How to Use ChatGPT for eCommerce Marketing

ChatGPT and other AI (artificial intelligence) tools are everywhere — and with them come a lot of questions.

Are they going to take all our jobs and ruin the economy? Or are they labor-saving wonders that will dramatically increase your profitability?

The bottom line: While you shouldn’t fire your digital marketing team yet, these tools can still be incredibly effective in making your marketing efforts better.

If you know how to use them, that is.

In this article, we’ll help you understand the promise — and perils — of using ChatGPT in your eCommerce marketing strategy, based on our experience using this powerful tool for our dozens of eCommerce clients.

20 Ways to Use ChatGPT for Your eCommerce Marketing Efforts

OpenAI’s ChatGPT isn’t an alternative to traditional eCommerce digital marketing services, but it can make some tasks easier.

While using artificial intelligence in SEO and other channels, the devil is in the details. You can’t understand what ChatGPT does well — and how spectacularly it can fail — without looking at specific examples.

Our eCommerce Example
Competitor Research
Audience Research
Keyword Research
Content Ideation & Planning
Customer Service
Technical Uses

Our eCommerce Example

For this article, we’re going to present use cases for a hypothetical hat-seller, named Heigh Ho Chapeaux (with a logo produced using another AI tool, Dall-E).

Heigh Ho Chapeaux. Illustration of a woman wearing a beret.

Heigh Ho Chapeaux is a mid-range milliner that sells stylish caps and pork-pie hats to college students looking for a fun accessory to stand out on spring break. It’s a strongly seasonal business, doing more than 80% of its sales from mid-February to early April, and it’s hard-pressed by competition from more well-known retailers.

Heigh Ho Chapeaux CEO Leo Murillo hopes AI can help them improve their marketing efforts.

Mr. Murillo read that ChatGPT can help inject humor into the brand’s content, so he asked it to tell him five jokes about hats.

Chat G P T Prompt: Tell me five jokes about hats. Response: Sure, here are five jokes about hats. 1. Why do hats always feel so confident? Because they're always on top of the world! 2. Why did the man throw his hat in the washing machine? Because he wanted a clean cap-puccino! 3. How does a hat stay in shape? It uses a millinery-tary press! 4. Why do people love to wear baseball caps? Because they're a hit with everyone! 5. How do you know if a hat is well-traveled? It's covered in international cap-s!

As you can see, ChatGPT’s response isn’t great. Two jokes are bad, and the rest are incomprehensible mish-mashes of set-ups and punchlines that don’t go together.

However, this example illustrates how ChatGPT actually works.

Although its name stands for “Generative Pre-Trained Transformer,” it isn’t really generating new text based on its specific language model — so don’t expect it to tell you anything you can’t find in other ways.

What it can do: Bring together information from many different sources and (sometimes) present it in a coherent and comprehensible manner.

The above results come from ChatGPT set to the default 3.5. You can set it to ChatGPT-4, and the responses are of a different caliber.

Chat G P T prompt: Tell me five jokes about hats. Response: 1. Why did the hat go to therapy? It had a serious case of cap-tivity issues! 2. What do you call a hat that's always causing trouble? A fedora-bly mischievous accomplice! 3. What kind of hat does a hat wear? A roof cap, but it's always a bit of a shingle-minded decision! 4. Why was the hat kicked out of school? Because it couldn't keep a lid on its behavior! 5. How does a hat stay cool in the summer? By hanging out with the nearest fan-tastic breeze!

These jokes aren’t great, either, but they at least make a little more sense.

For the rest of the examples in this article, we’ll switch back and forth between the two models. If we don’t say otherwise, you can tell which is which by the color of the icon. ChatGPT-3.5 uses a green icon, while 4 uses a black one.

Now, let’s get into our digital marketing examples.

Competitor Research

A great place to start with ChatGPT is market and competitor research.

ChatGPT can help you figure out who your top competitors are (though it might not tell you anything you don’t already know unless you learn how to ask the right questions).

Identify Digital Competitors

You can figure out who your competition is by asking ChatGPT who else sells similar products to yours online.

The type of response you get can be very different depending on how you ask the question.

Chat G P T prompt: List the top 20 hat retailers online. Response: Here at the top 20 hat retailers online, in no particular order: Lids. New Era. Fantatics. Zephyr. Goorin Bros. ASOS. Hat Club. Nordstrom. Urban Outfitters. Brixton. Amazon. eBay. Huckberry. Village Hat Shop. Tenth Street Hats. Christys' Hats. Kangol. Bailey of Hollywood. Hats.com.

Chat G P T prompt: Which online hat stores do best in the S E R P s? Response: As an A I language model, I do not have access to real-time search engine data or the ability to perform web searches on the internet. However, I can tell you that the search engine results pages (S E R P s) are highly dynamic and subject to change based on various factors, such as search queries, location, and search engine algorithms. That being said, some online hat stores that often rank highly in the S E R P s may include well-known brands like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Macy's, as well as specialized hat retailers like Hats in the Belfry, Village Hat Shop, and Goorin Bros. But please note that these results can vary depending on the specific search query and location of the searcher.

