ChatGPT Search Boom: Why Your Brand’s Online Presence Must Be Ready
Discoverability
An illustration of a product search
In a digital landscape that's evolving faster than ever, brands can no longer rely solely on traditional search engines to connect with their audience. With the rise of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, consumer behaviour is shifting—and fast. As of 2025, over 100 million users engage with ChatGPT weekly, and a significant portion of them are no longer just asking for facts—they’re searching for products, services, and tailored recommendations.
The introduction of OpenAI’s shopping integration within ChatGPT has transformed it from a conversational assistant into a powerful commerce discovery engine. This means your brand’s visibility on platforms like ChatGPT is becoming just as critical as on Google or social media.
The New Search Frontier: AI-Powered Product Discovery
Consumers are beginning to expect more personalised, contextual, and direct answers. Instead of Googling “best running shoes for flat feet,” they’re now asking ChatGPT, “Which running shoes are best for someone training for a marathon with flat feet and occasional knee pain?”
And they’re not getting a list of 10 blue links—they’re getting tailored recommendations, sometimes based on product metadata, reviews, brand presence, and structured content.
According to recent user behavior research:
35% of Gen Z and Millennials report they’ve used ChatGPT or another AI assistant to search for products in the past six months.
61% of users say they trust AI suggestions if the recommendations are transparent and contextually relevant.
Since the shopping feature launch in ChatGPT, product-related queries have increased by over 80%, especially in niches like health, beauty, tech, and lifestyle.
What This Means for Your Brand
If your website, product pages, or brand content are not optimised to be understood by AI, you're missing a growing wave of high-intent consumers. Here's what matters:
1. Structured Data Is Essential
AI assistants rely heavily on structured content (like schema markup) to interpret and recommend products. If your site isn't providing clean, machine-readable data, you’re invisible to this new wave of searchers.
What Is Schema Markup?
Schema markup is a type of "invisible code" you add to your website to help search engines—and now AI tools like ChatGPT—understand what your content is about.
Think of it like giving your website a label maker.
For example, instead of just listing:
"Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 – lightweight running shoe"
Schema markup tells Google or ChatGPT:
🏷️ This is a product
🏷️ The brand is Nike
🏷️ The model is Air Zoom Pegasus 40
🏷️ It’s a running shoe
🏷️ It costs £129.99
🏷️ It’s in stock
Now, when someone asks ChatGPT something like:
"What’s a good lightweight running shoe for under £150?"
Your product has a much better chance of being suggested—because the AI understands exactly what it is.
2. Conversational Content Wins
Unlike keyword-stuffed SEO copy, ChatGPT favours well-written, informative, and natural language content. FAQs, how-tos, and comparison pieces written in a human tone are more likely to be surfaced.
3. Brand Authority Matters
ChatGPT assesses trust. Brands with consistent messaging, robust online presence, and positive reviews across platforms are prioritised in AI-generated recommendations.
4. Product Feed Optimisation Is the New SEO
With the shopping feature now live, product availability, pricing, specs, and user-generated content are being pulled directly into AI answers. Ensuring your product feed is accurate and optimised is key.
How Folta Consulting Can Help
We specialise in future-proofing your digital strategy. From AI-driven content optimisation to structured data implementation, we help brands adapt and thrive in an AI-first world.
Audit your online presence for AI-readiness
Suggest structured data for improved discoverability
Consult on conversational content strategies
Optimise product feeds for AI shopping integrations
The future of search is here—and it's conversational.
Make sure your brand is part of the answer, not lost in the noise.