In this article, you'll find a comprehensive comparison of SEO and AEO and practical tips on how to check your store's visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. You'll learn how AI assistants analyze your listing and what structured data is crucial to make your brand a trusted source for them. The text includes a ready-made step-by-step audit process, a concrete optimization checklist and answers to the most common questions about the future of e-commerce search.
What is AEO (AI Engine Optimization) and how does it differ from SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on how your site performs in classic Google or Bing results: SERP positions, CTR, organic traffic.
AEO (AI Engine Optimization) - also called GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) - is a set of activities that make:
- aI assistants know your brand and offerings,
- use your content as a source when they respond to users,
- provide your store name and links in product recommendations.
Key differences:
Area: main objective
- Classic SEO: High ranking in the SERPs
- AEO / GEO (AI Engine Optimization): Being the source that the AI assistant quotes
Area: Recipient
- Classic SEO: User + search engine algorithm
- AEO / GEO (AI Engine Optimization): User + Language Model (LLM)
Area: content format
- Classic SEO: Sub-pages, articles, result lists
- AEO / GEO (AI Engine Optimization): Summarized content, FAQs, comparisons, structured data
Area: key signal
- Classic SEO: Links, keywords, matching intentions
- AEO / GEO (AI Engine Optimization): Quality and completeness of information, brand authority, structured data
Area: effect
- Classic SEO: Clicking on a link in the SERP
- AEO / GEO (AI Engine Optimization): A ready-made response with your brand name and link woven in
Research shows that AI assistants overwhelmingly cite brand-controlled domains - official brand sites, documentation, directories and industry media - and much less frequently forums or random blogs. This shifts the focus from "keyword SEO" to "brand & entity SEO + AEO."
How do AI assistants "see" your store? (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
Where do they get their data on online stores?
Search engine indexes
- ChatGPT Search uses the Bing index and other sources, and bases its answers on current web searches.
- Gemini (AI Overviews) is based on Google's index and its additional ranking layers.
Real-time web crawling + RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
- Perplexity uses an "answer engine" approach - before generating an answer, it searches the web, selects sources, and then quotes them.
In practice, this means that AI: reads your product pages, categories, blog, retrieves structured data (schema.org/Product, Offer, FAQ, Organization), links it to reviews, catalogs, marketplaces.
Brand-owned content and reputation
Analyses of millions of AI-search citations show that:
- most of the sources are official brand sites and trade media,
- marketplaces and comparison sites (Amazon, Allegro, Ceneo, Zalando) and review portals play a very important role.
How do they recommend stores and products?
- ChatGPT (Search) - in product responses: can provide specific brands and stores and links, especially in English-speaking markets, but is more likely than Perplexity to create a response with fewer cited sources (average of 7.92 vs. 21.87 in Perplexity).
- Gemini / AI Overviews: generates a summary and a list of "learn more" links, in e-commerce it usually lists brands and product types, and then leads to a classic SERP with product cards.
- Perplexity: is the most "searchable" - shows a lot of links to specific pages (an average of 21.87 sources per answer), is very keen to cite product sheets and company blogs if they are well described and answer the query accurately.
Step-by-step AEO audit - check the visibility of your store
Here's a process you can do on your own - ideally combined with monitoring tools such as Semly.
Step 1: Verify that your store appears in AI responses at all
Start with a simple manual test in three tools: ChatGPT (with search enabled), Gemini, Perplexity.
Sample test commands:
- Brand & Domain: "What can you say about [store name]?", "What does [store name].co.uk do?", "Is it worth buying from [store name]?"
- Categories and needs: "Where in Poland to buy [category] online?", "What stores do you recommend to buy [category, e.g. running shoes, premium mattresses]?"
- A specific product or type of product: "Where to buy [model / product type] in Poland?", "What online store specializes in [segment, e.g. running accessories, loft furniture]?"
Does it say the name of your store? Does a link to your domain or product pages appear? Do the responses suggest only marketplaces / large foreign brands? If you don't appear anywhere, it's a signal that AI "doesn't know you" or knows too little to quote you.
