For years, having an "optimized" catalog meant one thing: ranking on Google. Today the picture has changed. More and more buyers start their search in ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI overviews — and these models decide which products to mention based on how your data is structured.
The good news: SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization — optimizing so AI cites you) share the same foundation. A well-structured catalog works in both worlds. In this article we cover the 8 keys to achieve it.
What Is GEO and Why Does Your Catalog No Longer Only Compete on Google?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the discipline of optimizing your content and data so generative AI engines — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews — understand you, consider you trustworthy, and cite you in their answers.
Unlike classic SEO, where you compete for a position in a list of links, in GEO you compete to be the source the AI chooses to build its answer. And that decision depends almost entirely on how clear, complete and consistent your product data is.
The 8 Keys to a Catalog That Works for SEO and GEO
Descriptive Titles with Semantic Structure
The title is the first thing both Google and AI models read. A title like "Ref. 4521" says nothing; "Nike Air Zoom Running Shoes - Men - Black - Size 9" contains brand, type, attributes and context. Search engines and AI extract entities from that text to understand exactly what you sell.
Unique Descriptions in Natural Language
Generative AI (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) feeds on text it can understand, summarize and cite. Descriptions copied from the manufacturer or stuffed with keywords add no value and never get cited. An original description that explains benefits, uses and features in natural language is far more "citable".
Complete, Structured Attributes
GTIN, brand, category (Google Product Category), material, color, size, gender... Each attribute is a data point Google and AI use to classify and recommend your product. A catalog with incomplete attributes is invisible for specific searches ("black leather ankle boots size 7").
Structured Data (schema.org/Product)
The schema.org/Product markup on your pages (with price, availability, ratings and brand) is the language Google and AI read directly. It is what makes you appear with stars, price and stock in results, and what lets an AI model cite your product with accurate data.
Data Consistency (price, stock, availability)
If price or availability differ between your website, your feed and your structured data, you lose credibility with Google (rejections) and with AI (contradictory information they will not cite). Data consistency is now a trust factor.
Images with Context (alt, name and quality)
Multimodal AI and Google understand images better every day, but alt text and context remain key. A clean, well-named image with a descriptive alt reinforces exactly what the product is.
Clear Architecture and Categorization
A logical category structure helps Google understand your catalog and AI place each product in context. Categories that are too generic or products that are misclassified dilute the relevance of the whole catalog.
Content That Answers Questions (FAQ and uses)
Generative AI answers questions. If your pages include frequently asked questions, use cases and comparisons, you increase the odds that a model cites you when answering "what is the best X for Y?". This content works for SEO and GEO at the same time.
SEO and GEO: the Same Work, Double the Reward
The interesting part is that these are not two separate jobs. Structured data, complete attributes, natural-language descriptions and data consistency benefit both equally: Google uses them to rank you and show rich results; AI uses them to understand and cite you.
Investing in the quality of your catalog is, today, an investment with a double return. You do the work once, and you become visible both to search engines and to the generative models your customers increasingly ask.
Girofeeds prepares your catalog for SEO and GEO automatically
- Rewrites titles with the optimal semantic structure using AI.
- Generates unique, natural-language descriptions for every product.
- Completes missing attributes (GTIN, category, material...) automatically.
- Keeps price and stock consistent across website, feed and structured data.
- Optimizes images and alt text so they add context.
- Detects thin product pages that neither Google nor AI can use.
The result: a catalog that ranks better on Google Shopping and is easier for AI to understand and cite. Combine it with catalog optimization and Merchant Center error fixing for maximum performance.
Conclusion
Buyers no longer only search on Google: they ask an AI. And AI can only recommend what it understands. A catalog with structured data, complete attributes and natural-language descriptions is the best investment to be visible in both worlds — search engines and generative models.
If you want to see how Girofeeds can prepare your catalog for SEO and GEO, you can request free access and try it with your own catalog.