The AI search revolution is already in full swing and more and more marketers are wondering, how can I get featured on ChatGPT? The good news is that there is a solution. The bad news is, you’re competing with everyone under the sun for a small sliver of search real estate. So the question isn’t how to rank, it’s how to out-rank your competition.
In this blog post we break down everything you need to know about how ChatGPT operates and serves results and what strategies to employ when trying to break onto the ‘first page’ of ChatGPT results. Let’s not waste any time and jump right into the world of ChatGPT search so you can stop searching and start winning!
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How does ChatGPT rank website content?
ChatGPT doesn’t necessarily rank pages in the same way Google does. What Google and ChatGPT share is their need for well-written content. Google and other search engines have continuously moved toward attempting to create a more honest search ecosystem by the means of human-written, helpful content. ChatGPT is the same way.
ChatGPT looks for authoritative sources that accurately represent and provide value to the user’s question. Accuracy and relevance play a big role in who gets served in a ChatGPT result. Having a well-organized piece of content is the foundation of ranking on not only Google, but more importantly, ChatGPT. So, if ChatGPT isn’t necessarily ranking content, how do they determine device which content gets served?
1. Authoritative Sources
The first thing ChatGPT will take into account when auditing sources is the authority of that source. If you’re a reliable source, you’re more likely to be served in their results. Simple, right? Well, not so fast. Just because you think you’re at a reputable source doesn’t mean that you are.
Authority can mean a lot of things. It can be tied to the author, the domain the content lives on, or be based on external factors like mentions and backlinks. Being known as an authoritative source doesn’t happen overnight but there are certainly things that can be done to improve your standings. Make sure to make it to the next section where we discuss optimization opportunities.
2. Accuracy and Fact-Checking
High- quality content is factual content. ChatGPT is looking for the most updated information not only to properly inform its users, but to make sure it reduces the spread of misinformation. The move toward a more honest web puts pressure on these AI systems to remain unbiased and facts-based. ChatGPT has a responsibility to accurately represent content and interpret things in a meaningful way that doesn’t change the meaning of the original content or information.
3. Relevance and Depth
Relevance and depth help allows the AI to be specific. Relevant and deep content improves user satisfaction, as it meets their informational needs. AI models like ChatGPT use algorithms to understand the context of a query and match it with relevant information.
Content that is both relevant and deep is more likely to be used by AI because it can effectively answer user queries. AI systems prioritize content that directly addresses the user’s question in a meaningful way. This satisfaction can lead to repeat visits, shares, and citations, further establishing the source as authoritative.
4. Clear and Structured Writing
It almost goes without saying, almost, that a clear and well-structured piece of content is a must. The easier content is for these systems to understand, the faster and more likely they will be to serve your content as a part of their answers. Not only does the structure matter, but so does the order in which the ideas are presented. Make sure you’re properly aligning your content in a way that the user would expect or need to understand. For example, if you’re writing a blog post about how to change a tire, you’ll want to tell the user to jack the car up first before taking the wheel off.
5 Strategies for Ranking on ChatGPT
1. High- Quality Content Creation
With ChatGPT using different aspects of quality content as the basis for serving answers, it’s no surprise this suggestion tops our list. We’ve talked about what it means to have quality content, but we wanted to break it down into bite-sized steps to make it easy:
- Effective Use of Keywords: While ChatGPT isn’t necessarily ranking content based on keywords, incorporating keywords naturally throughout your content is only going to increase visibility. Performing keyword research as you normally would but focus on keyword intent.
- Content Structure & Readability: Structure your content with clear headings, subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs. Proper structure makes it so users and AI search engines alike can easily understand and flow through the information. Easy to understand content will drive engagement rates which will only help your chances of being surfaced in ChatGPT.
- Natural Language Processing: Write in a conversational tone that promotes natural language. In short, write like you speak. Approaching content in this way aligns with how ChatGPT and other AI models understand and repurpose your content.
- Reverse Engineer User Intent: Understand and anticipate what users want when they ask questions. Tailor your content to provide direct answers, detailed explanations, or step-by-step guides that align with common user intents.
2. Structured Data Implementation
Structured data is the gateway to clear information understanding for AI models. Structured data allows these models to easier surface information that would otherwise take them additional time to understand. When we’re talking about AI search engines, every second counts. Information comprehension is arguably the most important mechanism of these models.
Without a basis for understanding information, the AI models would rely on complex information that could cause confusing information or lead to misinformation. Structured data enhances your content visibility and relevance making you more likely to be surfaced in ChatGPT.
3. Brand Reputation Management & Digital PR
Having a positive brand sentiment isn’t as easy as it once was. With more ways to share feedback than ever, brands have to be on the lookout for negative reviews and brand reputation. Building a strong online reputation is critical for getting listed in ChatGPT and AI search engines.
Here are some areas for maintaining a positive reputation:
- Guest Posting on High-Authority Sites
- Industry Awards and Recognition
- Influencer Marketing for Brand Amplification
- Affiliate sites, Awards & Listicles
- Forums & UGC Platforms (Quora, Reddit)
- Positive Mentions on Authority Websites
- Product or Service Reviews From Happy Customers
Having a cohesive brand reputation plan means monitoring and responding to reviews, strategic publisher partnerships, and earning links from valuable websites. While backlinking is still a thing, it isn’t as impactful as it once was. Search engines have progressed beyond simple backlink profiles and use more signals from across social media and external sites to create their own view of your brand.
4. Page Speed & User Experience
Page Speed and user experience go hand in hand. Having a responsive site with a well-optimized user experience only improves your chances of both ChatGPT and Google listings.
A better user experience backs into better engagement metrics. When you have better engagement metrics, this is a signal to search engines that users are having a positive experience with your content.
5. Continuous Content Optimization
Keeping content fresh is the name of the game. Having a recent publish date on your post might do more than you think. Republishing stagnant content isn’t just a benefit for you from a traffic perspective, but it’s a benefit for users too.
Having frequently updated content shows that you are incorporating new emerging details and optimizing your content to better align to user intent. Try to stay away from the SEO mindset in these updates and infer as much as you can from the data you’re collecting so that you can tailor the content to appease the user intent.
Don’t Fight The AI Search Battle Alone
When it comes to ranking in ChatGPT or AI search engines, it can be a lot to take in and attempt to put into practice. A lot of the advice boils down to generating honest content that’s aligned withto the search intent. That’s truly the basis for ranking in these systems. If you keep the user in mind, you’ll be able to break into the ‘front-page’ of ChatGPT.
If you’re looking for a guiding light, someone who’s been in the trenches of AI, we’re NoGood for that! Here at NoGood, we specialize in AI search engines and AEO so that you can get ahead of the curve and future-proof your content marketing efforts. If you want to learn how we can help you achieve your goals, let’s talk!
