ChatGPT Search SEO: Get Cited by OpenAI

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About Author

Thibault Besson-Magdelain

Founder of Sorank, 5+ years of experience in SEO, GEO enthusiast.

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ChatGPT Perplexity

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Summary: ChatGPT Search lets paying users search the web in real time. Citations go to sources that answer their questions best.

In July 2024, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search. Instead of returning a traditional search results page, ChatGPT reads current web data, synthesizes an answer, and cites the sources it consulted.

ChatGPT Search SEO is the practice of optimizing content to be cited by ChatGPT Search. Unlike traditional LLMO, freshness matters more.

How ChatGPT Search chooses which sources to cite

The model evaluates relevance, credibility, freshness, and answerability. According to Statista analysis, sources that rank well in Google also tend to be cited by ChatGPT Search. Reinforces AEO principles and entity clarity.

Content that gets cited by ChatGPT Search

Three types perform best: news and recent analysis, original data and research, expert Q&A and tutorials. Generic listicles perform poorly.

Technical SEO for ChatGPT Search discoverability

Basic technical SEO is essential. Use canonical tags. Publish with visible dates.

Building ChatGPT Search authority through citations and links

Sites with strong domain authority are cited more often. Use our AI mention tracking to see citations.

Conclusion

ChatGPT Search is becoming a genuine search channel. Combine fresh, specific, authoritative content with strong backlinks. Watch your citations grow.

Frequently questions asked

How often does ChatGPT Search cite sources?

Almost always. When ChatGPT uses web search, it cites the sources it pulls from. Unlike earlier ChatGPT, Search version cites real-time web results.

Can I opt out of ChatGPT Search?

No direct opt-out mechanism exists. But you can use llms.txt or robots.txt directives to signal preferences.

What is the difference between ChatGPT Search and traditional Google SEO?

Google ranks pages. ChatGPT Search synthesizes an answer and cites sources that support it. Your goal shifts from ranking top result to being trusted enough to cite.