SEO in the era of ChatGPT search: What's changing?

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The launch of ChatGPT search
In July 2024, OpenAI launched a prototype of its search engine, SearchGPT, initially available to 10,000 users in a pilot test.

The limited access was intended to gather user feedback to refine the results and improve the experience. OpenAI surprised by officially launching ChatGPT Search just before Halloween.

As explained by Adam Fry, OpenAI Product Manager for Search, ChatGPT Search uses the GPT-4 model.


Who can use ChatGPT Search?
As described on OpenAI’s official page , “All ChatGPT Plus and Team users, as well as users on the SearchGPT waitlist, have access” as of October 31.

For those with free accounts, the SearchGPT option is not yet available. OpenAI plans to expand access in the coming months to make it accessible to all users.

SearchGPT vs. Google
OpenAI stated on the Verge that they are working with third-party search technology such as Bing. It is therefore not surprising that the fourth result in Bing's image gallery is the first image shown in ChatGPT Search.


When comparing both search engines with a query like “black boots,” we find notable differences:

ChatGPT Search does not include paid results, unlike Google.
ChatGPT Search expands the information section, citing specific sources.

At Google, images play a central role, with a carousel displayed first. GPT's electrical contractors email lists image gallery is limited to four items. Clicking on an image opens a window with the image in full screen and an expanded selection. Each image links to a product page or an informative article.

Since ChatGPT Search is new, it's possible that aspects of personalization and localization aren't quite fine-tuned yet . For example, even though I searched from Barcelona, ​​the first result it showed me was a product page in Mexico.

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Search collaborates with third-party search technologies, such as Bing . Thus, the first image in ChatGPT Search may correspond to a Bing result.

Following the images, ChatGPT Search provides a brief summary of the relevance of “black boots” and then expanded content citing the stores selected for the search.

Improve your SEO!
Like Perplexity.ai, this GPT engine cites its sources in a section on the right, with links to the source pages.


In comparison, on Google, the presence of paid ads is evident, but absent on ChatGPT Search , where approximately 20% of Google searches include ads.


This allows ChatGPT Search to offer a cleaner, more user-friendly, ad-free experience .

AI integration frequency between Google Gemini vs. ChatGPT Search
In terms of frequency, Google SGE results appear in 12% of searches, while in ChatGPT Search these results are present in every search .

Implications for SEO
SEO continues to evolve with the emergence of new search engines. Now more than ever, optimizing images and product pages is key.

Changes in user behavior with new search engines
As with other GPT models, in ChatGPT Search each query can be linked to the previous one, allowing for a conversational search that Google does not offer.

ChatGPT has become a popular tool for performing detailed analysis and stringing together queries. Users will not use ChatGPT Search in the same way as Google; they will focus on more complex and contextual queries .

For example, when you perform a detailed search, you may see maps and store hours in the results.


Does SEO change as user behavior changes?
The change in search engines means continuous adaptation. Today, SEO is no longer just about content. It is now crucial to:

Optimize images to compete in the image gallery.
Improve product landing pages to capture user attention.
Future SEO trends with new search models
New search models, such as ChatGPT Search, are transforming how we interact with information. In this context, SEO is evolving towards more conversational and semantic optimization .

Traditional keywords will give way to contextual understanding of queries. The quality and relevance of content will become even more important , as algorithms will value the ability of pages to provide accurate and complete answers.

In addition, optimizing the user experience (UX) will be crucial, as search engines will prioritize sites that offer natural and satisfying interactions. Brands will need to invest in high-quality content and more advanced link building strategies.