Rumor has it that OpenAI might one day launch SearchGPT, its search engine competitor to Google. It’s time to dig into how this conversational AI and its ecosystem work to place your business, products, or services in ChatGPT’s responses!
As you can see in the image above, we managed to get our locksmith client in a major European city to top the results when asking ChatGPT for a locksmith in that area. How did we achieve this "feat" (given the huge competition in this niche)? Let’s break it down!
💡 The key takeaway for being well-featured on ChatGPT: you need to enhance your overall online presence and reputation through a well-optimized SEO website (this is crucial), gather numerous client reviews on various platforms (Google Business Profile, Yelp, Trustpilot), and be listed in niche directories (even manipulating these directories or creating them yourself).
Search Artificial Intelligence Optimization: The New Way to Do SEO
More and more internet users are using ChatGPT as an alternative to Google, asking it all kinds of questions and getting brief, pertinent answers (even though ChatGPT can sometimes get it wrong or spout nonsense).
🔎 This new way of seeking information is leading to the emergence of AIO or SAIO: Search Artificial Intelligence Optimization.
But this optimization isn’t very different from the classic SEO (search engine optimization) already practiced for search engines (especially Google, the leader in this sector).
You must understand that AI-powered language models (LLM) don’t conjure answers out of thin air. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini (Google’s competitor), or Perplexity (backed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos) rely on vast databases filled with real information, nothing artificial about it. Media, newspapers, encyclopedias (especially Wikipedia), websites, blogs, directories—the list of sources used to "feed" these knowledge-hungry monsters is long.
Above, another French client placed by our SEO Agency in the top position on ChatGPT. Not bad, right? This is also possible for ranking on iPhone, as the Siri voice assistant will be replaced by Apple Intelligence, which is connected to ChatGPT.
ChatGPT Uses a Search Engine to Give You Its Answer!
When you conduct a local search, like finding a nearby artisan or a restaurant in your neighborhood, OpenAI’s tool founded by Sam Altman simply performs a web search via a search engine.
But beware: ChatGPT, which previously used Bing (Microsoft’s search engine), now uses an "integrated search engine" of its own, which we suspect is the future SearchGPT tool that OpenAI will unveil (the Google killer)!
It says so itself when asked—it doesn’t limit itself to a specific engine like Google, Bing, or the eco-friendly Ecosia.
So, how do you get your business to appear in ChatGPT's responses and other generative AIs?
We’re getting there! To appear in ChatGPT’s results… you just need to optimize your SEO and online presence! Yes, nothing revolutionary about that.
The only notable change is that you should no longer rely solely on Google and your website but broaden your SEO on various platforms used by ChatGPT to gather its data:
• Optimize Your Website’s SEO
Websites aren’t dead, and it’s still useful to have one in the age of AI! SEO optimizations involve creating interesting, informative, and relevant textual content (with the right keywords). You also need to finely tune your metadata (HTML tags, meta titles, meta descriptions, etc.) to ensure your pages are technically well-indexed. Purchasing relevant links should also be part of your digital strategy. Looking to create a cheap, well-referenced website? Think Wix!
• Create a Google Business Profile
Local SEO isn’t dead either! Creating a listing for your business on Google Maps / My Business is essential for ensuring your visibility on ChatGPT. Even though Google and OpenAI are competitors, business listings remain a highly relevant source for providing local results, thanks to customer reviews that reflect the quality of the experience.
• Register in Directories
ChatGPT also uses directories to fetch information! So, don’t hesitate to register in specialized directories (for restaurants, lawyers, artisans) or general directories like Yellow Pages or Yelp (even if it’s not very popular in France, it’s a commonly used source by the generative AI chatbot).
• Collect Customer Reviews on Trustpilot, Tripadvisor
ChatGPT aims to provide reliable recommendations to its users, so it logically relies on customer review platforms to filter if asked for "the best restaurant" or "the best plumber" in the area! Register your business, shop, or establishment on these free platforms and encourage your clients to post testimonials (5 stars, if possible)!
• Be Present on Social Media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube)
Lastly, joining a social network will increase your online visibility, which is also a source used by ChatGPT (to a lesser extent, it should be noted).
In short, you’ve got it—"natural listing" on ChatGPT is not a big secret; it’s a bit like SEO on Google: you need to have a website (or several), work on your business’s visibility, and especially its digital reputation!
Looking to improve your online visibility to get more clients? Contact SEOBragger.com, the SEO agency rated 5/5 for over 10 years 👍 We have an excellent team of SEO and AI consultants!