By Steve Merrill, Founder of WRKNG Digital — October 15, 2026
Before you hire anyone for Shopify AEO, ask these seven questions. The answers tell you fast whether a partner understands AI visibility or is reselling old SEO with a new label. Hire on substance, not buzzwords.
1. How do you measure AI visibility?
A real partner tracks whether assistants name your store, not just where you rank. If they only talk about keyword positions, they're measuring the wrong thing.
2. What do you do to my product feed?
Feed quality drives AI recommendations. They should name specific fields, standardized values, and refresh cadence, grounded in Google's product data spec. Vague answers here are a red flag.
3. How do you handle structured data?
They should talk about Product, Offer, and FAQ schema as the foundation. If schema is an afterthought, so is your AI visibility.
4. How do you earn third-party mentions?
AI weights independent proof. Ask how they get your brand named on pages AI already reads. "We'll build backlinks" is not the same answer.
5. Can you show results on a live store?
Ask for a before-and-after on an actual store, even anonymized. Real audits produce real score changes. Theory doesn't.
6. What do you do about agent checkout?
Agentic commerce is coming to Shopify, as its developer docs keep signaling. A forward-looking partner has a view on making your checkout work for programs, not just people.
7. What won't you promise?
The honest answer matters most. A partner who guarantees rankings or sales is selling hype. The real promise is what they'll do, not what results they'll force.
How we chose this list
These seven come from what separates partners who move AI visibility from those who repackage old tactics. They're ordered to surface the substance questions first and the honesty test last.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most telling AEO hiring question?
How they measure AI visibility. A real partner tracks whether assistants name you, not just where you rank.
What is a red flag in an AEO pitch?
Guaranteeing rankings or sales. The honest promise is what they will do, not what results they will force.
Should an AEO partner have a view on agent checkout?
Yes. Agentic commerce is coming to Shopify, so a forward-looking partner has a plan for making checkout work for programs.
Ready to see how AI shopping assistants view your store?
Most Shopify stores are invisible to AI right now. I can show you exactly where yours stands. See how your store shows up in agentic commerce.
