What Is ChatGPT Search and Why It Matters for Modern SEO?

Summary

If you are a business worried about the performance of your Website on ChatGPT Search or a marketer wondering how to connect ChatGPT to Position Tracking, we have got the blog for you.

After reading this blog, you will know the significance of ChatGPT search, ranking in it in 2025 and how to optimize your content accordingly.

Key Takeaways

> Worried about ChatGPT Position Tracking of your brand?

> Want to know how to access the ChatGPT search bar?

> Want to optimize your client’s website content to make it for AI search-friendly?

Table of Contents

1. A few facts about ChatGPT Search
2. What is ChatGPT Search?

⤷ What are the key features and limits of ChatGPT Search?

⤷ How is it different from other AI-based searches?

3. Why does AI search visibility matter?
4. How to rank for ChatGPT Search?

  ⤷ Which businesses will benefit from AI search?

⤷ Which businesses will struggle with AI search? 

5. The Future of Search in the ChatGPT Search Era
6. Conclusion
7. FAQs

The search environment is changing as it is now incorporating AIs as well.

AIs are bringing a revolution into the search-scape and now its up to brands & their marketers to adapt accordingly.

It all started from introduction of ChatGPT Search via which users can now search the internet using an AI.

If you are a business owner, a manager, a marketer, an SEO expert, a student or a tech expert, then this is a must read blog about ChatGPT search.

A few facts about ChatGPT Search

• ChatGPT has more than 400 million users across the globe on a weekly basis.

Fig 1: A graphical representation of the ChatGPT users weekly from Nov 2023 to Feb 2025. [Source: Backlinko]

• AI market share of ChatGPT is 59.70% in 2025, while Microsoft’s Copilot is used by 14.4% and Google Gemini is used by 13.5%.

Fig 2: A tabular comparison of AIs and their market share in 2025. [Source: FirstPageSage]

• ChatGPT Search is being used by 37.5 million search-based prompts on a daily basis or 0.25% of the search market.

• Google handles 14 billion searches per day, or 93.57% of the search market, while Bing handles 4.1%, DuckDuckGo handles 0.73% and Yahoo handles 1.35%.

• Google handles 373 times more searches than ChatGPT.

What is ChatGPT Search?

ChatGPT Search is one of the newer features of ChatGPT, the AI model from OpenAI.

GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer and is helping OpenAI lead the AI race.

ChatGPT Search was introduced on July 25th, 2024, as a challenge to Google Search and became open to the public on Oct 31st.

And it is free and accessible without an account on chatgpt.com.

It is adding onto marketers worries about ChatGPT Position Tracking.

What are the key features and limits of ChatGPT Search?

To understand it deeper, you must know the features and limitations of ChatGPT search’s.

Key Features

Conversational AI helps users converse with ChatGPT search in a human manner.

Follow-up questions are asked by ChatGPT search help to further enrich the users’ current search results, making them a fan of it.

Updated responses are delivered as search results are derived using the latest information on the internet.

Real-time & live data ensures that the users can stay connected to the world without leaving ChatGPT.

Summarization helps users with a nutshell version of the information they requested.

Source attribution allows users to cross-check and even quote the stats & findings made on ChatGPT search.

Visual replies are also generated with some search results, which further enhances the user experience.

Limits

Now let us get to know the limitations of ChatGPT search.

• No real-time web crawling.

• Doesn’t give the richer SERP or search engine result page experience delivered by search engines.

• No original content; instead, you get summarized and/or interpreted content.

• Sometimes, the sources are not shared.

• It is not ideal for comparative searches.

• Doesn’t have special tools like Google Scholar, Google Maps, PubMed and more.

These features and limitations show that ChatGPT is not perfect yet, but it is moving in that direction.

How is it different from other AI-based searches?

Before you say it, we got a comparison between AIs and their search engines in terms of the online search environment.

Search Engines/AIs	ChatGPT Search	Google AI Overviews (AIO)	Microsoft Bing AI or Copilot	Perplexity AI
Platform Integration	OpenAI’s infrastructure	Google’s infrastructure	Microsoft’s infrastructure	Standalone
Publisher Collaboration	Media partnerships	SEO practices and Content partnerships	SEO practices and Content partnerships	Basic source attribution
Ads	None	Ads included	Ads included	No
Cost	Free	Free	Free	Free & USD 20/month for Premium

Fig 3: A tabular comparison of various AI-based searches in 2025. [Source: TechTarget]

So, don’t just get stuck with ChatGPT’s search and explore other options as well to figure out which one works the best for your diverse needs.

Why does AI search visibility matter?

You must be wondering if ChatGPT search is only handling 0.25% of the global search market; then how come it is a concern for your brand?

Well, you are quite right, but the ease of search and conversational search results are promising an exponential growth in ChatGPT’s search usage.

ChatGPT Search vs Google Search

Fig 4: A graphical representation ChatGPT search vs Google Search.

For better understanding of the user’s search preferences, let us understand why any user would choose ChatGPT search over Google search.

Answers, not Links

Google would provide search results with links of related keywords, hoping that the user would find the answers.

But ChatGPT search will provide summarized answers which can even be utilized directly by the users.

Although Google’s AIO provides answers instead of links, its content cannot be trusted as of now.

Contextual Continuity

Google doesn’t allow asking linked questions, while AIs allow linked questions based on contextual continuity.

Search Accuracy

Search engines like Google use keyword matches to find an accurate answer, which would mean that users will have to go through the top 5 search results to find the complete answer.

But via ChatGPT search, a real-time information-finding LLM (large language model) helps in finding the most relevant information, effortlessly.

Ad-free Experience

Users will have to encounter ads on Google, while ChatGPT is an ad-free interface.