As you can see, ChatGPT is reluctant to tell you which competitors are ranking well in the search engine results pages (SERPs). If you want that information, you’ll have to ask another AI: search engines like Google or Bing.

However, you can delve into the details of each of your competitors by asking ChatGPT specific questions about them, as we did for Brixton hats.

If you do this with several brands, you’ll notice significant overlap — but ChatGPT is still useful in highlighting some specific aspects of each brand.

Identify Competing Products

You can identify not just the competitors selling your product, but also what competing products people might be buying instead.

Here, we’ve asked for a list of the competing product keywords with an estimate of search volume.

Chat G P T prompt: List the top 20 keywords for products in competition with hats in a 3-column spreadsheet containing a number, the keyword, and the U S search volume. Response: Sure, here are the top 20 keywords for products in competition with hats, along with their estimated U S search volume per month, as of my knowledge cutoff date of 2021-09. 1. Sunglasses, 1,000,000 search volume. 2. Watches, 500,000 search volume. 3. Shoes, 450,000 search volume. 4. Backpacks, 450,000 search volume. 5. T-shirts, 400,000 search volume. 6. Jewelry, 300,000 search volume. 7. Scarves, 300,000 search volume. 8. Belts, 300,000 search volume. 9. Handbags, 250,000 search volume. 10. Wallets, 250,000 search volume. 11. Sunglasses for women, 200,000 search volume. 12. Sunglasses for men, 150,000 search volume. 13. Backpacks for men, 150,000 search volume. 14. Sunglasses for kids, 100,000 search volume. 15. Backpacks for women, 90,500 search volume. 16. Tote bags, 90,500 search volume. 17. Crossbody bags, 90,500 search volume. 18. Clutch bags, 74,000 search volume. 19. Briefcases, 60,500 search volume. 20. Messenger bags, 60,500 search volume. Please note that these search volumes are estimates and can vary depending on several factors, including location, seasonality, and search engine algorithms.

Once you’ve identified the keywords related to major competing products, you can ask ChatGPT for the top sellers of these products, including their URLs, product names, and more.

This is a great place to highlight that ChatGPT-3.5 isn’t necessarily obsolete. Here’s the answer to the same question from ChatGPT-4:

Chat G P T prompt: List the top 20 keywords for products in competition with hats in a three-column spreadsheet containing a number, the keyword, and the U S search volume. Response: Please note that I cannot create a spreadsheet or provide real-time search volume data as an A I language model. However, I can provide a list of 20 potential keywords related to products that are in competition with hats. You can use keyword research tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner or other third-part tools to determine the search volume for each keyword. 1. Sunglasses. 2. Hair accessories. 3. Scarves. 4. Headbands. 5. Bandanas. 6. Beanies. 7. Visors. 8. Caps. 9. Turbans. 10. Berets. 11. Earmuffs. 12. Neck gaters. 13. Balaclavas. 14. Trapper hats. 15. Hair clips. 16. Hair ties. 17. Snapbacks. 18. Fedoras. 19. Cowboy hats. 20. Bucket hats. Remember to use a keyword research tool to find the search volume for each keyword in the United States.

In other words, not nearly as useful.

Audience Research

In addition to competitors, ChatGPT can help you figure out some things about your audience.

Again, it might not tell you anything you don’t know, but it can be faster to ask it than to do the brainstorming yourself.

Identify Geographic & Location Targeting Opportunities

You can use ChatGPT to answer some basic questions like “What are all the countries in Europe?” or “What are the official languages in Turkey?”

You can also ask ChatGPT to perform an analysis, such as “In which U.S. states is it most common to wear a hat?”

Chat G P T prompt: In which U S states is it most common to wear a hat. Response: Hats are worn across the United States, but certain regions and states have a stronger hat-wearing culture than others. Here are some of the states where wearing hats is most common: 1. Texas: Texas has a strong cowboy hat culture, and many Texans wear cowboy hats as a symbol of their state pride and western heritage. 2. California: California has a variety of hat-wearing cultures, from baseball caps to trendy fedoras, and hats are often worn as a fashion statement or to protect from the sun. 3. New York: New York City is known for its fashion-forward culture, and hats are often worn as a statement accessory or to complete a stylish outfit. 4. Florida: Florida's warm and sunny climate makes hats a practical choice for protecting the face from the sun. Many Floridians wear baseball caps, visors, and sun hats. 5. Kentucky: Kentucky has a strong horse racing culture, and many Kentuckians wear hats, such as wide-brimmed hats and fascinators, to the Kentucky Derby and other horse racing events. 6. Colorado: Colorado's outdoor lifestyle makes hats a popular choice for protecting from the sun and the elements. Many Coloradans wear baseball caps, beanies, and cowboy hats. These are just a few examples of states with strong hat-wearing cultures, but hats are worn across the United States for a variety of reasons, including practicality, fashion, and cultural identity.

