Can your business be found on ChatGPT?
A site that is optimized for search engines is well on its way to being optimized for AI. Schema and structured data, especially for ecommerce sites, is key to having your content included and ranked.
Google is dead
At least, what most of us consider the standard Google search to be, is dead. If you have searched for anything lately, you will now see an answer to your question, sometimes followed by further discussion (as if you had asked subsequent questions). After all of that, you’ll start seeing traditional search results; however, even these have changed because Google is now showing larger excerpts. It’s not giving you links to do your own research; instead, it’s giving you answers. In other words, Google is changing from a Search Engine to an Answer Engine.
But Google is only one of the players in this new field. You have likely heard of or used ChatGPT. A growing number of Canadians have tried it and others like Perplexity or Opera Neon. These are chatbots and other AI tools that will answer questions (prompts) that you ask (give) it, beginning a conversation that can be very insightful, and sometimes misleading (the subject of another post).
From answers to recommendations
These tools can also make recommendations and greatly reduce research time. When I asked Perplexity to give me a list of Canadian cardboard box manufacturers for shipping small packages of shelf-stable snacks, I was given a list (complete with photos and short descriptions) of 7 companies, all within three seconds.
A surprise inquiry
Which leads me to the title of this post. We received an inquiry through our website the other day. The woman was starting her own business in the Ottawa area and was looking for a website and possibly a logo. When I spoke with her about the project, I asked her how she had found The Dunham Group. “Through ChatGPT”, she replied.
After the conversation, I did some research into just how ChatGPT ‘recommended’ us. This is the art of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). AEO is kind of like SEO for chatbots, however there are some key differences.
Comparing SEO and AEO
The main goal of SEO is to drive website traffic. Users want to explore and get in-depth information about a subject. Optimization focuses on keywords, links and site structure.
The main goal of AEO is to give instant, direct answers. Users want to get quick, specific answers to a question. Optimization focuses on Q&A, schema markup and structured data.
So while SEO is about ranking and attracting visitors; AEO is about being the answer that engines deliver to users.
Which is better: SEO or AEO?
At this point we could have an argument about which is better; SEO or AEO. I remember a similar argument, decades ago, between Beta and VHS video cassettes. Though Beta was arguably a better product, VHS won the battle through sheer numbers. With more and more people holding VHS tapes than Beta tapes in their hands, Beta slowly disappeared.
The same will be true of SEO vs AEO. Search is already and forever changed. It is now infused with AI.
The good news is that a site that is optimized for search engines is well on its way to being optimized for AI. Schema and structured data, especially for ecommerce sites, is key to having your content included and ranked. Adding FAQ to your pages, and restructuring your content will help your site go the extra mile and better your chances of being the answer.
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