SEO and AEO work together
Agentic Engine Optimisation (AEO) focuses on helping AI services understand and evaluate your products. It starts with useful, accessible information about what you sell.
Google says established SEO practices also apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode. A page must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet in Google Search to qualify as a supporting link. There is no special AI schema or new AI text file required for these features, and eligibility does not guarantee inclusion. Google's guidance on AI features.
OpenAI says ChatGPT considers the shopper's question and context, structured product information and other third-party content when selecting shopping results. Product data matters, but it is one input into a recommendation. OpenAI's shopping guidance.
What merchants should optimise first
Make product pages accessible. Link to them from relevant categories and navigation. Put important product details in readable text, supported by clear images. For Google, use Search Console to investigate indexing and access problems. Google's SEO guidance for AI features.
Answer the questions shoppers actually ask. Use verified details that help someone decide: device compatibility for electronics, harness measurements for pets, ingredients and pack sizes for food and drink, dimensions for furniture, fit for clothing and shades for beauty. These are practical examples of useful product facts, not a universal ranking checklist. Start with the product-data checklist.
Keep the page, markup and feed consistent. Check that the selected variant, price, availability, delivery and returns information agree wherever you publish them. Google supports both Product structured data and Merchant Center feeds; using both can expand eligibility for shopping experiences and help it verify your data. Google's product-data guidance. Use the structured-data guide for practical checks.
Measure appearance and outcomes separately. Record the shopping question, AI service, date and market, then note whether your product appeared and which page was cited. Treat that result as a snapshot of the question you tested. Track visits and purchases separately in your analytics where attribution is available. An appearance in an answer does not establish that a sale followed. The AI shopping agents guide explains how to check visibility.
Use the findings to prioritise fixes. Connect your store to OptAEO, scan the catalogue and review the product-data issues and suggested changes. Applying fixes requires a paid plan. OptAEO's AEO score is its own readiness assessment; it is not a Google ranking or proof of an AI recommendation. If you use OptAEO simulations, their citations describe the queries OptAEO runs, not every shopper's conversation.