ChatGPT is the Latest MUA: How to Prepare for the Era of GEO

ChatGPT just became the world’s most trusted beauty expert – whether we like it or not.

With more and more consumers turning to large language models (LLMs) each day – think, ChatGPT – for their beauty advice, it is no longer enough to simply focus on getting your brand name at the top of search engine results pages. 

Beauty brands are flocking to generative engine optimisation, seeking a way to get their name in ChatGPT recommendations – not just on Google.

Yet, this practice is completely unresearched and undefined. Generative engine optimisation is the wild west, a lawless land of coding and fruitless attempts. Whether the practice is even beneficial is still to be seen. 

So, how can your brand get ahead of the curve and ensure your name is at the top of ChatGPT’s suggestions without ending up with a whole load of nothing? Read on to find out more. 

GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMISATION DEMYSTIFIED 

Generative engine optimisation is the practice of brands ensuring their products are more likely to be picked up by large language models, such as ChatGPT. It can also be referred to as AEO (AI engine optimisation). 

A relatively new practice, generative engine optimisation is akin to SEO, wherein brands take measures to appear at the top of search engine results, such as Google. The name of the game here is visibility: getting your name in front of as many people as possible. 

@webhivedigital

Want to know how to rank in ChatGPT search results? Here’s how to optimise content for ChatGPT using natural language, structured formatting and schema, key ranking factors for generative engine optimisation. #ChatGPTSEO #GenerativeEngineOptimisation #AnswerEngineOptimisation #ChatGPTSearchTips

♬ original sound – Kate Smoothy | SEO Specialist

Consumers are increasingly turning to LLMs instead of social media and traditional search engines to get their beauty fix. In fact, AI e-commerce startup Nosto confirmed that 52% of Gen-Z consumers would rather ask AI for skincare recommendations than Amazon or Google. That’s a significant chunk of your audience now turning to a completely unreliable and ungovernable source for information. Which means using generative engine optimisation to get your name in LLM answers is incredibly important. 

However, there is no exact formula for generative engine optimisation as of yet. Currently, brands are taking two approaches: inputting and credibility. 

@grouphugs.co

PART 1: SEO is changing and your marketing strategy should too #brandmarketing #videomarketing #SEO #googleseo #marketing #digitalmarketing #chatgpt

♬ original sound – grow with grouphugs

Inputting sees brands plugging their own content and sites into LLMs in the hopes that this will push it to more viewers. As ChatGPT now releases and ranks conversations on search engines, the idea is that by inputting your own pages into conversations, these will show up on Google. The success of this practice is yet to be confirmed. 

Alternatively, some brands have turned to credibility. This sees companies trying to up their mentions in credibility-focused sources like peer-reviewed studies and media. Given that LLMs focus more on studies, articles, and scientific journals, it follows that having your name in these should increase your chances of appearing in AI-given suggestions. 

WHY DO WE CARE?

So, why should you care? 

Generative engine optimisation may still be a largely untraversed landscape, but it is clearly the way forward. Major brands in beauty and beyond are already adopting this new optimisation tactic, with names such as Cetaphil, Estee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, and L’Oreal already prioritising generative engine optimisation. It is essential to jump on board before the train leaves the station. 

@marinagudov

Chat gpt prompts and questions🧖🏼‍♀️🫶🏼 #coloranalysis #GlowUp #transformation #blondetobrunette #Vlog #beauty #hack #tips #appointment #beforeandafter #viral #typ #chatgpt @sephora @Glossier @Hourglass Cosmetics @Patrick Ta Beauty @Armani beauty @rhode skin

♬ original sound – MARINA

More than this, marketing is all about meeting your audience where they’re at – and where they’re at is ChatGPT. Consumers’ use of AI for shopping has grown 47% since the start of the year, drawing valuable eyes away from TikTok feeds and onto ChatGPT. These statistics show that audiences are quickly growing to trust the suggestions of AI more than those of their beloved influencers. Already, TikTok and Instagram are flooded with influencers showing off their ChatGPT “glow-ups”, using the software to create personalised skincare routines, suggest what colours they should wear, and more. Evidently, to not ensure your brand’s name pops up in these suggestions is to miss out on thousands of connections. 

SO, WHAT’s NEXT?

Consumer adoption of LLMs is a major disruption to the purchase funnel. Suddenly, models such as ChatGPT are at the start of the consumer purchase journey, not search engines or social media. As such, it is crucial that brands quickly adjust to the changing landscape. 

To prepare for this change, be sure to update your site’s coding and information so it is as modern as possible. Ensure that your coding is “LLM-friendly” and can easily be searched by models such as ChatGPT. Moreover, be sure to continue your efforts to appear in articles and trusted journals. As previously mentioned, LLMs such as ChatGPT rely heavily on online publications for their suggestions, so be sure to keep up your brand’s mentions. Finally, continue building a strong community online, especially focusing on Reddit. The community-focused site is ChatGPT’s biggest source of information, with 40% of the model’s citations coming from the platform. So keep on community building! 

Ultimately, to ignore generative engine optimisation or label it a “passing fad” is to be left behind. Remember to stay agile and keep up with any industry changes, and stay on top of the news. AI moves fast, so you need to move faster. 

Keep calm and keep plugging away – in a few years, we will all wonder how generative engine optimisation ever seemed so daunting.

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