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As a marketing leader, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the seismic shift in how people search for information online.
ChatGPT has emerged as a powerful force, growing from 200 million to 300 million weekly active users between August and December 2024 — a staggering 50% increase in just four months. Meanwhile, Google is showing signs of user decline in certain markets.
This shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
If your business isn’t optimised to appear in ChatGPT’s responses, you’re potentially missing out on a rapidly growing channel for visibility, brand awareness, and ultimately, sales.
The question on every savvy marketer’s mind is no longer just “How do we rank on Google?” but “How do we ensure our brand appears in ChatGPT responses when potential customers are asking questions relevant to our products or services?”
This guide will walk you through exactly how to make your business rank in ChatGPT, appear in its recommendations, and show up consistently when users are seeking solutions you provide.
Executive Summary
ChatGPT operates fundamentally differently from traditional search engines like Google. While SEO remains important, it’s just one piece of a more complex puzzle now referred to as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
To rank in ChatGPT, your strategy must address three critical components:
Optimise for the underlying web search — Ensure your content ranks well in Bing, as it powers many of ChatGPT’s searches
Create content that ChatGPT wants to reference — Include statistics, data points, and first-hand experiences that make your content citation-worthy
Establish widespread digital presence — Appear across multiple platforms and publications to reinforce your brand’s authority
Throughout this article, we’ll explore real examples of businesses successfully appearing in ChatGPT responses and provide actionable steps to implement these strategies for your own company.
How ChatGPT Differs from Traditional Search Engines
When you search on Google, you receive a list of websites that match your query. The goal of traditional SEO is to make your website appear at the top of these results. ChatGPT, however, operates with a fundamentally different approach.
The Hidden Search Process
ChatGPT doesn’t just search the web and display results — it creates conversational answers based on multiple sources of information. Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
Query reformulation: ChatGPT breaks down complex queries into smaller, more searchable chunks.
Background web searches: It conducts multiple web searches using these reformulated queries.
Content synthesis: Information from various sources is compiled and synthesised.
Response generation: A coherent, conversational answer is created based on the synthesised information.
For example, a complex query like “I need to find an iPad case that’s robust enough to survive me dropping it, but doesn’t look like something from a building site. I also don’t want it to be black; a bright colour would be much better,” gets broken down into simpler searches like “robust iPad case drop-resistant bright colour” and “durable iPad case colourful design drop protection.”
Knowledge Sources
ChatGPT draws from two primary knowledge sources:
- Pre-trained knowledge: Information the model was trained on prior to deployment
- Real-time web searches: Fresh information retrieved from the internet for specific queries
This dual approach means that appearing in ChatGPT requires strategies that address both its internal knowledge base and its ability to find your content through real-time searches.
The Authority Factor
Unlike Google, which prominently displays its sources (the websites in search results), ChatGPT often incorporates information without explicitly citing where it came from — unless it’s sharing specific statistics or direct quotes. This makes being recognised as an authority in your field even more crucial, as ChatGPT needs to “learn” that your brand is the go-to source for particular topics.
Three Key Strategies to Get Your Business to Rank in ChatGPT
1. Optimise for the Underlying Web Search
ChatGPT is powered primarily by Bing’s search engine, with potential contributions from other indexes including OpenAI’s own. This means your first priority should be ensuring your website performs well in Bing searches.
Action steps:
- Set up and utilise Bing Webmaster Tools
- Ensure your site is properly indexed by Bing
- Apply core SEO principles with particular attention to Bing’s ranking factors
- Monitor how your site appears in Bing search results for your target keywords
Remember that while traditional SEO principles apply, the focus should shift slightly to accommodate Bing’s preferences, which may differ from Google’s in subtle but important ways.
“OpenAI’s own staff have confirmed that ChatGPT uses Bing, but we also suspect that they are using other indexes as well.”
Founder
2. Create ChatGPT-Friendly Content
ChatGPT’s response mechanism favours certain types of content when deciding what to reference or recommend. The research shows that including certain elements can boost visibility by over 40% across various queries.
