AI strategies just like you did with web,” Carnahan says. “You’re going to have to have a paid AI strategy and an organic AI strategy, and they’re going to have to work together.”
Continued Quality Issues
Despite rapid advancement and perhaps because of it, AI platforms will still struggle with accuracy. Products may appear with incorrect colors, incorrect pricing, or inaccurate descriptions.
Carnahan doesn’t see this situation changing any time soon. “That seems like the insurmountable problem with this technology,” he says.
Which makes it all the more important that brands actively monitor and correct their AI representations
AI Search Optimization for Products: Finding Your Path Forward
For sure, tools and platforms will continue to develop. Strategies that work today may need adjustment tomorrow. You maintain visibility through active, sustained effort across multiple channels, including AI search optimization for products. Product quality and customer sentiment form the foundation of everything else.
“You’re going to have to step up your game or else get left behind,” Carnahan says. “It’s not fair, but it’s true.”
Still, brands that adapt quickly often discover new opportunities faster than they expect. With the right mix of quality, expertise, and experimentation, AI search can help your content reach the people who need it most. It also creates opportunities to spark growth you didn’t see coming.
About the Author
Michael Belfiore fell in love with technology and writing at the age of six and hasn’t looked back. He has written about rockets and robots for Wired and National Geographic, books on spaceflight and advanced technology development for HarperCollins, and everything from the future of work to quantum computing for tech brands and news sites. He lives in New York’s Hudson Valley. Check out his nDash profile for more information: Michael Belfiore.