88% of Users Are Searching with ChatGPT – Here’s How to Make Sure They Find You
According to a recent survey, 88% of internet users are now using ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to search for information online. While Google still dominates the search space, this metric does mark a turning point in how consumers discover brands, research solutions, and make purchase decisions.
So, what does this mean for your business?
It means that traditional SEO alone isn’t enough anymore. If you want your brand to be visible in this AI-powered future, you need to start optimizing for AI search, not just search engines.
Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve and ensure users find you in this new search landscape.
Understand the Shift in Search Behavior
Generative AI search tools don’t just return a list of links. They generate answers, summaries, explanations, and recommendations. This means your content needs to be AI-friendly, not just keyword-rich.
Unlike Google, which ranks and displays web pages, tools like ChatGPT look for credible, well-structured, and context-rich content to synthesize into responses.
If your brand isn’t contributing to the kind of content that AI deems valuable, you risk being left out of the conversation entirely.
Create Content That AI Wants to Reference
AI platforms prioritize content that is clear, factual, and well-organized. To ensure your website content is referenced by AI models:
- Focus on expertise and trustworthiness: Demonstrate subject matter authority through in-depth blogs, industry-specific case studies, and content written or reviewed by qualified professionals.
- Structure matters: Use headers, bullet points, and short paragraphs. This helps AI models extract information efficiently and accurately.
- Include FAQs: Generative AI pulls from structured content. Adding a frequently asked questions section can make your website a go-to source for answers.
- Update frequently: Fresh content is more likely to be included in AI training datasets and response models. Regular updates also help combat content decay.
Optimize for Conversational Queries
AI search mimics the way people speak. That means it favors natural language and long-tail keywords that resemble how a person would ask a question.
Instead of optimizing for “best marketing software,” think “What is the best marketing software for small businesses in 2025?”
To do this:
- Use tools like Google’s People Also Ask and Answer the Public to find conversational questions.
- Create content that directly answers those queries with clear, informative language.
- Incorporate schema markup to make it easier for AI to understand your content’s structure and purpose.
Build Your Brand Beyond Your Website
Being mentioned or cited on third-party websites boosts your visibility: not just in traditional SEO rankings, but in AI-generated answers too.
- Get featured in industry publications or partner blogs.
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google and LinkedIn.
- Leverage social media to showcase your expertise and drive engagement, especially on platforms like LinkedIn where B2B content often gets higher visibility.
Stay Ahead with AI-Optimized Strategy from Pink Dog Digital
The way people search online is changing fast, and AI is leading the charge. At Pink Dog Digital, we’re helping businesses stay visible and relevant in this new search ecosystem.
Our SEO strategies aren’t just built for Google—we design them to thrive across AI platforms too. Whether you need help optimizing your current content or building a future-proof digital presence, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s make sure AI is working for you—not against you.
Contact us at 410-696-3305 or email us at pinkdogdigital@gmail.com to get started. You can also fill out our Contact Us form to learn more about our services.