Many online stores spend months or even years trying to reach one of the top organic positions on Google. In the past, this almost automatically led to traffic and revenue.
Today, however, more and more businesses are realizing that even being in the top spot doesn’t necessarily increase orders, in fact, it can even lead to a decline.
What happened? The answer is complex: attention has shifted, search habits have changed, and the competition has become far more aggressive.

When a customer already knows what they want and searches for a specific product, their first stop is often the ads. On mobile, these often take up the entire first screen. If they find what they’re looking for there, they don’t scroll down to the organic results.
Ads provide instant answers: price, product image, availability, reviews. Decisions are made quickly. These users already know what they need. They type in the search term, check the first results, and choose. If one offer is better (e.g. cheaper, includes a coupon, comes in a bundle), they’ll take it. A well-designed product page, better delivery options, or extra warranty can also convince them.

If the visitor is still researching, comparing options, or exploring alternatives, traditional SEO still matters. This is especially true for complex products that require understanding multiple specs or features.
However, even in this stage, SEO faces disadvantages on mobile. Text-based results appear only after ads and Shopping cards. While visuals, stars, and ratings can attract attention, they’re easily copied and don’t provide long-term advantage.

A major shift is happening: many shoppers are no longer starting their research on Google. Instead, they use AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, or You.com.
These tools support natural language queries like:
“What’s a good monitor for home office?”
“Recommend spring vitamins for women”
“What’s the difference between model X and Y?”
AI assistants respond with short summaries, often drawing from multiple sources. Increasingly, they cite specific websites. This creates new opportunities for shops that publish clear, structured, and valuable content.

• AI tools rely on reliable, publicly available sources
• They prioritize articles that answer specific questions clearly and with structure
• Your site should be fast, HTTPS-secured, mobile-friendly, and not overloaded with ads
• Transparent authorship, contact info, and branding improve credibility
• Use logical content structure with clear headings and lists

If these are met, your content can appear not only in Google results but also as part of an AI assistant’s answer. This context-aware visibility builds trust and drives conversion.

Not every competitor plays fair. Common tactics include:

• Bidding on your brand name to divert your traffic
• Copying your offers, but outspending you on ads
• Using eye-catching but irrelevant images in Shopping results
• Running fake “today only” sales continuously
• Using automated reviews to build fake credibility

These methods often win the customer even if your offer is actually better.

Run targeted ads for your key products
Focus only on those that convert well and are price-competitive
Optimize your Shopping listings
Use quality product images, visible reviews, attractive pricing, and promotion labels
Protect your brand with branded ads
Bid on your own brand name to defend your search traffic
Create hard-to-copy offers
Use unique bundle names, custom visuals, limited-time deals, or extra services
Don’t ignore new channels

Attention is no longer limited to Google. Integrate:

• Short-form video: TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts
• Micro-influencers: small, focused audiences with authentic recommendations
• AI search tools: if you're not in ChatGPT or similar results, you're missing future traffic

Summary
SEO alone is no longer enough. Shoppers are influenced by ads, visuals, AI answers, and complex decision paths. A successful webshop is present across all channels and understands how to communicate with buyers at every decision stage.
Those who adapt gain an advantage. Those who don’t, fall behin