All this and ChatGPT search are free; no wonder the users are switching to AI search.

And when users are moving onto AI search, then how can brands leave that market share untapped?

How to rank for ChatGPT Search?

We will list out the various ways to be followed that will rank your web content in AIs as well as search engines boosting its ChatGPT Position Tracking.

Fig 5: A graphical representation of ways to achieve ChatGPT Search Optimization.

Bing Optimization

OpenAI works closely with Microsoft, and thus optimization of your web content for Bing will be quite helpful.

ChatGPT search’s uses indexing and crawling tools from Bing.

Thus, your website must be set up using Bing Webmaster Tools.

Content Quality & Intent

ChatGPT searchs focuses on improving the user intent value by answering their queries in a simple Q&A format.

In short, no more keyword density; instead, use clear, structured and well-written content.

Natural Language

If your web content has more natural language and conversational keywords, then it will be preferred by the AI search platforms.

Technical SEO & UX

Since AIs are all about user experience, a website must be sound in terms of technical SEO and mobile responsiveness.

Structured Data

Structured data makes it easier for AIs like ChatGPT to search, make sense of any information, and use it aptly as AI-powered search results.

We also wanted to help you with the layman’s categorization of businesses that will profit from AI and the ones that will face difficulties.

Which businesses will benefit from AI search?

The businesses that are bound to benefit from AI search are as follows:

• Brands delivering top-notch and engaging content

• Niche and small businesses competing with the larger players

• Companies who invest a lot in user experience

These businesses can leverage AI search and gain huge insights as well as traffic via it.

Which businesses will struggle with AI search?

The brands that will struggle with AI search are as follows:

• Brands with outdated SEO

• Brands using heavy keyword density

• Brands whose websites haven’t evolved with time

These businesses will find it difficult to switch to user-friendly content, as they are preset on writing SEO-friendly content.

Plus, they would need to revamp their previous content as well.

The Future of Search in the ChatGPT Search Era

The search industry will evolve and become more user-friendly by the day.

Thus, the SEO services will need to revamp themselves as well.

And the SEO marketers can leverage AI-powered marketing instead of worrying about AI-powered searches.

For example, if they use Semrush and their SearchGPT option for ChatGPT Position Tracking, they can,

• Check the Domain position tracking of your target keywords.

• Calculate Average positions for each keyword.

• Gauge overall performance via Visibility scores.

• Track Local packs for business name searches.

But it cannot be used outside the US markets to track desktop searches only or track 50 keywords/user, and it doesn’t include Search Volume or Estimated traffic.

So, the digital marketing tools are upgrading themselves to accommodate the ChatGPT search.

Why should your brand stay stagnant?

Conclusion

AIs are here to stay, and it’s about time we make them our friends.

Because they can help a business make its deliveries more user-friendly, as in the end, it is all about how much a user is able to connect with a brand.

And if that connection is automatic or universal, then the user will take a chance on your brand and make the purchase.

AIs can also help brands retain their customers by keeping in constant touch with them and personalizing their experience with a business.

In short, AI search is just a stepping stone, and the AI inclusion is multi-dimensional for a brand in 2025.

Wondering where you can find an AI-powered SEO marketing service?

Wildnet Technologies is a leading digital marketing company that has been helping clients across the globe with their latest and user-friendly digital marketing services using AI power-ups.

If you would like to know more,

> Leveraging AI for Enhanced Digital Marketing Campaigns | Case Study

> The Role of AI in Luxury eCommerce Industry’s Transformation

> Wildnet’s Digital Glossary

> Wildnet’s Digital Yum (our weekly newsletter from the thought leadership’s desk about the hottest in the digital realm)

Contact us now at info@wildnettechnologies.com and beat the AI search.

FAQs

FAQ 1: What is the future of ChatGPT Searchs?

Ans: The planned trajectory for ChatGPT search as per OpenAI is as follows:

• Improving vertical search to allow vertical market expansions.

• Betterment of reasoning powers via OpenAI o1 and other reasoning models.

• Advanced voice options will be added.

• ChatGPT Canvas to facilitate better interaction with ChatGPT search.

FAQ 2: How is ChatGPT leaving Google Search behind?

Ans: Although most of the world’s population uses Google search, ChatGPT search is one of the emerging trends.

Because ChatGPT search offers,

• Answers and not links that might contain the answer.

• Contextual answers and an answer chain.

• Conversational and summarized search results.

• Ability to craft images as search results.

• And much more which cannot be offered by Google search as of yet.

FAQ 3: How to access ChatGPT search?

Ans: You can access the ChatGPT search bar via

• Browsers (opening chatgpt.com),

• Browser extensions to facilitate direct ChatGPT search accessibility, and

• ChatGPT mobile apps for Android and Apple devices.

FAQ 4: How does ChatGPT search work?

Ans: ChatGPT search employs various technologies and vendors working together, such as

• GPT-4o for fine-tuning

• OpenAI o1 for reasoning and distillation

• Microsoft Bing and other media partners for real-time data

• Axel Springer for multimedia information from Europe

• Conde’ Nast, a global media house like Vogue

• Dotdash Meredith, America’s largest print and digital publisher

• GEDI, a NASA mission for 3D imaging of Earth

• Hearst, a San Francisco-based news company

• Le Monde, a French newspaper

• And others to deliver the holistic coverage of everything across the globe.

FAQ 5: How can Wildnet help with ChatGPT search optimization?

Ans: Wildnet’s content marketers have been working in the digital marketing industry for more than 19 years.

During which they have realized that user-friendliness is the most valuable aspect of digital marketing.

Via their vast experience and niche expertise, our content marketers are able to craft conversational content using a Q&A approach and conversational keywords.

Thus, we can ensure that our digital marketing services will get your brands places in AI searches as well.