Note that these answers don’t quite correspond to the search volume results from Google Trends. G-Trends has its own problems — but in this case, I’d go with its answers for geographic targeting over ChatGPT.

Google Trends for hats. Interest by subregion: Wyoming, 100. California, 100. Montana, 93. New Mexico, 93. Georgia, 91.

Identify Audience Pain Points

ChatGPT can be a powerful place to identify the pain points that drive your consumers to buy your product.

Make sure you are as specific as possible with your queries. The more specific your question, the better your result will be.

Consider the difference between the generic hats pain points vs. one directed more at the target audience for Heigh Ho Chapeaux:

Create Audience Personas

ChatGPT is great at creating user personas. Tell it to make any number of personas for your audience.

Chat G P T prompt: Create three user personas for stylish cap buyers. Response: Sure, here are three user personas for stylish cap buyers. 1. Fashion-conscious college student: Sarah is a 20-year-old college student who loves fashion and staying on-trend. She regularly browses fashion blogs and Instagram influencers for outfit inspiration, and enjoys experimenting with different styles. She likes to wear stylish caps, such as snapbacks and beanies, as a way to add personality and edge to her outfits. She is looking for trendy caps that will complement her wardrobe and help her stand out on campus. 2. Active outdoor enthusiasts: Mike is a 35-year-old outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. He is looking for stylish caps that are also practical and functional for outdoor use. He prefers caps with sun protection and sweat-wicking materials, and likes brands that offer a variety of outdoor-focused styles, such as trucker hats and performance caps. 3. Music festival-goer: Emily is a 25-year-old music festival enthusiast who attends multiple festivals each year. She likes to dress up for the occasion and wear fun and unique outfits, including stylish caps. She is looking for caps that are festival-appropriate, such as wide-brimmed hats and bucket hats, and that will complement her festival attire. She is also interested in caps with quirky or artistic designs, and likes to support independent brands and designers. These user personas are just examples, but they illustrate some of the different reasons why people might buy stylish caps, and the different factors that might influence their buying decisions, such as personal style, practicality, and specific use cases.

However, make sure these match your own research about your target audience. ChatGPT can make cases that sound convincing, but they might not be your target audience.

Learn more about creating eCommerce shopper personas in our complete guide.

Create Typical Buying Journeys

ChatGPT can lay out a typical buyer’s journey for you, so you can better target your full-funnel eCommerce marketing campaigns. However, it’s very reluctant to nail down a timeline for this journey.

Chat G P T prompt: What is the typical buying journey like for a hat buyer, including the timeline for each stage of the journey. Response: The typical buying journey for a hat buyer can vary depending on factors such as the buyer's needs, preferences, and budget, as well as the type of hat and retailer involved. However, here is a general timeline for each stage of the buying journey: 1. Awareness: The buyer becomes aware of the need or desire to purchase a hat. This can happen through various channels such as word of mouth, social media, advertisements, or browsing a retailer's website. 2. Research: The buyer begins to research their options, looking for hats that meet their specific needs and preferences. This can involve comparing different styles, brands, materials, and prices, and reading reviews and ratings from other buyers. 3. Consideration: The buyer narrows down their options and considers which hat(s) to purchase. This may involve weighing factors such as quality, style, price, and availability, as well as any specific features or benefits that are important to the buyer. 4. Purchase: The buyer makes the decision to purchase a hat and completes the transaction. This may involve buying the hat in-store or online, and can include selecting a size, color, and other customization options. 5. Post-purchase evaluation: After receiving the hat, the buyer evaluates its quality, fit, and overall satisfaction. This can involve trying it one, testing it on various environments, and comparing it to their initial expectations. The timeline for each stage of the buying journey can vary depending on the individual buyer and the specific circumstances. For example, some buyers may move quickly through the research and consideration stages, while others may take more time to evaluate their options. The buying journey can also be influenced by factors such as the urgency of the need, the availability of the hat, and the retailer's customer service and return policies.

We asked it the timeline question for outdoor and sporting goods, which we know has some decent published statistics the AI could draw from. It still refused to nail down a typical time frame.

