Determining whether or not SEO for ChatGPT is possible is, as of right now, difficult. The number of users who turn to ChatGPT as a search engine seem to be increasing. OpenAI is still developing SearchGPT (ChatGPT’s search engine) and, while users can ask ChatGPT to find things for them, it’s hard to quantify the results.
Can you trust ChatGPT as a search engine?
The answer to this question really depends on who you ask. There are plenty of people who like ChatGPT and will espouse its merits in conversation, on social media, and anywhere else the question may arise. There are also plenty of people who don’t like it and will raise concerns over the reliability of the information it presents. In short, the best answer we can offer right now to the question, “Can you trust ChatGPT as a search engine?” is: maybe.
If you’re going to use ChatGPT for search, your best bet is to cross-reference the results with other sources of information. ChatGPT can be helpful with distilling down big ideas, summarizing concepts, and providing overviews, but you have to be shrewd. Because of its generative nature, there is a chance it may make up information to fill in any blanks it encounters. This is why cross-referencing something you’re not sure of is the best option for now.
Can you optimize websites for ChatGPT?
This is another question that’s tricky to answer right now. There isn’t even an industry standard name for AI SEO. It could be called AI SEO. It could be called AIO (artificial intelligence optimization). It could be called LLMO (large language model optimization). The point is this is very new and still in flux.
There are some things you can do that may help an LLM like ChatGPT to suggest your website for various inquiries. Nothing has been set in stone yet, though, and any optimization tips are subject to change as things develop. A few things that may help and certainly won’t hurt include:
- Focus on question-based keywords—As of right now, ChatGPT seems to pull information from question-based keywords. To utilize these on your site, write out the question you’re seeking to answer before writing the answer. For an example of this, look back at the headers we have in this very post.
- Increase the use of long-tail keywords—Long-tail keywords are keywords that are 3 or more words in length. A question-based keyword can double as a long-tail keyword. This can have benefits for ChatGPT SEO and regular search engine optimization.
- Answer questions clearly and concisely—Much like the last point, answering questions in a clear and concise manner is generally good for both types of optimization. It’s also good for the end-user, which should be your ultimate priority.
Are there any downsides to optimizing for ChatGPT?
While there are still many unknowns, some possible downsides to optimizing for ChatGPT may exist. Those downsides include slow changes to the LLM’s training and disruption of current SEO.
LLM training
Training an LLM is expensive and time-consuming. Because of this, updates to the training information may not happen quickly or regularly. As of the writing of this article, ChatGPT’s model GPT-4 is trained on information from April 2024. GPT-5 was just recently announced and may have access to newer information. The speed and ease of this process may change over time, but this current limitation is important to consider. Measuring the effectiveness of optimizing for ChatGPT may be harder than measuring for Google or other search engines. It may also take longer for changes or corrections to your website to be reflected in ChatGPT’s results.
SEO disruptions
There is some debate over whether or not optimizing for ChatGPT will interrupt search engine optimization. As of right now, it seems that ChatGPT uses the same index as Bing, but it prioritizes different information than Bing, and almost certainly different information than Google. There is a chance, as things develop, that choosing to optimize for ChatGPT (or another LLM) could interrupt search engine optimization. If that were to happen, there may be workarounds using Robot.txt files, sitemaps, or other optimization tools.
Best Practices Are Still the Best Bet
When in doubt, know that quality content is still your best bet for web optimization. If you follow the standard best practices for SEO and you have good content that explains things clearly, you’ll have a good starting point. If your foundational content is solid, you can always build off of it later as things change.
If you need help with your website, call Bold River Marketing. We can work with you to create an optimized website that sets you up for success. Contact us today to get started.