Consider adding product buying guides
This type of content discusses the product category and leads the shopper toward various products.
Google may use some of this content for its AI, and so will other AIs like ChatGPT.
Product images should educate, not just display
They should sell the product on their own, without the user ever reading your product description.
Some of the best examples of this come from inexpensive products on Amazon. In a nutshell, products need dimensions, feature callouts and text.
Dimensions should be added to photos.
Point to features on the product.
Add text in images with key selling points.
(At the end of this article, you’ll find examples of images that effectively sell the product features.)
Adapting your operational SEO approach
Operational SEO focuses on how SEO is implemented within a large company.
As Google transforms its search results into a “store,” this will require some adjustments across the board.
The shift will impact multiple teams, including user experience, photography, graphic design, writers, merchandisers and more.
To ensure smoother SEO operations as we prepare for the launch of the Google Sales Assistant, here are some key tips.
Get executive buy-in
It’s crucial to secure executive support for both the strategy and the operational plan required to execute it. Executives must fully understand the scope of content and graphic changes you’ll be recommending.
While it may seem niche at the moment, AI is rapidly advancing.
Now is the time to refine your processes for creating the type of imagery and content needed at scale.
Get merchandiser buy-in for your strategy
In some companies, merchandisers are compensated based on sales in their categories.
Google’s changes will impact these sales, especially if the product images and text displayed in the AI sales assistant aren’t appealing to buyers.
As a result, the merchandising team could become an unexpected ally in your SERP SEO strategy.
Spark content strategy conversations
Encourage discussions around whether your products have the quality, features and pricing to compete as AI expands its scope beyond just your brand.
These conversations could lead to important shifts in how you structure pricing, product imagery, and descriptions.
Change the content goal to be the go-to authority in the eyes of AI
This isn’t just about ranking; it’s about becoming the go-to authority on your product in the eyes of AI.
Think of your content as a script for AI. Outline every feature, benefit and unique selling point in clear, compelling detail.
For example, if you offer cookware, explain the technology behind your non-stick coating or why it’s more durable than competitors.
You may already do this, but the question is:
Are you doing it in a way that ensures AI will recognize your product as superior when comparing it to competitors’ content?
Develop the SEO operations plan for execution
SEO operations must evolve into a seamless, well-oiled machine that functions consistently across the organization. How?
Start practicing now. Establish the workflow now. Focus on integrating SEO the way it should have been done years ago.
If you wait, you’ll be scrambling when the Google Sales Assistant launches and revenue starts to drop.
Evaluate structured markup opportunities
Take a close look at the schema options available for your products, and implement as many schema attributes as possible.
This is an effective way to provide detailed product information to search engines, helping AI-driven SERPs and tools display your product details accurately.
The big picture: SEO ops in an AI-driven search world
Google’s AI Sales Assistant might be experimental now, but if it becomes mainstream, it could fundamentally change how users interact with products in search results.
SEO managers at large companies must go beyond the basics and embrace a strategy that blends content depth, technical SEO and organizational collaboration.
If your SEO operations team isn’t ready to think beyond keywords and meta descriptions, it’s time to level up.
Get the right stakeholders on board, develop high-quality product content and educational product images and ensure that every team is rowing in the same direction.
Practice now, so you’re prepared when Google’s Sales Assistant goes primetime.
By embracing these AI-inspired strategies, you can help your brand lead the charge, ensuring it stands out to customers – and to the digital assistants that increasingly influence what they see.
Dig deeper: How to optimize for product-first results in retail Google SERPs
Examples of product images that educate and sell
Below are examples of products I have purchased. I was sold on these products by the images alone.
Images like this will help maximize sales in the Google Sales Assistant, where you may only have 1-2 sentences for a product description.
Do you recall how big those product images were? Huge. Maybe there’s a reason?
Below are examples of how to use that large image space to sell the product through product images.
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