Step 2: Analyze what the assistants are saying about your store
If the brand appears in the answers, check carefully: how is the store described? Does the AI correctly understand what you are selling (assortment, segment, target audience)? Is the data up to date? Check, among other things: delivery terms, lead time, return policy, number of years on the market. What does the "image" look like in response? Are the mentions neutral, positive, or does the assistant suggest problems (delays, poor quality, bad reviews)?
Do a brief analysis for yourself:
- ChatGPT: "What can you say about ...?" - Does the brand appear? What is the description? Are there errors/inaccuracies
- Gemini: "Where to buy [category]?" - Does the brand name appear? What is the description? Are there errors/inaccuracies?
- Perplexity: "Best stores for [category]" - Does the brand appear? What is the description? Are there errors/inaccuracies?
Step 3: Identify the sources from which AI is getting data about your store
In Perplexity and in ChatGPT Search, you can click on "sources" / "sources". Make a note of what domains appear most often when asked about your category and brand. Typically, these will be: Your own website (if well optimized), blog articles and external guides, marketplaces (Allegro, Amazon, Zalando, etc.), comparison sites and directories, review portals (tests, "top 10" rankings).
Step 4: Evaluate how you compare to your competitors
Now repeat some of the tests, not including the name of your store, just general queries: "Best [category] online stores in Poland," "Where to buy [premium / niche segment] online?", "Recommend a trusted [category] store with fast delivery." Note which stores are mentioned by name and whether marketplaces or brands' own stores dominate.
Step 5: Map AEO gaps - what's missing from your content and data
Based on steps 1-4, answer some key questions: Does AI even know your store name and domain? Does it correctly understand what category / niche you serve? Does it have where to get specific data about products, terms and conditions, delivery? Does it have reviews, testimonials and comparisons to back up your credibility? Are the cited sources dominated by competitors and marketplaces, or your own resources?
Key areas of AEO optimization for an online store
1. Structural and technical data of the base
Structured data (schema.org) is one of the most important elements of AEO - it helps models understand what you sell and the value you offer.
- schema.org/Product - on each product card: name, brand, brief description, parameters (size, color, material, model), identifiers (GTIN, MPN, SKU), price, currency, availability (Offer), rating (AggregateRating).
- schema.org/Organization - data about the store: full name, address, tax ID, contact information, social media, description of the business.
- schema.org/FAQPage - with key categories and products: answer questions actually asked by users.
2. Expert content that "wants to be quoted"
In order for an AI assistant to want to invoke you, your content must: completely answer the question, contain specific data (numbers, parameters, comparisons), be understandable to both the human and the model (clear headings, simple structure).
3. Reputation: opinions, reviews, mentions
Take care of: customer reviews on your own site and on external sites (Google Maps, Opineo, Trustpilot, etc.), reviews and tests in trade media, consistent brand information in directories and comparison sites.
4. Distribution: marketplaces and catalogs
Ensure completeness and consistency of data (names, descriptions, tags, images) between your store and marketplaces. Optimize descriptions on the platforms as you would on your own site.
How Semly helps with AEO audit and visibility monitoring in AI
Semly was created precisely so that brands could understand and systematically improve their visibility in AI assistants.
- Monitoring brand visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity: Semly automatically checks if and in what context your brand appears in AI responses.
- Identifying content gaps under AEO: Based on real queries and responses, AI Semly helps pinpoint what content is missing from your site.
- Reports for e-commerce: instead of general SEO reports, you get specific AEO insights.
Checklist: AEO audit of your store in 60 minutes
- I checked in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity responses to branded queries (store name, domain).
- I checked to see if I was showing up for general shopping inquiries in my category.
- I made a note of how AI describes my store (offer, conditions, image).
- I have identified all the errors and inaccuracies in these descriptions.
- I checked the list of domains that AI cites when asking about my category.
- I know if my domain appears among the sources and at which topics.
- I have a list of stores and services that are recommended more often than I am.
- I understand if I am competing mainly with other e-shops or with comparison / media.
