Ai Search
SearchGPT / ChatGPT Search
SearchGPT (now called ChatGPT Search) is OpenAI's search-integrated version of ChatGPT that retrieves and cites live web results alongside AI-generated answers. It combines ChatGPT's conversational interface with real-time web retrieval and inline source citations.
Why SearchGPT / ChatGPT Search Matters for SEO
ChatGPT has over 200 million weekly active users, and ChatGPT Search extends this into a search context. It cites sources inline, so being selected means brand visibility and referral traffic. ChatGPT Search users tend to be high-intent and research-oriented — a valuable audience.
How SearchGPT / ChatGPT Search Works
ChatGPT Search uses Bing's index as the primary web source alongside OpenAI's own crawler. Allowing GPTBot in robots.txt is important for being indexed. Selection factors include authority signals, content relevance, structure, and recency. The same AEO principles apply across the board.
Common Mistakes
- Blocking GPTBot in robots.txt without understanding the trade-off
- Not tracking referral traffic from ChatGPT Search
- Assuming ChatGPT Search uses different signals than traditional search engines
Want to go deeper?
Read the full guide: ChatGPT Optimization →
Sources & Further Reading: