Recently, I joined Arsen Rabinovich and the Duda team to talk about one of the most overlooked opportunities in e-commerce in a Webinar: AI-powered site search. This wasn’t a conversation about AI Overviews or how ChatGPT and AI in general is shifting SEO. It was about something far more immediate: how AI is transforming the way users find products on your own website.

Most site owners still treat internal search as an afterthought. Many aren’t even tracking what users are typing into that little search bar. But that bar is a goldmine. It’s one of the most direct communication channels you have with your customers. When someone searches your site, they’re telling you exactly what they want. The question is: Are you listening?

From Strings to Context

Traditional site search is stuck in the past. It’s string-based, brittle, and unforgiving. One typo or a synonym the system doesn’t recognize, and you’re looking at a “0 results” page. That’s a dead end and a missed sale.
AI changes the game. With NLP and semantic understanding, AI search engines can grasp the intent behind a query, even when it’s messy, misspelled, or vague. Want “gluten-free snacks under $30”? AI can parse that. Want “side-by-side fridge that fits in a 36-inch space”? Done.
This isn’t just about better UX. It’s about revenue. When people find what they’re looking for, they buy; when they don’t, they go elsewhere. A good search experience means more happy customers who buy, come back, and tell their friends.

Personalization and Predictive Behavior

AI site search also personalizes in real time. If you’re logged in, the system can adapt based on your preferences, cart activity, past purchases, and even location. Think “Buy Again” logic, like you see on Chewy or Amazon. You’re not just getting relevant results, you’re getting your results.
This level of personalization shortens the discovery journey dramatically. The more users engage, the better the engine gets. Over time, you’re not just selling, you’re building loyalty.

Actionable Insights You’re Probably Not Using

Tracking site search behavior opens up a world of optimization:

  • Zero-result queries show gaps in your inventory or product naming.
  • Trending searches can fuel landing pages, bundles, and homepage content.
  • Search-to-cart ratios help measure conversion efficiency.
  • Filter reordering can be guided by actual user behavior, not assumptions.

At investing.com, we built a “Trending Stocks” module based on internal search data. It worked because it was grounded in what users were actively looking for. You can apply the same logic to any e-commerce category, from vitamins to shoes to power tools.

Site Search and SEO: More Connected Than You Think

Even though this webinar wasn’t about Google, it’s worth noting that better internal search supports external search success. Branded queries, repeat visits, lower bounce rates; these are all ranking signals. Improve your onsite experience, and you’ll more likely to see improvements in your organic performance too.

(For a great summary of the session, check out Anton Shulke’s LinkedIn post with key takeaways.)

The Full Webinar:

Final Thoughts

AI-powered site search isn’t just a UX feature. It’s a conversion tool, a loyalty builder, and a source of SEO and merchandising insights. If you’re not investing in it yet, you’re already behind.
And if it’s live on your site but you’re not tracking how it’s performing? That’s like flying blind.