Jeff Oxford is my go-to interview for ecommerce website positioning. The founding father of Oregon-based 180 Advertising and marketing, an company, Jeff first appeared on the podcast in 2022 when he addressed website positioning’s “4 buckets.” I invited him again late final 12 months to clarify AI’s impression on search visitors and the way retailers can adapt.
On this our newest interview, he shared optimization techniques for ChatGPT, with a caveat: Google’s AI Mode might ultimately dominate.
All the audio of our dialog is embedded beneath. The transcript is edited for size and readability.
Eric Bandholz: Welcome again. Please introduce your self.
Jeff Oxford: I’m the founding father of 180 Advertising and marketing, an company focusing solely on ecommerce website positioning. A giant a part of that currently has been serving to manufacturers navigate AI-driven search.
We work with seven- and eight-figure ecommerce firms, serving to them develop natural visitors and conversions by the basics — search, content material, hyperlink constructing — and now layering in what I name “AI website positioning.” Mainly, optimizing so that you present up in locations like ChatGPT and different giant language fashions.
I’ve labored in ecommerce website positioning for about 15 years. I ran my very own ecommerce websites earlier than then, however I discovered I’m higher at advertising than operations. So I shifted into ecommerce website positioning. Over the previous 12 months, I’ve centered closely on ChatGPT and AI-driven website positioning as a result of it’s altering how folks uncover merchandise.
There’s confusion round what to name this new self-discipline. Entrepreneurs typically say “AI website positioning.” The website positioning neighborhood prefers “GEO,” which stands for Generative Engine Optimization. I’ve additionally heard “AEO” for Reply Engine Optimization and “LLMO” for Massive Language Mannequin Optimization. I choose the simplicity of AI website positioning. My group focuses on the place conventional website positioning and AI-powered optimization overlap so manufacturers can profit from each.
Premium ecommerce manufacturers face an uphill battle with Google. Larger costs typically result in larger bounce charges, and Google responds by pushing these websites off web page one, no matter high quality. ChatGPT, nonetheless, focuses on semantic relevance and attracts from a number of sources. Some retailers at the moment are seeing extra conversions from ChatGPT than from conventional Google search.
Bandholz: Is ChatGPT the Google of AI website positioning?
Oxford: Sure. We work with many ecommerce websites, giving us a broad information set. Once we evaluation analytics for AI-driven referrals, about 90% come from ChatGPT. Perplexity is often second, adopted by Claude and Gemini.
However monitoring efficiency is far more durable than with Google. Conventional website positioning is straightforward to measure — Shopify or Google Analytics clearly reveals natural search visitors and income. ChatGPT works otherwise. Customers ask a query, get suggestions, and should or might not click on by straight.
Usually, they copy the product or model title and search it on Google. That habits means ChatGPT not often seems in analytics as a referral supply. As an alternative, its affect reveals up as branded search visitors, which makes attribution tough.
Bandholz: Are firms shifting towards direct gross sales inside ChatGPT?
Oxford: Shopify and OpenAI introduced a collaboration for direct checkout by ChatGPT, however I haven’t seen it extensively applied. Shopify retailers will ultimately enable clients to buy straight inside ChatGPT. Stripe retailers could have related choices by new instruments that allow builders allow in-chat transactions.
Nevertheless, I’m unaware of any monitoring instruments — no equal of Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Instruments. Except ChatGPT introduces promoting, there’s little incentive to construct detailed analytics. If adverts develop into a part of the platform, I might see them including conversion pixels and efficiency monitoring, however that’s speculative.
Trying forward, I believe Google’s AI Mode might in the end dominate. ChatGPT accounts for roughly 90% of AI-driven search referrals, however Google is positioning AI Mode as the long run. It started as a beta function, moved into the primary interface, and now seems as an “AI” tab alongside pictures and movies and within the Chrome search bar. If consumer engagement stays robust, Google might ultimately make AI Mode the default over conventional search outcomes.
Regardless of ChatGPT’s development, Google search visitors hasn’t declined. Research present that Google search quantity has elevated barely. ChatGPT holds just one–2% of the search market share — lower than DuckDuckGo. Google nonetheless instructions the overwhelming majority of precise information-seeking queries.
Bandholz: How do I get Beardbrand rating in ChatGPT?
Oxford: All AI search instruments run on LLMs. Simply as conventional website positioning focuses on Google, we concentrate on ChatGPT as a result of it holds the most important share of AI-driven discovery. Enhancements made for ChatGPT often assist throughout the opposite platforms.
The method begins with immediate analysis, much like key phrase analysis. Goal prompts tied to high-volume transactional key phrases — akin to “greatest beard oil” or “the place to purchase beard oil.” Informational prompts like “what’s beard oil” are too top-of-funnel to transform. When you establish the core prompts, optimize your website round them.
Start together with your About web page. The primary sentence ought to clearly state that Beardbrand is a number one supplier of beard oil. Keep your model voice afterward, however readability within the opening line helps LLMs perceive your core id.
Subsequent, optimize class and product pages with conversational FAQs, detailed specification tables, clear distinctive promoting factors, and outlined use circumstances or goal audiences. These components assist LLMs parse and match your merchandise to consumer prompts.
For weblog posts, embody professional quotes, statistics, citations, and easy language. Replace previous items. Recency closely influences whether or not ChatGPT cites a web page. Nevertheless, preserve a hyper-focused website — take away outdated or off-topic content material to enhance your probability of being referenced in AI search outcomes.
Bandholz: What else ought to we all know?
Oxford: The most important takeaway is that AI website positioning depends closely on model mentions, much like how conventional website positioning depends on hyperlink constructing. In AI search, these mentions — typically known as citations — strongly correlate with whether or not ChatGPT recommends your merchandise. Your first step is discovering “greatest beard oil” articles throughout the online, particularly these ChatGPT often cites. Then work to get your merchandise included.
Ship samples, supply substantial affiliate commissions, and settle for break-even on these gross sales if it will increase your presence in authoritative lists. These citations can meaningfully affect ChatGPT’s product suggestions.
Digital public relations additionally helps. Create information or tales journalists wish to reference — for instance, statistics about beard developments, grooming habits, or client preferences. Distinctive information tends to get picked up, producing high-value model mentions.
One other useful software is Qwoted. It’s much like Haro however with a paid mannequin that filters out spam, so journalists actively use it. Reporters from Forbes, Inc., HuffPost, and even The Wall Avenue Journal submit requests for professional quotes. Ecommerce founders can simply reply to subjects akin to tariffs, AI adoption, and hiring. These quotes typically generate each model mentions and backlinks, serving to each AI website positioning and conventional website positioning. Paid plans begin round $100 per thirty days, and a single top-tier point out often justifies the associated fee.
Bandholz: The place can folks rent you, observe you, discover you?
Oxford: Our web site is 180marketing.com. I’m on LinkedIn.