- Product cards have the correct schema.org/Product + Offer + AggregateRating.
- The store page has schema.org/Organization and breadcrumbs.
- Key categories have an FAQPage schema implemented.
- I have guides and rankings to answer customer questions ("how to choose...", "best for...", "X vs Y").
- The content is up-to-date, with specific data and recommendations.
- I have up-to-date, visible reviews on key external sites.
- My products are well described in marketplaces and catalogs (consistent with my website).
- I regularly monitor if and how AI mentions my store.
- I use reports that show new inquiries and topics where I can "go in" with my brand.
FAQ - the most common questions about AEO and store visibility in AI
Is AEO replacing classic SEO?
No. AEO does not replace, but extends classic SEO. AI-engines rely on Google/Bing indexes, so without solid SEO (crawl, indexing, content quality, links) it is difficult to get good visibility in AI as well. The difference is that AEO places more emphasis on brand authority, completeness of information and "citable" content.
How soon will I see the results of AEO's actions?
It depends on the scale of the changes and how often each AI refreshes the data. Typically, the first changes in AI responses (e.g., improving brand descriptions, appearing in new queries) can be seen within a few weeks to a few months of implementing major updates to content and structured data.
Do I have to rebuild the entire store to be visible in AI?
No, there is usually no need for this. In many cases, it's enough to: refine the structural data, expand the content on the most important categories and product tabs, complete FAQs and tutorials, ensure presence in key directories and marketplaces. Only with very old or technically problematic stores is it worth considering a larger redesign.
How to measure store visibility in AI assistants?
You can do this in two ways: manually - regularly testing queries in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and documenting the results in a spreadsheet; automatically - using tools like Semly that monitor mentions and recommendations of your brand in AI responses and translate them into specific metrics.
Is it worth investing in AEO if traffic from AI is still small?
Currently, the share of clicks from AI-search in all organic traffic is low (often <1%), but studies show that conversions from this channel can be up to several dozen times higher than from classic organic. In addition, the share of AI in the purchase path is growing rapidly. Investing in AEO is a way to secure a future customer acquisition channel.
Check your store's visibility in AI
Find out how assistants such as ChatGPT and Gemini evaluate your branding.
Summary
AI assistants are becoming the new "gateway to the Internet" - especially for users looking for specific shopping recommendations. If your store doesn't appear in the responses of ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity, it's as if it doesn't exist for a growing group of customers.
The step-by-step AEO audit you went through in this article allows you to:
- check whether assistants know your brand at all,
- understand what sources they take information about your category from,
- identify gaps in content, structured data and reputation,
- plan specific optimization activities.
To do this systematically - and not rely solely on manual testing - it's worth backing up with specialized tools, such as Semly, that help monitor the visibility of brands in AI assistants and translate it into specific e-commerce decisions.
The advantage in AI-search is just beginning to play out. The sooner you start working on your store's AEO, the bigger share of this new pie you can secure for yourself.
Sources
- Yext - AI Visibility in 2025: How Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity Cite Brands
- McKinsey - New front door to the internet: Winning in the age of AI search
- Search Engine Land - AI search relies on brand-controlled sources, not Reddit: Report
- Whitehat SEO - Perplexity vs ChatGPT vs Gemini: How AI Engines Cite Content (Qwairy study)
- OpenAI Help Center - ChatGPT search
- Deciding Factor - GEO & AI Engine Optimization
- Boutir - AI-Driven Search Shifting Ecommerce Visibility: How to Optimize Your Online Store for AEO, GEO and Win AI-Generated Traffic
- Relixir / McKinsey data summary - Best Ahrefs AI Alternatives for AI Search & GEO
- Passionfruit - AI Search vs Traditional Clicks: What 2025 Data Really Shows
- Selesto (PL) - SEO for AI in e-commerce 2025: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
- Najumi - How AI Answer Engines Choose the Websites They Cite
- Digital Clarity - The AI SEO Guide: How to Get Your Content Cited in Perplexity, Gemini and ChatGPT
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