Google once again has taken a bold step in revolutionising the online shopping world with its latest announcement, the introduction of AI-powered features, including a virtual try-on and an AI Mode designed to change the game in terms of how users interact with products online. For businesses and SEO agencies, understanding the implications of these changes is crucial, not just for staying ahead of the game but also to maximise digital visibility in an increasingly competitive space.
In this blog post, well break down the new features that Google has introduced and explore what this means for SEO of e-commerce businesses.
What are Google’s New AI Shopping Features?
Google has introduced three shopping features that will be changing the game for e-commerce businesses out there.
Virtual Try-On Apparel
Google’s Virtual Try-On (VTO) allows users to upload their own images to see how clothing items will look on them. Using generative AI, this feature will allow consumers to see how products will look on various body sizes, gender creating a personable experience that no longer takes a one person fits all approach. This new feature marks a significant move away from static images and the typical traditional size charts that are commonly used by current e-commerce businesses into a shift towards a more immersive, personalised shopping experience.
Personalised Shopping Assistants with AI Mode
AI Mode is a new conversational experience feature that uses Gemini (Google’s AI model) and the shopping graph to offer real-time personalised recommendations. It’s great for customers who know roughly what they are looking for. The AI Mode can tailor results based on customers preferences, budget and intent.
Agentic Shopping and Checkout Purchases
The new agentic feature allows Google to act on your behalf to monitor prices and availability. It can complete purchases for you when the price matches your conditions. Essentially this will help users complete purchases when they are ready to purchase.
Why This Matters for E-Commerce SEO
These AI-driven changes go far beyond user experience. They also signal a major shift in how search engines display and prioritise content, which directly impacts SEO.
Shift Towards Visual and Interactive Content
With features like virtual try-on, static images and basic product descriptions are no longer enough. Retailers will need to integrate rich media (e.g., 3D images, videos, and interactive try-ons) to remain competitive. Google will likely prioritise these enriched experiences in search results, especially in Google Shopping listings.
SEO Tip: Optimise your product pages with structured data (schema markup) for visual content. Ensure alt text is detailed and descriptive and include engaging media that demonstrates the products utility.
Greater Emphasis on Personalisation and Intent
AI Mode reflects a shift from keyword-based search (this is still important to focus on) to intent-driven interactions. Google’s ability to interpret natural language queries and user context means that retailers will need to align their content strategy with user intent rather than just exact match keywords.
SEO Tip: Focus on the semantic aspect of SEO by building content hubs around product categories and user problems. Use FAQs, how-to guides and conversational content to align with AI-driven search behaviour.
Enhanced Role of Product Data and Feed Optimisation
The Shopping Graph draws from product data; this means that well-optimised product feeds are more critical than ever. Incomplete or poorly structured feeds will miss out on visibility in AI-assisted shopping experiences.
SEO Tip: Audit your Google Merchant Centre product feed regularly. This should include high-quality images, competitive pricing, accurate inventory and rich attributes (e.g. brand, colour, size, etc.).
User Experience and Site Speed Are More Important Than Ever
As AI assists with product selection and checkout, any friction on your website in terms of buyer’s journey can result in lost opportunities. Google has been emphasising Core Web Vitals and overall UX in its ranking algorithm for a while, and now it’s more important than ever.
SEO Tip: Run regular site audits to monitor performance, ensuring to consider UX. Improve mobile responsiveness, reduce load times, and simplify navigation to keep bounce rates low and engagement high.
How E-Commerce brands Should Respond
To remain competitive in this AI-enhanced shopping ecosystem, brands must evolve in terms of technical SEO and their content strategies. Some examples of how this could be doe are below:
- Embrace AI-Powered Content: Create dynamic, AI-friendly content that addresses common questions, provides product comparisons and helps users make informed decisions.
- Leverage Video and AR Content: Produce short videos and AR experiences for top-performing products.
- Focus on First-Party Data and Personalisation: Collect first-party data to understand customers preferences, use this data to offer personalised recommendations and build customer-brand loyalty through retargeting and email campaigns.
- Partner with SEO experts: Work with an SEO agency that understands AI-driven search trends. From structured data to content strategy, the right partner can help you navigate these changes and maximise your ROI.
Final Thoughts
Google’s latest AI shopping features are not just a fancy new tool, they clearly show where e-commerce is heading in the era of AI. This shows e-commerce businesses and SEO agencies need to adapt, become innovative and optimise for a smarter and a more interactive experience that will soon become the norm of search engines.
Want to future-proof your e-commerce SEO strategy? Contact us today to learn how we can help your brand thrive in the age of AI shopping.
