Microsoft revealed a playbook early this month to assist retailers improve visibility in AI search, browsers, and assistants.
“A information to AEO and GEO” (PDF) from the heads of Microsoft Purchasing and Copilot, and Microsoft Promoting, consists of and confirms actionable suggestions definitely worth the learn.
Microsoft’s new information goals to assist retailers improve AI visibility.
GEO vs. AEO
The rise of AI platforms has created a proliferation of ill-defined acronyms. The information makes an attempt to make clear two of them:
- GEO. Generative engine optimization. “Optimizes content material for generative AI search environments (like LLM-powered engines) to make it discoverable, reliable, and authoritative.”
- AEO. Reply/Agentic Engine Optimization. “Optimizes content material for AI brokers and assistants (like Copilot or ChatGPT) to allow them to discover, perceive, and current solutions successfully.”
I query the necessity for brand new acronyms, because the ideas have existed for years in conventional search engine marketing. “GEO” is synonymous with “EEAT” — Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness — Google’s time period for instructing human high quality raters.
“AEO” is akin to optimizing for featured snippets in conventional search outcomes.
The important thing distinction is that GEO and AEO deal with a product’s pre-training knowledge to affect publicity in AI solutions.
And GEO extends past a web site’s content material to incorporate exterior assets reminiscent of opinions, Reddit mentions, product-comparison articles, and related.
Intent-driven product knowledge
To me, probably the most helpful a part of the information reinforces my article on optimizing product feeds for AI. Product feeds and on-page descriptions ought to clearly tackle use circumstances, reminiscent of sneakers “finest for day hikes above 40 levels.”
The information additionally recommends:
- Product web page titles which can be detailed and descriptive,
- Entrance-loading product descriptions with advantages: who it’s for, the issue it solves, and the way it’s higher,
- Q&As,
- Comparability tables,
- Detailed alt textual content for product photos,
- Complementary merchandise that match the intent,
- Transcripts for movies.
Social proof
The information emphasizes the significance of factual entities reminiscent of verified buyer opinions, certifications, sustainability badges, and partnerships. It warns in opposition to utilizing exaggerated or unverifiable claims, stating, “AI programs penalize low-trust language.”
It advises making use of social proof persistently throughout your web site and all channels, and verifying any subjective claims about what you are promoting or product. For instance, if you happen to assert a product is the very best in a class, embody why, reminiscent of “in response to [XYZ’s] exams.”
Structured knowledge
Per the information, structured knowledge markup, reminiscent of Schema.org, is vital for AI visibility.
Nonetheless, I’ve seen no proof to help that suggestion. The information doesn’t clarify how LLMs use Schema. To my data, AI coaching knowledge doesn’t retailer Schema markup, and AI bots crawl text-only content material.
But for reside searches, Schema could also be useful as a result of conventional search engines like google and yahoo help it, and LLMs depend on these platforms.
Nonetheless, the information recommends:
- Schema Sorts: Product, Supply, AggregateRating, Overview, Model, ItemList, and FAQ.
- Dynamic fields: value, availability, coloration, measurement, SKU, GTIN, and dateModified.
- ItemList markup for collections and class pages to make clear product groupings.
Whereas useful, Microsoft’s “A information to AEO and GEO” doesn’t introduce something new. The suggestions align with longstanding search engine optimization techniques and reinforce the views of business professionals.