Chat G P T prompt: How long does it take a buyer of outdoor goods to go from the awareness to the purchase stage of the buyers journey. Response: The length of time it takes a buyer of outdoor goods to go from the awareness to the purchase stage of the buyer's journey can vary depending on the individual buyer and the specific circumstances. However, here are some general factors that may influence the length of time: 1. Urgency of need: If the buyer has an urgent need for outdoor goods, such as for a specific trip or outdoor activity, they may move quickly through the buying journey and make a purchase within a few hours or days. 2. Research time: The amount of time a buyer spends researching their options can vary depending on factors such as the complexity of the decision, the availability of the information, and the buyer's level of familiarity with the product category. Some buyers may spend only a few minutes researching, while others may spend several hours or even days comparing options. 3. Decision-making process: The time it takes a buyer to make a decision can depend on various factors, such as the level of confidence they have in their choice, the availability of information, and any specific criteria or preferences they have. Some buyers may make a decision quickly and move directly to the purchase stage, while others may take more time to weigh their options and consider different factors. 4. Availability of goods: The length of time it takes to go from awareness to purchase can also be influenced by the availability of the goods. If the outdoor goods are in stock and readily available, the buyer may make a purchase quickly. If the goods are out of stock or have a long lead time, the buyer may need to wait before making a purchase. 5. Seasonal factors: The season can also play a role in the buyer's journey. For example, if it is the middle of winter and the buyer needs warm clothing for outdoor activities, they may move quickly through the buying journey and make a purchase within a few days. However, if it is the off-season, the buyer may take more time to research and make a decisions. Overall, the length of time it takes a buyer of outdoor goods to go from awareness to purchase can vary widely depending on the individual buyer and the specific circumstances. It can take anywhere from a few hours to several days or even weeks, depending on the urgency of the need, the research time, the decision-making process, the availability of goods, and seasonal factors.

However, it did hit on several factors that influence the timeline, which you might use in building different customer funnels.

Keyword Research

ChatGPT is not specifically a keyword research tool. However, it can still provide some helpful insights to identify any important keywords your team may be missing.

Conduct Long-tail Keyword Research

Long-tail keywords can be the secret weapon for your eCommerce store. While you might not be able to beat the biggest retailers for root terms, it’s easier to get great positioning for long-tail searches, and ChatGPT can help.

Just take a few keywords you find in Ahrefs or Semrush, then ask ChatGPT to expand on them, with estimated search volume.

Here, Leo Murillo asked for help finding long-tail searches related to “spring hats.” Note that he didn’t like the first set and regenerated the response to quickly get a new list. You might need to do this with any ChatGPT prompt.

Chat G P T prompt: What long-tail keyword searches are relevant for spring hats with an estimate of search volume. Response: Here are some long-tail keyword searches that are relevant for spring hats, along with their estimated monthly search volume, according to Google Keyword Planner: 1. Women's floppy hats for spring, 500-1k. 2. Men's baseball caps for spring weather, 100-1k. 3. Wide-brimmed sun hats for spring break, 1k-10k. 4. Spring hats for outdoor weddings, 100-1k. 5. Spring fashion hats for women, 1k-10-k. 6. Lightweight hats for spring hiking, 10-100. 7. Spring bonnets for children, 10-100. 8. Spring hats with floral patterns, 100-1k. 9. Spring hats for Easter Sunday, 100-1k. 10. Stylish spring hats for men and women, 1k-10k. Note that these estimates are for the United States and may vary depending on location and language. It's important to conduct thorough keyword research and keep an eye on trends to identify the most relevant and high-traffic long-tail keywords for your specific audience and niche.

Find Synonyms & Other Commonly Used Phrases

You can expand your optimization even further by asking ChatGPT for synonyms for each of your common keywords.

Chat G P T prompt: What are some synonyms for spring hats. Response: Here are some synonyms for spring hats: 1. sun hats. 2. summer hats. 3. floppy hats. 4. brimmed hats. 5. wide-brimmed hats. 6. bonnets. 7. caps. 8. fedoras. 9. panama hats. 10. straw hats. 11. bucket hats. 12. visors. 13. cloche hats. 14. beach hats. 15. garden hats. 16. outdoor hats. 17. fashion hats. 18. trendy hats. 19. stylish hats. 20. seasonal hats. Note that some of these synonyms may have different connotations or be more specific than others, so it's important to choose the most appropriate term based on the context and intended meaning.

You can even do this in an iterative way: take one of the synonyms and ask for synonyms of it.

Chat G P T prompt: What are some synonyms for garden hats. Response: Here are some synonyms for garden hats: 1. sun hats. 2. straw hats. 3. floppy hats. 4. wide-brimmed hats. 5. brimmed hats. 6. outdoor hats. 7. gardening hats. 8. farm hats. 9. work hats. 10. utility hats. 11. bucket hats. 12. bonnets. 13. visors. 14. fedora hats. 15. cloche hats. 16. summer hats. 17. protective hats. 18. shade hats. 19. country hats. 20. rustic hats. Note that some of these synonyms may be more specific or have slightly different connotations than others, so it's important to choose the most appropriate term based on the context and intended meaning.

Generate Keyword Clusters

Keyword clusters are root terms that you can build a more extensive long-tail content strategy around. The keyword cluster is like an umbrella term that Google uses to group together some diverse searches.

Getting an idea of how keywords cluster together can help you create an optimization strategy that informs your content creation.

Chat G P T response: To perform a cluster analysis on these search terms, we first need to determine the variables or categories that we want to use for grouping. Based on the search terms, we can use the following categories: 1. Hats. 2. Made Men characters. 3. Food. Using these categories, we can group the search terms into the following clusters. Cluster 1 (Hats): sun hats, straw hats, floppy hats, brimmed hats, gardening hats, work hats, bucket hats, visors, cloche hats, protective hats, country hats. Cluster 2 (Mad Men characters): Don Draper, Peggy Olsen, wide-brimmed hats, outdoor hats, farm hats, utility hats, bonnets, fedora hats, summer hats, shade hats, rustic hats, Joan Holloway, Roger Sterling. Cluster 3 (Food): Bison, hamburger, cheesesteak. Note that some search terms could fit into multiple categories, but for the purposes of this analysis, we have assigned them to the category that we believe is most relevant. This table provides a simple visualization of the clusters, and more advanced techniques could be used to analyze and interpret the relationships between the search terms within and between the clusters.

Chat G P T response: I have clustered the search terms into four groups: Mad Men characters, Hat types, Hat functions, and Miscellaneous. Here's the results in tabular form. Mad Men: Don Draper, Peggy Olsen, Joan Holloway, Roger Sterling. Hat types: Sun hats, straw hats, floppy hats, wide-brimmed hats, brimmed hats, bucket hats, bonnets, visors, fedora hats, cloche hats. Hat functions: outdoor hats, gardening hats, farm hats, work hats, utility hats, summer hats, protective hats, shade hats, country hats, rustic hats. Miscellaneous: bison, hamburger, cheesesteak. Note that this clustering is based on the semantic relationship between the search terms, and there may be other ways to cluster them depending on the specific context or goal of the analysis.

This is a place where ChatGPT-4 really shines over its predecessor. Given the same list of terms, 3.5 completely flubs it, but 4 does a reasonable job.

Classify Keywords by Intent

In creating a full-funnel keyword strategy, you want to make sure you are actually using keywords with different intents.

If you’re not sure you’ve got a list of targets that represent the full funnel, you can ask ChatGPT to classify the searches you’re targeting. It will tell you whether the searches are informational, navigational, transactional, or investigational.

Chat G P T prompt: Can you classify the following list of search terms by intent: What hats are in fashion now, baseball caps, baseball caps near me, straw hats, porkpie hats, bargain hats, good deals on hats, fun fashion caps. Response: 1. Informational intent: what hats are in fashion now. 2. Navigational intent: baseball caps near me. 3. Transactional intent: bargain hats, good deals on hats. 4. Investigational intent: baseball caps, straw hats, porkpie hats, fun fashion caps.

Content Ideation & Planning

ChatGPT is a great springboard for creative work. It’s like a tireless idea man who can help you flesh out your ideas.

But you should always treat it like a junior copywriter: It needs close editing and fact-checking.

Brainstorm Content Ideas

One of the big challenges of eCommerce content marketing is coming up with content ideas. ChatGPT is great at this.

You can ask it to come up with ideas, and it never runs out. However, if you ask it similar questions often enough, you’ll notice that it repeats itself fairly often.

Leo Murillo was generally happy with the blog topics he got when asking for them, though topic #10 definitely seems wonky.

Chat G P T prompt: What are some possible blog topics that might interest college students in buying hats for spring break? Response: 1. Top 10 Stylish and Affordable Hats for Spring Break: Complete Your Beach Look on a Budget. 2. The Ultimate Spring Break Hat Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Hat for Your Vacation Activities. 3. Stay Cool and Protected: Best Sun Hats for College Students on Spring Break. 4. Festival Fashion: Must-Have Hats for Spring Break Music Events and Parties. 5. 5 Hat Trends Every College Student Should Try During Spring Break. 6. The Art of Hat Pairing: How to Style Your Spring Break Outfits with the Perfect Hat. 7. Travel-Friendly Hats: How to Pack and Care for Your Hats on Spring Break. 8. Sustainable Spring Break Style: Eco-Friendly Hats for the Conscious College Student. 9. Spring Break Hat D I Y: Customize Your Hat for a Unique and Personalized Look. 10. Hats Off to Spring Break: Exploring the Cultural Significance of Hats and How to Wear Them with Confidence. These blog topics focus on a variety of aspects related to hats, from fashion trends and styling tips to practical advice and sustainability, catering to the interests and needs of college students during spring break.

Create Outlines Based on Keywords

This is a very straightforward way to use ChatGPT, and it really plays to its strengths: the ability to scour existing content for ideas that fit together logically.

Ask it to give you an outline based on a title, specifying the word length you ultimately hope for the article.

Leo Murillo was so happy with the topic “The Art of Hat Pairing: How to Style Your Spring Break Outfits with the Perfect Hat” that he asked ChatGPT to outline it for him. Here’s part of that outline:

Chat G P T response: Title: The Art of Hat Pairing: How to Style Your Spring Break Outfits with the Perfect Hat. 1. Introduction. A. Importance of hats as a fashion accessory during Spring Break. B. Overview of different hat styles and their benefits. C. Objective: Provide styling tips for incorporating hats into Spring Break outfits. 2. The Different Types of Hats. A. Floppy sun hats. B. Straw fedoras. C. Baseball caps. D. Bucket hats. E. Panama hats. 3. Styling Tips for Each Hat Type. A. Floppy Sun Hats. 1. Bohemian style. a. Pair with flowy dresses, maxi skirts, or denim shorts. b. Accessorize with layered necklaces and bracelets. 2. Beach look. a. Wear with swimsuits, cover-ups, or sarongs. b. Sunglasses and beach bags as additional accessories.

