SEO vs GSO: What are the best strategies for boosting your eCommerce with AI?

At Novatize, we understand that the world of eCommerce is constantly evolving—and that strategies to maximize online visibility must adapt to emerging trends and technologies. This is especially true in a landscape where artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating not only the development of digital tools but also shifting user behaviors.

One of the most significant evolutions we're seeing is the rise of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), also known as GSO (Generative Search Optimization). This new approach complements and reshapes traditional SEO practices, opening the door to more dynamic and conversational search experiences.

To learn more about the top eCommerce trends to watch in 2025

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Is SEO still a core pillar of eCommerce?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a well-established digital marketing strategy designed to improve a website’s visibility and authority so it ranks higher in organic search results on platforms like Google. It’s a foundational tactic for driving qualified, long-term traffic and building brand credibility, especially in competitive B2B and B2C markets. Modern SEO spans three key dimensions:

Technical SEO: Optimizing the site's infrastructure, including site speed, architecture, and crawlability, to ensure search engines can access and index content efficiently.
On-Page SEO: Creating relevant, high-value content with strategic keyword placement and optimizing HTML elements such as titles, meta descriptions, headers, and images.
Off-Page SEO: Building domain authority through link-building strategies and partnerships that enhance the site’s trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines.

How can a SEO specialist improve your eCommerce?

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In the eCommerce space, these strategies help drive qualified traffic to product and collection pages, boost conversion rates, and ultimately increase sales. However, with the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, a new paradigm is emerging: GSO.

How to optimize your eCommerce site for generative engines (GEO/GSO)?

According to a recent study conducted with Leger on the impact of AI in eCommerce, 39% of Canadians have already used AI tools as part of their online shopping experience. This signals a major shift in digital optimization: Generative Search Optimization (GSO), designed for AI-powered engines like SearchGPT, Google Bard, and Bing Chat.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking specific pages in search results (like Google SERPs), GSO aims to influence how AI models extract, interpret, and synthesize online content to generate answers for users. The goal is not just visibility, it’s integration. You want your brand or product information to be part of the AI-generated response itself.

To succeed in this new search landscape, a GSO strategy must focus on:

Context-rich, In-depth content: Generative AI models prioritize comprehensive answers sourced from reliable, well-structured content. Your content should fully address user questions, while anticipating deeper, related search intents. Depth and nuance are key to becoming part of AI-powered answers.
Data structuring: Implement structured data to help generative engines better understand, classify, and reference your content. This technical foundation significantly boosts your chances of being surfaced in AI summaries.
Trust and authority: Content authored or reviewed by subject-matter experts carries more weight. Generative engines favor sources that demonstrate credibility, expertise and domain authority. Cite credentials, include author bios and ensure factual accuracy.
Frequent content updates: Fresh content performs better in AI-generated results. Maintain a consistent editorial calendar to keep your insights current and relevant, especially in fast-moving industries like digital commerce and technology.
Focus on emerging search intents: Identify and address new and complex search queries that users are starting to ask, often those that traditional search engines fail to answer well. AI tools excel at responding to multifaceted or nuanced queries.
Optimization for conversational queries: Generative engines operate in a dialogue-based context. Structure your content to respond clearly to natural-language questions, using a tone and format that mirrors how users interact with chat-based AI.

Generative Search Optimization (GSO) requires a proactive, strategic mindset, one that goes beyond traditional SEO tactics. Success depends on a deep understanding of how generative engines operate and on content that’s not just optimized for search, but designed to be used by AI. eCommerce organizations must be ready, not only to produce high-quality content, but to consider how AI will interpret, synthesize and deliver that content to end users. The focus is no longer just visibility, it’s relevance, integration and value at every touchpoint.

SEO vs. GSO (GEO): What’s the difference?

The solution: A hybrid strategy

To succeed in today’s eCommerce landscape, it’s essential not to see SEO and GSO as competing strategies, but as complementary forces. To be cited by generative engines, you first need to rank in traditional search results. A hybrid strategy maximizes online visibility by aligning with both traditional search engine algorithms and the expectations of generative AI models.

Consumer search behavior and AI tools

With the rise of tools like SearchGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Bing Chat, consumer search behavior is rapidly evolving. 25% of Canadians already use AI tools at least once a week. Even Shopify is adapting its platform to support AI-powered shopping, clear proof that the future of eCommerce is happening now.

Consumers increasingly prefer natural interactions and direct, contextual answers. For example, a user might ask: “What’s the best product to hydrate dry skin in winter?” In this scenario, generative engines pull data from multiple sources to deliver a personalized, comprehensive response.

For eCommerce merchants, this means it’s essential to produce informative content that’s optimized for both traditional search engines and generative AI. Including FAQs, product comparisons, buying guides, use cases, and tailored answers can significantly improve visibility in these emerging AI-driven interfaces.

According to the 2025 Novatize study conducted with Léger, 50% of Canadians say they’re open to using AI tools for online shopping, a reality that must be factored into any forward-thinking digital marketing strategy.

Are SEO and GSO complementary for eCommerce merchants?

Rather than choosing between SEO and GSO, eCommerce merchants should view both approaches as complementary:

To attract human visitors: SEO drives organic traffic and helps optimize conversions on product and category pages.
To capture AI attention: GSO is essential to ensure that your website content is picked up by AI tools increasingly used by consumers for recommendations.

Examples

Technical FAQs for B2B: A company selling industrial equipment can optimize for generative engines by creating comprehensive guides, well-structured FAQs, and comparison tables that directly address common customer questions.
Inspiration and Buying Guides for B2C: A fashion brand could publish a seasonal trend guide with product recommendations, leveraging SEO to rank on Google and GSO to be referenced by generative AI engines.

Tips to leverage both SEO and GSO

Focus on evergreen content: Create timeless articles and guides that remain relevant over time. This ensures lasting visibility across both traditional search engines and generative AI platforms.
Structure your information: Use structured data tags (schema.org) to make your content easier for AI models to interpret and surface in responses.
Target specific questions: Identify ultra-specific queries your potential customers might ask. For example, “What are the best hiking boots for rocky terrain?”, and create dedicated content around them. Keyword research, trend analysis, and competitive benchmarking will help you anticipate and capture high-intent searches.
Monitor your sources: Make sure your website is seen as a trustworthy source by generative engines. Publish content authored by verified experts and backed by credible data. The same goes for backlinks: aim for high-quality references and avoid link farms that could damage your authority.
Experiment with generative engines: Test tools like SearchGPT to see how your content is being interpreted and identify areas for optimization. This hands-on approach can uncover new opportunities to improve visibility.

In a digital landscape where AI is reshaping online behavior, it’s essential for eCommerce businesses to adopt a strategy that combines both SEO and GSO. These complementary approaches help drive qualified traffic while ensuring your brand is present in AI-generated responses.

Meeting the requirements of both traditional and generative search engines demands specialized expertise in content creation, data structuring, and performance tracking. While complex, this represents a powerful opportunity to boost visibility and enhance the overall customer experience.