7 SEO tips to get your content appear on ChatGPT
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT become the go-to search solution for internet users, the rules of SEO as we know them are being rewritten. Gone are the days when optimising for Google was enough: the advent of AI in our search habits is changing the game. In this article, we give you some concrete ideas for adapting your SEO strategy so that your company and your content are visible on ChatGPT.
The emergence of AI and its influence on consumer search behaviour
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a promising technology: it is already revolutionising our everyday digital habits. Siri, then Alexa and now ChatGPT, Claude and many other models are totally redefining the way we interact with information online. Gone are the long pages of Google results to scroll through: AI now gives us instant, personalised answers, perfectly tailored to our needs.
This profound transformation goes far beyond a simple change of interface. Users can now interact naturally with these tools, obtaining precise answers to their most complex questions in a matter of seconds. The entire digital marketing ecosystem must reinvent itself in the face of this new paradigm, where customer conversion can no longer be based solely on the user experience of your website.
How does ChatGPT work and what role does it play in searching for information?
ChatGPT analyses the data it learns to generate relevant responses. When a user formulates a query, the model identifies the most appropriate information to respond accurately and quickly. Based on sophisticated neural networks, ChatGPT is capable of understanding and producing natural language.
Unlike traditional search engines, it does not rank web pages, but provides direct answers. It is on this premise that a modern SEO strategy will be based: instead of focusing solely on rankings, it becomes crucial to ensure the relevance and quality of content to effectively meet users’ needs.
Five ways to optimise your content and appear in ChatGPT
ChatGPT stands out for its ability to synthesise a wide range of information to provide clear and precise answers. Unlike Google, which relies on criteria such as popularity or the semantic quality of keywords, AI focuses on the relevance and accuracy of the data in relation to the question being asked. The more frequently a piece of information is cited, the more reliable it is perceived to be. Conversely, answers that are divisive or less widespread are unlikely to appear.
The data exploited by ChatGPT comes from vast corpora, and the AI strives to connect users’ queries to relevant content. To be included in these responses, you need to produce content that is structured and optimised to facilitate indexing by ChatGPT. Here are five ways of achieving just this:
Create high-quality, structured content
Answer common questions clearly : Write content that answers frequently asked questions in your field. Use direct and concise language for clear answers.
Use a hierachy of title and subtitles : Organise your content with clear headings (H1, H2, H3) and their associated HTML tags to improve readability and help crawlers to understand the structure of your page.
Add FAQs and tutorials : Include FAQ sections or practical guides to increase your chances of being listed as a source of information.
Use Schema markup : Implement structured data (we recommend the JSON-LD format) to help AI understand and extract information.
Optimize for search engines
Improve your metadata markup : Write attractive titles and meta descriptions to increase click-through rates and improve ranking.
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly : AI tools prioritise sites that perform well on mobile.
Focus on long-tail keywords : Rather than short, general keywords, use natural, specific phrases and sentences that reflect the questions your audience is likely to ask. For example, instead of using ‘iced coffee’, use ‘make iced coffee at home’.
Boost your online visibility
Get published on credible platforms : Write guest articles or collaborate with well-known sites in your sector to obtain backlinks and increase your visibility.
Be active on Q&A platforms : Provide authoritative answers on sites such as Quora, Reddit or LinkedIn to demonstrate your expertise.
Get involved on social networks : Share your content and interact with your audience on platforms where they are most active.
Create a solid ‘About’ page : Provide details about your company, your team and your expertise to establish your credibility.
Rely on reviews and testimonials : Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms such as Google My Business or Trustpilot.
Make your content compatible with AI
Use simple language : Write in a conversational tone, as AI often prefers content that is easy to analyse and understand.
Include lists and tables : Structured formats are easier for AI to extract and present.
Write evergreen content : Content that remains useful and relevant over time is more likely to be referenced.
Focus on niche expertise : Position yourself as the go-to source for specific, detailed knowledge in your field.
Technical optimization
Improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) : Make sure your site’s main content loads quickly by optimising server response times, fonts and images.
Reduce First Input Delay (FID) : Improve interactivity by optimising JavaScript execution.
Get rid of Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) : Avoid layout shifts by specifying the dimensions of all media and avoiding adverts that load unpredictably.
Secure your site : Use HTTPS to build trust with users and crawlers.
Fix broken links : Regularly scan your site for broken links or obsolete content.
Add an XML sitemap : Submit your sitemap to search engines such as Google and Bing to help spiders index your site efficiently.
Make your site accessible : Check color contrast, font size, ARIA attributes, ease of keyboard navigation and other elements to make your site accessible to people with disabilities.
Have you thought about Bing and ChatGPT Search?
ChatGPT was trained on a text corpus from the Internet until September 2023. However, since 16 December 2024, ChatGPT Search has been retrieving its information in real time from Bing Search, Microsoft’s search engine. It is therefore imperative that your site is indexed by Bing!
- Create an account on Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Submit your sitemap to ensure that Bing indexes your pages.
- Check the ownership of your site to access information and recommendations.
- Check indexing status: Use Bing Webmaster Tools to see how many of your pages are indexed and fix any problems.
What is Google’s future in the face of the rise of ChatGPT?
The emergence of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools capable of answering users’ questions is raising questions about the future of Google and traditional search engines.
Google has already begun to integrate AI tools, such as Google Bard, designed in response to ChatGPT. However, the search engine continues to focus on indexing web pages and ranking sites according to their relevance, authority and the quality of their content.
In the future, Google and its competitors will no doubt add more and more AI into their results. However, traditional SEO, based on on-page and off-page strategies, will not disappear. It will, however, have to evolve.
Conclusion
The rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT is undeniably transforming the way users search for and consume information. This is forcing SEO professionals to evolve, in particular by focusing on the creation of ultra-relevant, well-structured content capable of responding precisely to the users’ needs, which remains consistent with current SEO best practice.
I firmly believe that AI should not be seen as a threat, but as an opportunity: it enables us to diversify acquisition channels and boost a brand’s visibility by adapting to this new information-seeking paradigm. A well thought-out SEO strategy will therefore integrate both traditional optimization and new AI-based approaches to give you an undeniable competitive edge.