He thought it looked pretty good, but he’s long ago decided not to sell baseball caps; he can’t compete with the numerous other retailers. The outline also included a topic about care and maintenance, which he didn’t like, so he asked it to eliminate baseball caps and add more styles for the other hats.

He was very happy with the final result.

We’ve long been experimenting with AI content tools like ChatGPT, including Keywordinsights.ai and the Semrush Content Outline Builder:

Keywordinsights.ai lets you look at what your competitors have written on certain topics. It will then let you pull headings from those different articles and get AI-generated content for them.
Semrush’s Content Outline Builder will create an outline based on your inputted topic. The outline starts out thin, but you can build it up.

The video below is hosted on YouTube. If you need assistance with viewing the video, please contact info@goinflow.com.

Write & Optimize Titles/Descriptions

When it comes to actual eCommerce copywriting, ChatGPT can produce pretty high-quality content. You can ask it to write both website copy and ad copy.

ChatGPT can be quite good with styles. Try asking it to “make it fun,” “target a younger audience,” or “make it upscale,” and see how it changes.

This is another place where you can really see the difference between ChatGPT-3.5 and 4. These are both product descriptions where the AI was told to “make it fun.”

The response from 4 is definitely more robust, but in some places, it is, well, a bit much.

Chat G P T response: Are you ready to rock that classic sailor look? This fiddler cap is the perfect accessory to take your outfit to the next level! Made with a soft and cozy blend of cotton and polyester, it's designed to keep you warm and comfortable in cooler weather, while still looking stylish and on-trend. Featuring a traditional design with a rounded crown, a short brim, and a decorative strap that wraps around the front and fastens with a metal button, this cap will add a touch of nautical charm to any outfit. The structured design helps the cap maintain its shape over time, so you can enjoy it for years to come. With a smooth lining that feels great against your skin, this cap is perfect for long walks along the beach or lazy days spent lounging in the sun. And the best part? It's versatile enough to be worn with just about anything! Whether you're dressing up or dressing down, this fiddler cap is the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. So, what are you waiting for? Grab one of these caps and get ready to sail in style!

You can also ask for specific types of texts, like a PPC ad, a Facebook post, a LinkedIn profile, meta descriptions, or a 100-word blurb.

When asked to make a Facebook ad, ChatGPT-4 added copious emojis:

Chat G PT response: Set Sail with Style! Introducing the Trendsetter's Voyage Fiddler Cap - a modern twist on the classic fisherman hat for the bold and fashion-forward. Crafted from a comfortable wool-polyester blend, this cap adds a touch of nautical charm to any outfit. Perfect for Spring Break adventures and beyond, our Fiddler Cap features a chic rope detail and gold-toned anchor buttons. Available in multiple sizes, it's time to elevate your look with this must-have accessory! Limited stock available - Shop now! [Link to Product]

You can also train it to your style by giving it examples and asking it to write in that style. It’s not perfect, but it helps keep the brand voice of your website uniform.

Research Semantically Related Topics

ChatGPT is great at looking for missing topics on your website or on specific pages.

Ask it to identify semantically relevant topics that aren’t covered. These are related keywords and topics that Google will think are important. If they’re missing from your site, your content may not rank as well.

ChatGPT will help you find them, so you can plug the holes in your content and move up in the rankings.

Chat G PT prompt: Provide a list of semantically relevant topics that are missing from this: https//blog.tenthstreethats.com/posts/floppy-hats. Response: This blog post on floppy hats covers a variety of topics, including the history of floppy hats, their advantages, materials used, and styling tips. However, here are some semantically relevant topics that could be added or explored further. 1. Floppy hat trends: Discuss the evolution of floppy hat trends over the years, focusing on popular colors, patterns, and design elements. 2. How to choose the right floppy hat: Provide guidance on selecting the perfect floppy hat based on factors such as face shape, personal style, and intended use. 3. Proper care and storage: Share tips on how to maintain and store floppy hats to preserve their shape and longevity. 4. Floppy hat etiquette: Discuss the etiquette surrounding floppy hats, such as when and where they are appropriate to wear and any specific guidelines to follow. 5. D I Y floppy hat embellishments: Offer ideas and tutorials for customizing floppy hats with accessories like ribbons, flowers, or brooches to create a unique, personalized look. 6. Floppy hats for men: While the blog post mainly focuses on women's floppy hats, it could also include a section on men's floppy hats and how they differ in terms of style and design. 7. Celebrities and icon floppy hat moments: Highlight famous individuals who have made the floppy hat part of their signature style, as well as memorable floppy hat appearances in movies, TV shows, and other media. 8. Floppy hats for sun protection: Delve into the practical aspect of floppy hats as sun protection, including how to choose a hat with adequate U P F (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) and what materials offer the best sun protection. 9. How to pack a floppy hat for travel: Share advice on the best methods for packing a floppy hat when going on vacation or attending an event, ensuring it stays in good shape during travel. 10. Floppy hat alternatives: Suggest other hat styles that provide similar sun protection and style benefits, such as wide-brimmed hats, Panama hats, or sun visors.

