Agentic AI Ready SEO & SEM

I have been experimenting with OpenAI's Operator, specifically focused on shopping and the marketer in me is fascinated watching the agent navigate the web, trying to reach it's end destination. I watched it quickly navigate BING, Operator's default search engine, and watched it filter and click through a number of websites trying to provide the ideal response for my prompt.

In this case, I had asked operator to "find the best deal on modern outdoor furniture. It must include black and the latest in weatherproof materials".

Operator quickly searched, identified a retailer, then filtered from recommended to price and came to a very prompt decision on the sofa and coffee table below. I then proceeded to ask "why" questions.

It's reasoning was it meets all the criteria I specified: it's modern, black, and made with weatherproof Sunbrella fabric. I asked Operator to explore other retailers and it was primarily the bigger players. West Elm, Wayfair, Overstock, and Crate & Barrel. I then shifted to asking for non-big box retailers with a geo-specific request to see what happened next. To my surprise, something did happen. It jumped immediately to the sponsored ad.

I wonder where Operator went next...

The further I ventured from highly optimized eCommerce experiences—those that focus on structured data and incorporate content optimized for conversational search through long-tail questions—the more I noticed the agent struggled to reach its end result.

This observation got me thinking, especially based on my experience with various CPG organizations leveraging generative AI solutions that optimized conversational content to share tips to optimize web, SEO, and SEM strategies ensuring both user experience and visibility are maximized.

Let's start with optimizing for AI-Enhanced Search

AI agents like OpenAI’s operator agent thrive on conversational queries. Instead of relying on traditional short keywords, content must reflect the types of long-tail and question-based search queries users ask. Think “How do I…” or “What is the best…” These types of queries are increasingly common as AI interacts with users in a more natural, conversational manner.

Including these question-based phrases is a game-changer. It makes a website more likely to be pulled into AI-driven responses when users ask questions.

What about Structured Data?

Incorporating structured data (schema.org markups) can drastically improve how AI agents interpret and present your content. Things like product descriptions, reviews, pricing, and availability should be marked up so that AI can easily access this data and deliver precise answers to user queries. Not only does this enhance the user experience, but it can also boost visibility on search engines.

Thinking with a Multimodal Mindset is key

Voice search is rapidly becoming a primary interface for online searches, and something to consider when thinking across web, SEO, and SEM. Ensure that content is optimized for voice search by focusing on natural language phrases. Also, aim for featured snippets — the boxed answers that Google and other search engines display in response to voice queries.

Dynamic Product Content is VERY important

AI’s ability to analyze trends and user preferences in real-time allows for dynamic content. By tailoring product descriptions based on user behavior and feedback, you can stay relevant and improve SEO. Dynamic content isn’t static; it evolves with your audience, and that adaptability can significantly boost performance.

I have seen this drive results first hand with CPG organizations that are testing across various aspects of human and AI generated product descriptions that span traditional product descriptions, enhanced via LLM, as well as integrating consumer reviews with variations across retail channels.

Integration Across Platforms isn't new, but it's important!

The experience needs to be seamless across all devices — mobile, desktop, voice assistants, you name it. OpenAI’s operator agent is designed to work across multiple platforms, so ensuring a website is mobile-first and responsive is paramount. So many of us are mobile first when it comes to how we shop and this step is essential for improving rankings and ensuring your searchability remains competitive.

It's a no brainer, use AI to Analyze Trends and Keywords

OpenAI’s operator agent is capable of analyzing large datasets to uncover trending keywords and topics relevant to your audience. By leveraging these insights, you can continually refine your SEO strategy, ensuring that you're always targeting the most impactful and relevant keywords both traditional and conversational.

Freshness Matters!

Keeping content fresh and up-to-date is vital for AI driven SEO and SEM. I have seen some orgs that update product descriptions annually. In the new world of agentic AI search, refreshing product descriptions, blog posts, or help pages regularly ensures that you always offers the most relevant, current information to users.

Customer Reviews and FAQs

Customer reviews and FAQs are invaluable for improving SEO. OpenAI’s operator agent can help analyze customer feedback, identifying common queries or concerns and integrating these into your website’s content. This not only enriches your content but also improves visibility as it addresses the specific questions users are searching for.

What about Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

The calls for the demise of SEM are greatly exaggerated, at least in the short term. Watching Operator select sponsored ads, just as a human would, was an interesting observation and a good reminder that balancing both organic optimization as well as understanding how paid will evolve.

The evolution will include a shift towards conversational query-driven strategies. Traditional SEM has relied heavily on keyword-driven strategies, where advertisers bid on specific keywords that users might type into search engines. However, with the rise of conversational AI, voice search, and advanced natural language processing (NLP), there is a clear trend towards queries being more natural and conversational.

What's Next?

As we move forward into an agentic AI driven future, it's clear that SEO and SEM strategies will need to adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape. By optimizing for AI-enhanced search, incorporating structured data, and focusing on multimodal interactions like voice search, businesses can better align websites with user needs and AI expectations. Digital marketing is evolving. I have been speaking for years that we have to prepare for a time where the human may not always be at the center of the experience, our AI agents will be. That time is quickly on the horizon.

Disclaimer: The thoughts and insights shared in this article are my personal reflections and do not represent the views or official stance of EY.