Generative Engine Optimization for eCommerce

According to a survey by an Adobe Analytics insight surveytraffic to US e-commerce sites from November 1 to December 31, 2024, using generative search engines increased by 1300% year over year, and by 1950% on Cyber ​Monday. However, searches on generative search engines are broad and encompass several purchase-related activities:​

·       Product research (55% of respondents)

·       Product recommendations (47% of respondents)

·       Deal hunting (43% of respondents)

·       Gift ideas, finding unique products, etc.

Some large e-commerce sites have noted that customers who come from generative sources have a higher and longer engagement rate (8% more engaged, 12% more page visits, 23% fewer bounces). This suggests that the customer is better informed, with a stronger purchase intent. However, in terms of conversion, traffic from generative AI remains lower than other sources, with a 9% lower chance of conversion according to Adobe. In July 2024, the conversion rate was 43%. Customers were using AI to research and compare products before entering the purchasing process. This difference in the gap shows that consumers are soon ready to finalize their purchase directly after visiting a generative engine.

Consumers have access to instant answers, directly in search engine results. According to Bain, this could decrease organic traffic by 15% to 25%. Google's March 2025 algorithm update shows an increase in the number of queries in Google's AI results. According to​ Semrush, 13% of queries triggered an AI preview, a 6.49% increase since January 2025. Furthermore, 88.1% of queries that triggered an AI preview are informational. 

These changes have already impacted many of the changes undertaken. For example, Reddit's unique visits declined in the last quarter of 2024 and caused its stock to drop by 15% in after-hours trading, according to Reuters. However, Reddit claims a recovery in visits in early Q2 2025. This example demonstrates the short-term impact of this algorithm change. It's worth noting that Google has included AI searches in Google Search Console since the beginning of 2025.

Optimizing your content to appear in Google's AI previews or in generative search engines is a priority. However, it's worth noting that the optimization criteria for generative engines have not yet been defined. While Googleinsists on optimizing this content for AI, it's not untrue, as traffic is based on similar criteria. According to According to a GEO search conducted by Princeton students, sites that naturally rank at the top of the page are often those at the top of AI previews. It's important to note that context matters more than keywords in SEO. The criteria would include:

·       Ease of understanding

·       Authority

·       Technical terms

·       Optimization for fluidity (UX experience)

·       Citing sources

·       Adding citations

·       Adding statistics

Thus, generative engines use sources, and these must be understandable, easily navigable (UX), and from a domain of authority. AI relies on "evidence" to suggest relevant content and not "hallucinate." It should be noted that the links that appear first in an artificially generated response are more important because they are more likely to be seen. This is somewhat similar to how Google works and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

There are many parallels with SEO, but optimization for generative search engines is essential. Google takes into account the links that appear in AI previews and displays them in Google Search Console. The semantic scope is expanding, and long-tail keywords are becoming even more important. Your site's content must be readable, well-structured, and easy to understand, and navigation must be simple.

Furthermore, you can optimize your e-commerce site:

·       Offer product snippets and make your product sheets easier to read

·       Supplement the content with specifications (structured data, diagrams, FAQs, etc.)

·       Accompany your texts with images and videos

·       Produce high-quality, expert content: guides, comparisons, expert opinions, etc. (Content must be verifiable and comparable)

An important point is to redefine your metrics within your team and add AI impressions, even if they don't generate as many clicks as impressions. Adopt new KPIs to implement your SEO-to-GEO strategy. Track changes in your metrics to observe the changes and strengthen your strategy.​