Brainstorm Promotional Content (email, social, etc.)

As with other types of content ideas, ChatGPT is great at brainstorming ideas for promotional content.

Chat G P T prompt: Write 15 Google Ads headlines from https://blog. tenthstreethats.com/. Response: Sure, here are 15 Google Ads headlines for Tenth Street Hats. 1. Shop Tenth Street Hats for the Latest Trends in Headwear. 2. Elevate Your Style with Tenth Street Hats - Shop Now! 3. Discover the Perfect Hat for Any Occasion at Tenth Street Hats. 4. From Fedoras to Beanies - Tenth Street Hats Has It All! 5. Make a Statement with Tenth Street Hats' Bold and Unique Designs. 6. Find the Perfect Hat for Spring at Tenth Street Hats. 7. Protect Your Skin from the Sun with Tenth Street Hats' Stylish Sun Hats. 8. Complete Your Look with Tenth Street Hats' Selection of Straw Hats. 10. Stand Out in the Crowd with Tenth Street Hats' Wide Range of Colors and Designs. 11. Keep Your Head Warm and Fashionable with Tenth Street Hats' Winter Collection. 12. Tenth Street Hats - The Home of Classic and Timeless Headwear. 13. Find Your Perfect Fit with Tenth Street Hats' Selection of Adjustable Hats. 14. Stay Comfortable and Stylish with Tenth Street Hats' Selection of Bucket Hats. 15. Get Ready for Game Day with Tenth Street Hats' Selection of Baseball Caps.

Just ask it for ideas for social media marketing. It will come up with dozens of phrases and ideas to supply the unending content needs of social media posts.

ChatGPT is also competent at writing basic emails for customers, such as onboarding letters for subscribers. It doesn’t have that sense of awkwardness that can sometimes make it hard to start these topics.

Chat G PT prompt: Write a welcome email for a new subscriber to this blog: https://blog.tenthstreethats.com/. Response: Dear [Subscriber], Welcome to Tenth Street Hats' blog, and thank you for subscribing to our updates! We're excited to have you join our community of hat enthusiasts and fashion lovers. Our blog is dedicated to providing you with the latest news, trends, and styling ideas in the world of hats. From classic fedoras and flat caps to trendy beanies and bucket hats, we've got you covered with all the tips and inspiration you need to make your headwear the star of your outfit. As a subscriber, you'll receive regular updates on new blog posts, exclusive promotions, and special events. Whether you're looking for ideas on how to accessorize your outfits, want to stay up-to-date on the latest fashion trends, or just love hats, our blog has something for everyone. So, sit back, relax, and let us inspire you to elevate your hat game. If you have any questions or suggestions for future posts, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you. Thanks again for subscribing, and we can't wait to share our passion for hats with you. Best regards, [Your Name] Tenth Street Hats.

Just make sure to read it over carefully (there can be some weird phrases), and be aware that it will reuse phrases a lot, so check for that if you’re using it extensively for email marketing.

Find Opportunities for Link-Building Outreach

You can also ask ChatGPT to identify link-building opportunities.

Just ask it to identify blogs that feature topics related to your eCommerce brand. You can even ask it to find ones that have a particular style more suited to your brand, such as “quirky,” “offbeat,” and “hardcore.”

Chat G P T prompt: Recommend five offbeat travel blogs that cover spring break. Response: Here are five offbeat travel blogs that cover spring break and can provide you with unique and alternative travel recommendations. 1. Atlas Obscura. 2. Roaming the Americas. 3. Nomadic Matt. 4. The Broke Backpacker. 5. Never Ending Footsteps. Each of these blogs offers a distinct perspective on travel, with a particular emphasis on offbeat and alternative destinations and experiences. They showcase a range of travel styles, from budget-friendly backpacking trips to luxury getaways, and provide tips and recommendations for unique and unusual spring break destinations. Whether you're interested in adventure travel, cultural immersion, or just getting off the beaten path, these offbeat travel blogs are sure to provide you with plenty of inspiration and ideas.

It can also help you write the outreach email, with the aforementioned advantage of never feeling awkward about starting. Once you’ve got a rough draft, you can tweak it for personal touches.

Customer Service

While ChatGPT should never be a replacement for a well-trained customer service team, it can provide some helpful assistance for your human staff.

Create AI-Supported Chatbots

This seems like a natural fit, doesn’t it? While ChatGPT’s natural language processing seems a perfect fit for customer support chatbots, it’s still a concept in need of implementation. However, it could be done.

You’ll have to ensure the AI has the proper information to accurately reflect your company’s policies. You’ll also want to test it and make sure you identify any tendencies to say things you wouldn’t want to be said to your customers.

