What is the difference between AEO and GEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is specifically about getting cited as a source when AI engines answer questions. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is broader — optimizing for inclusion in any AI-generated output, including product recommendations, comparisons, lists, and summaries. AEO is a subset of GEO.

Do I still need traditional SEO?

Yes. AEO doesn't replace SEO — it complements it. Traditional Google search still drives the majority of organic traffic for most B2B and ecommerce businesses. AI Overviews appear on roughly 47% of searches, but they often pull from the top SEO results. Strong SEO foundations make AEO 5-10x more effective.

How do you actually track AI citations?

We run a defined prompt set (30-100 queries depending on package) across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews on a weekly cadence. We log whether your brand is mentioned, where you appear in the response, what context, and which competitors are cited alongside or above you.

What is the pricing for AEO services?

Three packages. Starter at $2,500/month for SMBs. Growth at $5,500/month for $5M-$25M brands. Enterprise from $12,500/month for $25M+ brands. Quarter-to-quarter contracts with no 12-month lock-ins. INR pricing available for India clients.

Will AI eventually replace traditional search?

For some use cases, yes. For others, no. Research-heavy queries increasingly happen in AI tools. Transactional queries still happen in Google. The right strategy is to optimize for both surfaces — your content engine produces material that ranks in SERPs AND gets cited by AI.

Ecommerce CRO Checklist 2026: 25 Ways to Convert More

Q: How long until I see results?

Faster than traditional SEO, slower than paid ads. Schema and structural fixes get reflected by AI engines within 2-4 weeks. Citation increases on existing pages: 4-8 weeks. New AEO content getting indexed and cited: 8-16 weeks. Compounding effects: 4-6 months.

Every visitor you already pay for and lose is wasted spend. Conversion rate optimization (CRO) plugs those leaks — it’s the highest-ROI work in ecommerce because it makes all your traffic worth more. Here’s the checklist we run.

Homepage & navigation

Clear value proposition above the fold
Obvious primary action
Fast mobile load (Core Web Vitals)
Search that actually works

Product pages

High-quality images + video
Benefit-led copy, not just specs
Reviews and social proof visible
Clear pricing, shipping and returns
Prominent, sticky add-to-cart
Urgency/scarcity where honest

Cart & checkout

Show cart contents and total clearly
Offer guest checkout
Multiple payment + express options
No surprise costs late in checkout
Minimize form fields
Progress indicator on multi-step

Trust & friction

Trust badges near the buy button
Transparent returns policy
Visible contact/support
Fast page speed everywhere

Test, don’t guess

Prioritize by impact × ease, run real A/B tests where traffic allows, and measure revenue per visitor, not just conversion rate. See how we approach it in Shopify CRO.

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Prioritize by impact, not ease

Don’t start with button colors. Start where the money leaks: if 70% abandon at checkout, fix checkout friction before touching the homepage. Use your analytics funnel to find the biggest drop-off, then attack it. One fixed leak beats ten cosmetic tweaks.

The tests that usually win

Adding trust signals near the buy button
Simplifying checkout (guest option, fewer fields)
Faster mobile load
Clearer value proposition above the fold
Prominent reviews on product pages

Measure revenue per visitor, not conversion rate

Conversion rate can rise while revenue per visitor falls (e.g. discounting). Optimize for revenue per visitor — it captures both conversion and order value, and it’s the number that actually pays the bills.

The metrics that actually matter

Contribution margin per order (not just revenue)
CAC and payback period
LTV:CAC ratio (aim for 3:1 or better)
Repeat purchase rate
Blended MER across all channels

Where most brands leave money

The biggest wins are rarely in acquisition — they’re in conversion and retention. Doubling your repeat rate or lifting conversion by a point often beats spending more on ads. Audit your funnel end to end: traffic in, conversion, average order value, and repeat rate. Fix the weakest link before scaling spend on the others.

Frequently asked questions

How long until I see results from the ecommerce cro checklist? Foundational work often shows movement in 4–8 weeks; competitive results build over 3–6 months of consistent execution.

Do the fundamentals yourself first. Specialists are worth it once execution capacity is the limit.

Start free: the 24-hour audit gives you a ranked to-do list tailored to you.

Related: lower CAC · free CRO audit.

Related: conversion copywriting.

The ecommerce CRO checklist: 25 fixes that lift conversion