Data-rich content: ChatGPT loves specificity and tends to reference content that includes:
- Statistics and numerical data
- Research findings
- Specific comparisons
- Direct quotes from experts
First-hand experience: Since AI has no personal experience, content that shares genuine first-hand insights is particularly valuable:
- Case studies
- Detailed product reviews
- Implementation stories
- Problem-solving narratives
For example, a blog post about implementing a heat pump in a Victorian house might be referenced by ChatGPT not because it’s from a major publication, but because it offers genuine first-hand experience that ChatGPT itself cannot provide.
Structured, clear information: Content that presents information in a well-organised manner is more likely to be used by ChatGPT:
- Listicles and numbered guides
- Step-by-step instructions
- Clear headings and subheadings
- Tables and comparative analyses
3. Establish a Widespread Digital Presence
The more places your brand appears online, the greater your chances of being recommended by ChatGPT. This widespread presence serves two purposes:
- Increasing chances of being found in real-time searches
- Reinforcing your brand’s authority in ChatGPT’s training data
Digital PR strategy:
- Secure mentions in mainstream media publications
- Contribute to industry and trade publications
- Participate in relevant forums and communities (Reddit, Quora, etc.)
- Generate positive user reviews across multiple platforms
- Create shareable, linkable content that naturally attracts mentions
Strategic brand positioning:
- Clearly define what you want your brand to be known for
- Consistently associate your brand with those key attributes across all content
- Create content that explicitly connects your brand with your target keywords and concepts
For example, if you want to be known for “affordable luxury watches,” ensure this phrase and concept consistently appears in conjunction with your brand across multiple platforms and publications.
Real-World Success Stories
Case Study: Zugu Case
When asking ChatGPT about the best iPad Air cases, Zugu Case frequently appears as a top recommendation. This success stems from:
- Strong presence on their own website with detailed product information
- Mentions in major publications like Wired
- Positive user discussions on platforms like Reddit
- Consistent association with concepts like “durability” and “premium design”
The key insight is that ChatGPT pulls recommendations not just from the brand’s own website, but from third-party websites that mention and recommend the product. This underscores the importance of a multi-channel presence strategy.
“In the case of the iPad case search, ChatGPT has recommended a few products, including our client, Zugu Case, as the top recommendation.
ChatGPT has referenced a whole bunch of publishers and third-party websites, including Zugu Case’s own website, to learn which cases come most recommended or preferred by case owners.”
Founder
Case Study: The Ordinary Skincare
When users ask ChatGPT about the best value skincare brands, The Ordinary consistently appears in recommendations. This is because:
- The brand has built a strong association with “high quality” and “good value” across the web
- These associations have been ingested during the training of the large language models
- The consistent messaging creates a clear brand position that ChatGPT can confidently reference
This example highlights the importance of clear brand positioning and consistent messaging across multiple channels.
Next Steps
To implement an effective strategy for ranking in ChatGPT:
- Audit your current visibility:
- Check if your brand appears in ChatGPT responses for relevant queries
- Analyse your current Bing rankings for target keywords
- Assess your presence across various digital platforms
- Develop a comprehensive strategy:
- Create a content plan focused on data-rich, experience-based content
- Identify key publications and platforms for targeted outreach
- Define clear brand associations you want to establish
- Implement and monitor:
- Regularly test how your brand appears in ChatGPT responses
- Track changes in visibility as you implement your strategy
- Refine your approach based on results
For businesses looking for expert guidance, consider working with specialists in Generative Engine Optimisation, like our SEO team, who can perform a comprehensive analysis of your current digital presence and develop a tailored strategy for improvement.
Resources Mentioned
In Conclusion
As ChatGPT’s influence grows, optimising for AI platforms is becoming essential, not optional.
The three strategies outlined — improving Bing visibility, creating citation-worthy content, and building a widespread digital presence — will give early adopters a significant competitive edge. Success isn’t about gaming the system but providing valuable information in AI-friendly formats across multiple channels.
This approach builds a digital foundation that will continue to deliver returns as these technologies evolve.
Watch This Next
The opportunity in GEO isn’t about seeking quick wins or relying on technical tricks. It’s about establishing genuine authority that is recognised and trusted by both AI platforms and humans. Businesses that grasp this concept now will be the ones leading their industries in 2025 and beyond.
To learn how to construct a long-term GEO strategy, watch or listen to this podcast episode between Charlie Marchant, Exposure Ninja’s CEO, Dale Davies (Head of Marketing), and Andy Tuxford (Head of SEO).
