Study shows that the discovery through LLMs like ChatGPT converts 9x better then Search Traffic. The start of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Faculty @ Cornell - Startup Guy - Venture PartnerBing, OpenAI, Microsoft and Google logos displayed on a phone screen and a laptop keyboard are seenin this multiple exposure illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on February 8, 2023.
predict that by 2028, more people will discover products and information through large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini than through traditional search engines. But based on research I conducted with Cornell Master’s students, that shift is happening much faster. LLM-driven traffic is already starting to outperform traditional search — not in volume, but in value. Traffic from LLMs converts at nearly 9x higher rates than traditional search. This is the biggest disruption to search since the dawn of the internet. If you’re a brand or publisher, now is the time to adapt your SEO playbook. Oh, there is no “S” — it’s now called Answer Engine Optimization that traditional search was on its way out. Just six months later, the shift is already visible. In my UX research, I classify shoppers into three categories:— browsing without a clear goal. These shoppers often spend time on Instagram or TikTok.— eager to learn and explore the “best option.” They tend to dive into Reddit threads or YouTube reviews.— ready to buy, but looking for specific product information. They visit brand websites and comb through reviews and product detail pages. It’s easy to see how all these needs can now be met through a conversation with LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity. Say you’re looking for an isotonic drink powder. Instead of scanning blogs, watching videos, or scrolling endlessly, you now ask ChatGPT — and it responds with direct recommendations:SIS GO ElectrolyteAsk about ketogenic-friendly options, and it will go even further — offering details on ingredients, comparisons, and alternatives.... More isotonic drink, Tuesday September 20, 2005, at Bramley Training Area near Basingstoke, where the Army announced it will be including the sports drink in its ration packs. The powdered drink will be incorporated in 24-hour ration packs after the its producer, GlaxoSmithKline, won the three-year contract in a tendering process. See PA Story DEFENCE Drink. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Photo credit should read: Chris Ison/PA This isn’t search — it’s advice. And when users follow those links or act on suggestions, they convert at dramatically higher rates compared to normal search traffic. In my studies, LLM-generated traffic behaves more like a personal recommendation than a keyword query. But here’s the catch: if your brand isn't listed, you're invisible. The customer won’t even consider you.Good numbers are hard to come by. LLM traffic, like what comes from ChatGPT, doesn’t always leave a clean trail — users might just copy and paste a product name and head to Amazon or another site. To get better data, we created a ChatGPT-style experience inside the site search of several e-commerce stores. In A/B tests, we compared regular keyword search with an AI-guided, conversational search experience. The difference was stunning: almost 9x higher conversion. Yes, nine times. But it’s not just conversion that’s changing — the way people search is evolving, too. In the past, users typed one or two words like “camera.” Now, when they’re shown more natural and detailed responses, they respond in kind. We’re seeing queries like:backs this up with broader data:Users expect answers that feel personalized and human In our interviews, shoppers said they felt more “understood” and “better about their purchase.” It didn’t feel like a search engine. It felt like getting advice from a knowledgeable friend. If you scale that behavior to external LLM traffic — not just on-site — the value of that traffic already rivals what you get from SEO. For brands, this means it’s time to rethink how you show up in these conversations. That’s what AEO — Answer Engine Optimization — is all about.Brands need to act. If you're not being cited by LLMs, you're becoming increasingly invisible. To get picked up by an LLM, you need to understand how these models learn from content.LLMs are pattern-completion engines. I often use the example of “Life is like a box of ___” in myCorrect. The answer is Chocolate. Machines learn the right answer through trial and error. This approach is called masking. To show up in an LLM’s response, your content needs to become part of its masked training data. LLMs look for authoritative, helpful, and authentic content. Since they predict the next word in a conversation with a user, they favor content written in a conversational or Q&A format.
Answer Engine Optimization Ecommerce AI Tools Future Of SEO AI-Driven Shopping Conversational Commerce Brand Visibility In Llms End Of Search
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