Meet Your New Personal Shoppers: ChatGPT and Google AI

As of early 2025, Google still dominates the search landscape, processing around 14 billion queries each day and holding over 90% of global market share. In comparison, ChatGPT handles around 37.5 million search-style prompts daily – still a small fraction by volume, but one that’s growing quickly.

Between March 2024 and March 2025, ChatGPT’s usage grew by 740%. Some reports estimate that by late 2024, its share of the search market had climbed as high as 4.33%, while Google’s dropped around 5%. The numbers vary depending on how “search” is defined – but the trend is clear: people are starting to look for answers in new places.

How is Google responding?

Google has responded by enhancing its search capabilities with AI features like "AI Mode," aiming to provide more conversational and context-rich responses. However, these AI-generated overviews have led to a nearly 30% drop in clickthrough rates, as users often find the information they need directly in the summaries.

The crucial takeaway for businesses is that while Google's influence is still unmatched, the way consumers search is shifting fast.

If your business relies on paid digital advertising to drive conversions, it’s no longer enough to optimise just for Google. Content and product data now need to be structured in ways that ensure visibility across a broader range of AI platforms – including ChatGPT – or risk being left behind.

What does this mean for your paid digital and SEO strategy?

No longer just a tool for generating content, ChatGPT is becoming a shopping search engine, with consumers using it to make high-intent, purchase-driven queries. Think:

• “Best air purifiers for pet allergies under $300”
• “Which laptops are best for graphic design under $2,000?”
• “Most secure wireless earbuds for running”

These aren’t casual searches – they’re detailed prompts from ready-to-buy customers. And as with Google AI, your paid digital and SEO strategy is already influencing whether or not ChatGPT recommends your product.

How does ChatGPT / Google AI respond to shopping prompts/product queries?

These AI tools respond to shopping prompts not with ads or sponsored product listings, but with tailored, curated product recommendations.

These suggestions are based on publicly available content (such as the content on your own website), user reviews, established brand authority, and how well products meet specific search criteria.

So whilst you can’t pay ChatGPT or Google AI to feature your product, the likelihood of your product being mentioned depends on its positioning within the broader online ecosystem – something your digital marketing efforts directly influence.

How do I ensure ChatGPT and Google AI recommend my brand?

The short answer: you must earn your place.

These AI platforms surface brands and products based on relevance, credibility, and usefulness. Here's what we know helps:

• Solid SEO foundations: AI tools scan publicly available content – which means your website copy, product specs, blog content, and FAQs need to be clear, accurate, and well-optimised.
• Traffic-driving paid campaigns: While ads themselves don’t influence ChatGPT and Google AI directly, the traffic they drive contributes to site authority, which does.
• Clear, well-structured product pages: Make it easy for AI (and humans) to understand what your product is, who it’s for, and why it’s great.
• Social proof and sentiment: ChatGPT and Google AI factor in third-party reviews, reputation signals, and perceived brand trust. Consistent, positive customer feedback across platforms makes a difference.
• Authoritative content: Product explainers, comparisons, and buying guides help position your brand as a credible source – and are more likely to be referenced or paraphrased in AI responses.

In other words: the more signals you send that your brand is relevant, high-quality, and helpful, the more likely it is that AI tools will recognise and recommend it.

PH Digital: Your partner for growth

Looking ahead, tools like ChatGPT and Google AI will become more integrated with shopping platforms. OpenAI is already testing real-time browsing and shopping functionalities. Microsoft (which backs both Bing and ChatGPT) has begun surfacing shopping ads in similar contexts.

As the customer journey becomes more conversational, your brand needs to show up where these conversations happen. PH Digital is here to ensure your marketing not only performs now, but evolves with tomorrow’s tech.

Want to make your performance marketing smarter, sharper, and AI-ready?

Contact us today for your free digital audit.

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