Learn more about building an AI-powered chatbot here.

Brainstorm Frequently Asked Questions

A more straightforward implementation of ChatGPT is to generate questions for your FAQ page. With a combination of scouring the internet and stringing together unique language, it can help you find questions you might have missed.

Chat G P T prompt: Can you give me a list of 20 frequently asked questions about hats. Response: 1. What are the different types of hats? 2. How do I determine my hat size? 3. How should a hat fit on my head? 4. What type of hat should I wear based on my face shape? 5. How do I clean and care for my hat? 6. Can I wear a hat in the rain or during wet conditions? 7. What materials are commonly used to make hats? 8. How do I store my hats to maintain their shape and quality? 9. What is the history of hats and their cultural significance? 10. Are there specific rules or etiquette for wearing hats in certain situations? 11. How do I choose the right hat for my outfit or occasion? 12. Can I wear a hat indoors or at formal events? 13. How do I adjust a hat that is too loose or too tight? 14. What is the difference between a men's hat and a woman's hat? 15. How do I protect my hat from sun damage or fading? 16. What are the best hat styles for sun protection? 17. How do I pack a hat for travel without damaging it? 18. What are some common hat trends or popular styles? 19. How can I customize or personalize my hat? 20. Can I repair a damaged or worn-out hat, and if so, how?

If you’re really brave, you can have it write the answers, too. Just make sure you read them carefully!

Technical Uses

Finally, for all our techy friends out there, ChatGPT can free up plenty of time by generating the basic code needed for your eCommerce site, as detailed below.

Write & Interpret Code

ChatGPT is, like all automation, great at speeding up repetitive tasks.

As with other language tasks, it’s good at syntax and can generate code quickly (as long as you check it). If you can handle your website code, but have a big, repetitive project coming up, let ChatGPT do some of the heavy lifting.

One example: We used it to help write Google Tag Manager code for complex eCommerce tracking situations when helping clients implement Google Analytics 4.

Chat G P T response: To create a G T M Custom JavaScript variable that returns an array with all the product SKUs of your data layer, follow these steps. 1. Log in to your Google Tag Manager account. 2. Navigate to the Variables section by clicking on Variables in the left-hand navigation menu (6). 3. Click New in the User-Defined Variables section to create a new variable (6). 4. Click Variable Configuration and select Custom JavaScript as the variable type (5). 5. In the code editor, add the following Custom JavaScript code. This code assumes that the productList array is located in the first dataLayer object, and each product object within the productList array contains an attribute called SKU. If your data later structure is different, you may need to adjust the code accordingly. 6. Save the new Custom JavaScript variable, and now it should return an array with all the product SKUs from your data layer. Remember to test the variable using the G T M debugger to make sure it works as expected.

Generate Schema Markup

Another powerful technical application for ChatGPT is schema markup.

The AI understands this technical language quite well, and it can help you implement it quickly if you understand the basics.

Chat G P T prompt: Write J S O N - L D structured data for the following F A Qs: 1. What are the different types of hats? Different types of hats include baseball caps, fedoras, beanies, sun hats, cowboy hats, Panama hats, bucket hats, berets, and more, each serving various purposes and fitting different styles. 2. How do I determine my hat size? To determine your hat size, measure the circumference of your head just above your ears and eyebrows using a flexible tap measure. Check the measurement against a hat sizing chart to find the appropriate size. 3. How should a hat fit on my head? A hat should fit comfortably on your head, neither too tight or too loose. It should sit snugly without causing discomfort or leaving red marks on your forehead. Ideally, there should be about a finger's width of space between your head and the hatband. Answer: Here's the J S O N - L D structured data for the provided F A Qs: code.

The Key to ChatGPT for Marketing? Experimentation and Oversight

The most exciting thing about ChatGPT: It’s a generalizable tool that is potentially suited to dozens of applications, many of which haven’t been discovered yet.

If any of the applications we’ve mentioned seem potentially useful to you, mess around with it, and you’ll probably discover other things it can do (maybe even some that nobody’s thought to try yet!)

It’s likely you’ll find some applications fit into your workflow easily, helping you to get more done faster, while others just aren’t helpful. For example, Heigh Ho Chapeaux CEO Leo Murillo found it worked great for suggesting blog topics and even generating the outlines, but he wants to keep writing the actual blogs (it’s more fun with the hard work out of the way, and he likes his style better). He’ll also let his eCommerce SEO agency keep doing the keyword stuff; ChatGPT makes some of that more accessible, but he still finds it too confusing.

While ChatGPT does make things easier and can make things more effective, it still requires extensive expertise to use properly. You need someone who knows enough to distinguish between its true knowledge and its (sometimes very convincing) bluffs.

If you don’t have someone in-house who can do that, it might still be best to rely on a marketing agency (like Inflow) that does.

For more information on how we’re using ChatGPT and other AI to inform our SEO efforts, check out our complete thinkpiece here.