We’ve just come back from a huge couple of days at Online Retailer 2025, Australia’s Largest eCommerce Conference & Expo, in Sydney.
Each year, the expo is a great opportunity to connect with eCom providers and industry leaders, exchange ideas, trade insights, and dive into the future of online retail with all the latest eCommerce trends.
Ben, Dan, and Rhiannon were there to soak it all up. With 150+ stalls across the floor, the expo was an absolute melting pot of ideas, complete with exclusive keynote sessions from industry trailblazers.
Here are a few takeaways from our time at the conference!
The Rise of AI Search
‘This year, everyone was talking about AI Search.’ says Dan. ‘Everyone wants to be “AI-first.”
Rhiannon agrees. ‘AI definitely dominated the dialogue at the conference.
In our space, AI Search is definitely a topic that feels unclear to some, and at Kia Ora Digital, we pride ourselves on optimising this channel.
However, LLMs (Large Language Models such as ChatGPT and Perplexity) aren’t generating significant revenue for brands right now. But they probably will down the line, and it’s crucial to get prepared.
Here’s what the data actually says:
In our client pool, nobody is generating >$2,000/month from LLM revenue. We have a client generating $12m in revenue on Shopify and in the last 28 days, they’ve done just $1,982 from ChatGPT in the same period. That’s 0.001% of their total revenue.
The numbers tell the story:
- Only 1.25% of the world’s population uses ChatGPT daily
- Compare that to 62.5% who use Google daily
Most buyers are still heading to Google, making it the most important channel. LLMs aren’t showing relevant results for many users yet. There’s a huge shift in consumer behaviour that needs to happen before LLM shopping becomes widely adopted.
But here’s the thing: these numbers are changing. A shift is slowly occurring, and LLM optimisation will become an important channel. We just don’t know when, it could still be 12 months away.
The shift is coming? Absolutely. Should you prepare? 100%.
At Kia Ora Digital, our main focus remains on what drives revenue NOW. And for now, that’s still Organic Search. Google has quite some life ahead and needs to remain priority #1 for the time being.
The key takeaway? Stay prepared for the shift, but don’t abandon what’s working today for what might work tomorrow.
Staying Ahead of the Shift
Educating clients at Online Retailer is what we enjoy the most. Here’s a snippet of what we shared with those who came to our booth this week.
What we see as an agency:
- Paid search teams celebrating their “wins”
- SEO teams celebrating their rankings
- Meanwhile, CFOs are wondering why profit margins keep shrinking despite revenue growth
As digital leaders, we all face similar challenges: algorithm changes that can tank traffic overnight, attribution models that obscure true ROI, and the constant pressure to do more with less.
While everyone’s waiting for the AI revolution, smart brands are fixing the profit leaks that exist today.
As our UK Director Simon says, ‘That search bar people have been typing into for 25 years? It’s learning to talk back. And if you’re still optimising for the old silent treatment, you’re already invisible.
All too often, brands ask us, “Why did our organic traffic tank?”
It’s not only about keywords, but website content that is built for conversations.
When did you last audit SEO through an AI’s eyes? Because the search bar has learned some new tricks.’
Blended Search: Reducing Your Ad Spend
Paid Search costs are through the roof. But here’s the truth: most brands are overspending and leaving organic revenue on the table.
We’ve been diving deep into what’s actually moving the needle for retailers in 2025. The data is fascinating and sometimes overwhelming.
The solution isn’t rocket science, but it requires looking at both channels together. That’s why we’ve come up with our Blended Search strategy, when your marketing channels work together instead of competing. Fix this issue, and you will start to see profit improvements.
At Kia Ora Digital, we’re optimising for LLMs, but we’re monetising through Google. The new rules:
- Track where revenue actually comes from.
- Invest where customers actually buy.
- Prepare for tomorrow without sacrificing today.
If you’re curious about where your organic revenue could be in 4 – 6 months, ask us for a Revenue Forecast today. We’ll show you:
- How to reduce Paid spend without killing performance
- How much revenue your SEO could actually drive in 6–12 months
- Why treating SEO + Paid Search separately is costing you profit
Let’s turn your Paid Search problem into an organic growth opportunity.
Until next year…
Thank you to everyone who came and visited us, and a huge thanks to the Online Retailer team for putting on this incredible expo! It was great to connect with e-commerce merchants and industry leaders to share the latest industry trends, strategies, and ideas.
To find out more about Blended Search and AI/ LLM Optimisation, get in touch with us today. You can read more about last year’s Online Retailer Expo here.