An analysis of 25,000 e-commerce queries by Bartosz Góralewicz, founder of Onely, reveals the impact of Google AI overview views on search visibility for online retailers.
The study found that 16% of e-commerce queries now return an AI overview in search results, counting 13% of the total volume of searches in this sector.
In particular, 80% from the sources listed in these AI overviews they do not classify organically for the original query.
“Ranking #1-3 gives you only an 8% chance of being a source in AI overviews,” Góralewicz said.
🗞️ Overviews of Google AI vs Ecommerce 🗞️
We just analyzed 25,000 e-commerce queries.
TL;DR
– 16% of queries return an overview of AI (formerly SGE)
– 13% of search volume from search goes through general AI views
– 80% of sources are not organically ranked for query (!)
— Bartosz Góralewicz (@bart_goralewicz) May 22, 2024
Shift to “accelerated” product experiences.
International SEO consultant Aleyda Solis analyzed the disconnect between traditional organic ranking and inclusion in AI summaries.
According to Solis, for product-related queries, Google prioritizes an “accelerated” approach over summarizing current ranking pages.
He commented on Góralewicz’s findings, stating:
“…instead of providing high-level summaries of what’s already organically ranked next, what Google does with e-commerce is ‘speed up’ the experience by already showing what the user would get next.”
Solis explains that for queries where Google previously ranked category pages, reviews and shopping guides, it now bypasses that level of results with AI overviews.
This: “80% of AI overview sources do not rank organically for query” of 25,000 ecommerce queries that @bart_goralewicz analyzed
This is what I’ve also seen happen because most general AI visualizations for product-related queries are “accelerators”: instead of providing a high… pic.twitter.com/i5neMpALl6
— Aleyda Solis 🕊️ (@aleyda) May 22, 2024
AI traffic impact assessment
To help retailers assess their exposure, Solis has shared a spreadsheet that analyzes the potential traffic impact of AI overviews.
I’ve updated my Google AI Overviews (AIO) traffic risk impact assessment sheet to facilitate the following:
1. Evaluate pre/post AIO CTR/traffic gap
2. The type of results/pages that appear in AIO
3. Prioritize content optimization actions accordingly
Check it out 👀👇… pic.twitter.com/JFejUcaIni
— Aleyda Solis 🕊️ (@aleyda) May 26, 2024
As Góralewicz points out, this could be an initial launch, speculating that “Google will expand AI general views for high-cost queries when they enable ads” based on data showing they are currently excluded for keywords high cost per click.
A detailed report on e-commerce and publishing by Góralewicz and Onely is expected soon, with additional information on this search trend.
Why SEJ cares
AI Overviews represent a game changer in how search visibility is achieved for eCommerce websites.
With most general views currently pulling product data from non-ranking sources, the traditional connection between organic rankings and search traffic is being broken.
Retailers may need to adapt their SEO strategies for this new search environment.
How this can benefit you
While unsettling for established brands, AI overviews create new opportunities for retailers to gain visibility without competing for the most commercially valuable keywords.
E-commerce sites can bypass traditional ranking barriers by optimizing product data and detail pages for Google’s “accelerated” product views.
The detailed assessment framework provided by Solis allows merchants to audit their exposure and prioritize optimization needs accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What are the key findings from the analysis of AI queries and e-commerce queries?
Góralewicz’s analysis of 25,000 e-commerce queries found:
16% of eCommerce queries now return an AI overview in search results. 80% of the sources listed in these AI overviews do not rank organically for the original query. The classification positions no. 1-3 only give an 8% chance of being a source in general AI views.
These statistics reveal significant changes in how e-commerce sites must approach search visibility.
Why do AI overviews pull product data from unclassified sources and what does this mean for retailers?
Google’s AI overviews prioritize “accelerated” experiences over summarizing pages currently ranking for product-related queries.
This shift focuses on directly showing what users are searching for instead of traditional organic results.
For retailers, this means:
Need to optimize product pages beyond traditional SEO practices, catering to the data requirements of AI overviews. Opportunities to gain visibility without necessarily having the best organic rankings. Potential to bypass traditional classification barriers by focusing on improved integration of product data.
Retailers must adapt quickly to remain competitive in this evolving search environment.
What practical steps can retailers take to assess and improve their search visibility in light of AI overview disruptions?
Retailers can take several practical steps to evaluate and improve their search visibility:
Use the spreadsheet provided by Aleyda Solis to assess the potential traffic impact of AI overviews. Optimize product and detail pages to align with the data and presentation style preferred by AI overviews. Continuously monitor changes and updates to AI overviews, adapting strategies based on new data and trends.
These steps can help retailers navigate the impact of AI overviews and maintain or improve their search visibility.
Featured image: Marco Lazzarini/Shutterstock
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