"What is the future of shopping searches?" and other questions about AI

You can watch the webinar recording here. (In Finnish)

Question: What is the role of AI in the cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency of non-profit organizations when resources are diminishing?

AI can be used to enhance operations and seek cost-effectiveness. For example, an AI-powered search function is less expensive to implement than a comprehensive, traditional search function, the logic of which is usually laborious to execute.

It can also be considered that the focus and quality of costs will be distributed differently in the future. AI solutions typically make programming more efficient, and with their help, the costs of technical implementation can be cut by up to 40%, while implementation times shorten, leaving more time for strategically central activities.

These types of questions will certainly need consideration, and not all of them have answers yet – AI is both an additional cost and a source of savings for all organizations.

Question: Does our own content production and planning need to be done differently in the age of AI? What is the significance of an organization having content in channels other than its own (e.g., media, stakeholder collaboration)?

In content planning, the changed search behavior of users must be taken into account. Previously, search engine optimization (SEO) was based on keywords, but in the age of AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini), searches are performed with complete sentences that have a deeper context, meaning simple keywords may not suffice.

The more people use AI-powered conversational environments, the longer and more complex the “search phrases” become. For example, where previously the search “Best Content Management System” was entered into Google, the situation is now opened up in AI conversations with more detail: “We are a logistics company with 100 employees, and we are looking for an efficient content management product for multi-channel publishing.”

AI searches use the content they have been trained on (practically most of the internet’s content) as well as searches from websites for their answers. Often, website content emphasizes general topics or content intended for the early stage of the “sales funnel,” such as general guides. In order for organizations to be better included in AI conversations through their content, it would be beneficial to include content that addresses customers’ purchase situations on the sites. A concise question-and-answer format is effective here.

While one’s own web service is certainly an important channel, AI searches widely use the entire internet as their source, so content in other environments is also important.

Question: AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) answers and the responses from other AI tools have already significantly affected informational searches. What is the future of shopping searches? Will OpenAI and others enter the shopping search market, meaning will we be buying, for example, ChatGPT ads in the future?

AI already has, and will continue to have, a significant impact on e-commerce. Over the past six months, several early solutions for agent-driven e-commerce have been launched, allowing purchases to be made directly from ChatGPT or Google’s search environment. For example, ChatGPT can be used to make purchases from Etsy, and in the future, also from Shopify. Google has also released its own payment API, enabling agents to complete transactions directly with online stores.

There are many rumors circulating that ChatGPT will function as a paid advertising platform in the future, and we believe this will happen in the near future, as the platform must be financed in some way: the paid ChatGPT license does not yet cover the costs incurred by usage. ChatGPT’s 800 million weekly users are certainly an incentive for OpenAI to move to paid advertising, and it would also open up competition in a different way towards Google.

Question: Can you name any global brands or websites where this multimodal and agent-driven world is already particularly visible and successful?

Currently, multimodality and agency in the customer interface are still new, but Google’s AI Mode, for example, is already defining ways to communicate through the internet and digital services. Due to this, it is expected that AI Mode will create a new opportunity to change the way user interfaces are used.

For example, Vodafone utilizes conversational agents (voice and text) in its call centers. Veed.io, on the other hand, has a multimodal agent for video editing, which allows users to edit videos using text-based prompts. WPP and Incubeta have multimodal agents intended for those working in creative tasks, leveraging images, videos, and text.

Question: What kind of web content is the best material for conversational search? Should, for example, highly descriptive or concrete service descriptions be favored so that the search interface can guide the visitor to get started and direct them to the right service?

The principles of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) have not disappeared. Therefore, continue to invest in headings, subheadings, clear structure, and metadata. From a technical standpoint, Schemas, such as FAQ Schema and Article Schema, help search engines and conversational search understand the content’s purpose and context.

Keep the content brief

Conversational search aims to understand the user’s intent instead of keywords and provide a direct, comprehensive answer.

The more concrete and clear your service descriptions are, for example, the better the AI understands what you offer and trusts your expertise. Ultimately, it can use your content directly as a source in its answers (cite you) and direct the user straight to you. This is also influenced by how things related to your brand are mentioned on social media and other sites.

A clear description goes a long way. For example: “We handle accounting for small and medium-sized businesses in Helsinki at a fixed monthly fee, including payroll and financial statements.”

Best content types for conversational search

• Direct answers (FAQ-style): Content that is formatted to answer questions directly. AIs love the Q&A format. “What is X?”, “How much does X cost?”, “Who is service Y suitable for?”
• Concrete Service and Product Descriptions: What? For whom? What problem does it solve? How does it work?
• Structured lists and step-by-step instructions: AI can structure lists and instructions very easily and present them as part of its answer. Example: “Five steps to doing X” or “The three main benefits of our service are…”.
• Definitions and explanations: Clear, concise definitions for terms, processes, or concepts. This builds authority.
• Authentic, natural language: Use the same language as your target audience. Forget keyword spamming. AI understands language nuances, context, and true intent much better than old search algorithms. It recognizes unnatural “keyword stuffing” as a sign of low-quality or unreliable content. Stiff text created solely for search engines, such as “Best accountant Helsinki. We offer accounting services in Helsinki. Contact our accountant,” is seen as inauthentic. Authentic, service-oriented language like “Looking for a reliable accountant in Helsinki who understands the needs of a small limited company? We handle accounting for SMEs for a fixed monthly fee…” better reflects how a person would ask or describe their need.

How to Find Your Target Audience’s Language

The best way to learn to speak like your target audience is to go where they are already having conversations. Read industry forums, Reddit channels, Facebook groups, Quora questions, and contacts made to your own customer service.

Don’t just focus on the terms your target audience uses, but on how they describe their problem. For example, a customer may not be searching for “synergistic B2B marketing automation.” They might be asking: “How can I automatically send a welcome message to new leads?”

Structure your content (especially subheadings and Q&A sections) to answer these authentic questions and problem statements. When you use the same language and address the problems your audience is already discussing, AI recognizes your content as a highly relevant and trustworthy answer to those discussions.

Monitoring and Analyzing Traffic from AI Platforms

In addition, it is advisable to actively monitor traffic to your site from AI platforms and analyze the activity of their search agents (crawlers). This way, you can identify which content is producing results and which is not.

Do you have any questions or want to learn more? Send us a message, and we’ll tell you more!