Google's dominance is nose-diving

Happy Bank Hol for anyone in the UK.

I write this sun shining through my office, sippin’ on collagen water and Usher playing the background.

I’m going to see him tomorrow to fulfil my teen ‘Confession’ dreams.

Anyway, enough about me and over to you.

It was a huge week in eCom. A whopper of an update.

Not game-changing.

More like an f-off wrecking ball to how people used to find your products.

Let’s talk about it…

Shoppable ChatGPT or ‘In-Chat Commerce’

In a nutshell, Chat is providing another way for your fabulous products to be discovered…and then bought there and then. Zero clicks to site required.

People are increasingly turning their ‘best over ear headphones’ product research to the likes of TikTok and Insta so ChatGPT is following suit.

Bye bye Google - you’ve had a bloomin’ good run.

So how do you make sure you get ranked I hear you ask?

SEO In comes GEO - Generative Engine Optimisation

Unlike SEO, which follows the rules of page indexing, GEO pools from conversational logic.

Less keyword ranking. More helpful purchase info.

Chat collates answers based on purchase intent, a multitude of signals and sources liked Reddit, Shopify and Review platforms.

I’ve already started seeing AI referral sales in my client’s Shopify stores

This ability to be discovered is already here, let’s call it Phase 1.

Phase 1 - highlighting product options → click out to buy from the company’s site

I’m on the hunt for some new sunnies.

Here’s what my suggestions look like based on the prompt:

“Find me a pair of cat eye sunglasses that can be delivered to London within 3 days? I only want to see sustainable challenger brands”

The good:

• It has reviewed for any mention of sustainability in the description

• It has factored in real reviews

• It also pulled in expected delivery dates too

The bad:

• They are NOT cat eye sunnies -Chat has zero taste

• The 2nd suggestion are kids sunnies. Needs more specifics

You can see how it’s really in the mind of the user and what they’re after which I love

Phase 2 - highlighting options → Shopify Buy button shown in ChatGPT

(whoa! No site click needed)

This is currently in Beta but the legends at Blended have seen it in action through masses of testing.

They’ve even created an extremely detailed guide for you. Cheers team.

My takeaways:

Tightening up your website content has never been more important.

Both the technical aspects AND the UX.

This is especially true for showcasing TRUST signals like

• Reviews

• Clear titles and descriptions

• FAQs

• Transparent delivery options

It does all make me wonder what the heck will happen with:

• Subscription models

• Branding

• Onsite product discovery

• Upsells / Cross-sells

• Analytics and tracking user behaviour

In many ways, if AI is vetting the decency and value of your products, this can ONLY be a good thing…right??

To me it’s ramping up all the things that make a shit hot store anyway:

Decent products. Beautifully visualised. Clearly meeting a need or desire.

What are your thoughts? Reply with your takeaways.

If it breaks you out in hives, don’t worry, we’re all learning this together!

ON MY RADAR

Web + Flo approved:

This is a boujie deli fans wet dream.

CPG brands clamour to be on the shelves of raye the store.

Status signal 101 in the UK D2C world.

Last time, I went for a research day under the guide of work. Smug.

Came home with a lot less money in my purse.

Nicole the Founder, pours her heart into the fit outs and products on display so you know this Notting Hill Spring edition is going to be impeccable.

Find it here

Please take that extra day to do very little.

AI, website updates and everything else eCom related can wait 1 more day.

Have a brilliant long weekend.

Or Monday as usual if you’re outside the UK 🫡

Laura