AI Search
The 2026 Australian Retail Outlook is out now. This must-read resource is packed with exclusive insights from Inside Retail’s survey of retailers about their performance, plans and predictions for the year ahead.
To give you a glimpse of what you can expect from this year’s report, we are sharing selected articles over the coming weeks. Be sure to download the 2026 Australian Retail Outlook to discover more.
Last year was crazy for search engine optimisation (SEO), and that’s definitely not stopping in 2026.
Large Language Models (LLMs) have changed how people ask questions, and Google has tried to keep up by introducing AI Overviews – AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results.
The move has sent shockwaves across the digital landscape, which goes some way to explaining the $7.6 billion that the Australian arm of the Interactive Advertising Bureau stated was pumped into search in FY25. That figure overshadows the $5 billion spent on video advertising during the same period.
While the fundamentals of SEO remain, what has changed is where people are discovering brands, with the biggest trend being the shift from traditional ‘search’ to full ‘discovery’ optimisation.
Consumers are no longer turning to Google alone to begin their shopping journey, and your SEO strategy needs to reflect that.
Product discovery is happening across TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram and the various AI platforms, creating a huge opportunity to reach customers at different touchpoints.
SEO isn’t just about keyword positions anymore. It’s about understanding where customers search, scroll and compare.
One of the easiest strategies to ensure your brand is found on the various platforms is to repurpose your content. Blog articles are standard fare in most retailers’ digital strategies, but are you using that content on different platforms?
Turn your blog post into an Instagram carousel, a short video for TikTok, or a detailed breakdown for YouTube.
And a quick Reddit tip: monitor industry threads to see how people are talking about your product or brand. Those unfiltered conversations are brilliant for uncovering real pain points and inspiring content ideas.
Amid recent changes to Google search, retail brands with well-established online presences have been pushed down ‘below the fold’ – their content is visible only when you scroll down the page.
Google is now prioritising product snippets, popular products and deals, creating a challenge for retailers.
The most reliable way to stay visible is to optimise for the spots Google now favours. Think of your product feed as the foundation: it needs accurate details, high-quality imagery, pricing and updated stock data.
Layer structured data on top, and you’re essentially helping Google ‘read’ your catalogue properly. Get this right, and you’re far more likely to snag a spot in those ‘Popular Products’ and rich product listings.
Given all this, it has become increasingly difficult for smaller brands to go up against the big retailers. They’ve got bigger budgets, bigger teams and resources that smaller brands simply don’t have. But this just means you need to think outside the box.
Double down on your niche. Build real topical authority. Show your expertise in ways that feel human and trustworthy. Case studies, customer reviews and user-generated content all help strengthen E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness – the framework Google’s reviewers use to assess content.
Focus on E-E-A-T, and no matter the size of your brand, you can build credibility in a way that feels authentic.
When smaller brands lean into what makes them unique, they become far more competitive, even in a space dominated by bigger players.
In a landscape flooded with AI-produced content, what customers value most hasn’t changed – seamless experiences, human touch and brands that feel genuinely helpful. Naturally, with fewer users reaching websites, every visit takes on higher value. And this is where user experience, or UX, comes into play.
There are tools that can help you monitor page experience, such as Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar. Both enable you to see customer activity: where customers scroll, where they hesitate and where they drop off.
Yes, it can take time to sift through the findings, but one small change can have a massive impact on your bottom line.
Bonus if you can carry out A/B tests for wording, layouts or calls to action; you’ll quickly see what your audience responds to, which can help to maximise performance.
The discovery landscape is changing fast. The rise of AI and Google changes can feel overwhelming, but core fundamentals are still your foundation.
Get disciplined about visibility across all touchpoints, obsess over user experience and build genuine authority. The opportunity is there, and the most adaptable, curious brands are the ones consumers will keep finding.
Rachel Harvey is an SEO manager at integrated marketing agency Impressive. This story first appeared in the 2026 Australian Retail Outlook.
Further reading: How can long-tail landing pages cut digital ad spend?
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