The way shoppers find products online is changing fast, and AI-powered tools like ChatGPT are leading the charge. As a merchant, making your products discoverable in ChatGPT’s conversational search results can open new doors for organic traffic and sales. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to ensure your products are seen and recommended by millions of users.
ChatGPT has integrated product recommendations directly into its search experience. When users can ask questions with clear shopping intent – like “best gifts for someone who loves cooking” or “noise-cancelling headphones under $200” and ChatGPT surfaces relevant products from across the web.
These recommendations are chosen independently, not as paid advertisements, ensuring that users get authentic results tailored to their needs.
How Merchants Can Get Discovered
For businesses, getting your products in front of ChatGPT’s vast user base is simpler than you might think. Here’s what you need to do:
Don’t Block OAI-SearchBot:
ChatGPT uses a web crawler called OAI-SearchBot to find and surface product information. If you want your site to be discoverable, make sure you haven’t blocked this crawler. Check your robots.txt file to confirm OAI-SearchBot has access.
Track Your Referral Traffic:
Publishers and merchants can track visits from ChatGPT using analytics tools like Google Analytics. ChatGPT automatically adds the UTM parameter utm_source=chatgpt.com to referral URLs, so you can easily measure the impact of this new channel.
Optimize for Conversational Queries:
ChatGPT thrives on natural language. Think about the questions your customers might ask (e.g., “best gifts for moms,” “eco-friendly water bottles”). Use these conversational keywords in your product listings and content.
Use Structured Data and Schema Markup:
Structured data helps ChatGPT understand your product details. Implement schema markup for products, including names, prices, availability, and reviews. This makes it easier for AI to surface your listings in relevant searches.
Stay Ahead with Product Feeds and Updates
Sign Up for Product Feed Notifications
OpenAI is developing a way for merchants to submit product feeds directly to ChatGPT.
Sign up for notifications through this page https://openai.com/chatgpt/search-product-discovery/, so you can submit your feed as soon as this feature becomes available, ensuring your listings are accurate and up-to-date.
Keep Your Product Information Fresh
Regularly update your product pages with current prices, stock levels, and new reviews. Accurate, up-to-date information increases your chances of being recommended by ChatGPT.
Why ChatGPT’s Product Discovery Feature is better than Google?
Unlike traditional search engines or shopping platforms, ChatGPT’s product discovery is conversational and context-aware. Users can ask questions in natural language and receive personalized recommendations no need to sift through endless product pages or ads. For merchants, this means your products can be discovered organically, based on real user intent and conversation.
Takeaway:
Getting your products listed in ChatGPT’s search results is easier than you think—but it takes a proactive approach. By optimizing your website, using structured data, and staying updated on AI trends, you can position your ecommerce business for success in the new time of AI-powered shopping.
Start today and make sure your products are part of the conversation.
