How to rank on ChatGPT and SearchGPT?

Since 2023, ChatGPT has been transforming the way people search for information online.

For years, no search engine could rival Google in terms of relevance—but ChatGPT has now emerged as a serious contender.

For brands, showing up in the answers generated by these AI tools is becoming just as important as ranking on Google.

So, how can you improve your visibility on these new platforms?

In this article, we'll walk you through the key strategies to boost your presence on ChatGPT and SearchGPT.

A Quick Refresher: How ChatGPT and SearchGPT Work

ChatGPT is a Large Language Model (LLM) that generates answers based on its training data. When you enable the SearchGPT feature, it can also access the web in real time through Bing.

ChatGPT vs. SearchGPT: What's the Difference?

OpenAI offers two main features: ChatGPT Standard and SearchGPT.

Let's start with ChatGPT Standard, which provides answers based on the model's internal knowledge.

ChatGPT Standard comes in different versions:

• GPT-3: released on May 28, 2020
• GPT-4: launched on March 14, 2023

Here's an interesting fact: we actually know what dataset GPT-3 was trained on—you'll find more about that below.

FYI, Common Crawl is a non-profit organization that crawls the web and makes that data publicly available.

While OpenAI doesn't disclose its full training dataset, we do know a few key sources it draws from.

OpenAI relies on a wide range of media, including high-authority platforms like Wikipedia—which plays a major role in influencing visibility.

In addition, OpenAI has established partnerships with various publishers, such as Le Monde and Reddit, to incorporate their content into its training data.

Beyond the standard model, ChatGPT also offers a feature called SearchGPT, which enhances its answers with real-time web search results, complete with source citations.

This is powered by a technology known as RAG—Retrieval-Augmented Generation—which allows the AI to pull fresh data from the web to supplement its knowledge base.

In the case of SearchGPT, this real-time capability is enabled through a partnership with Bing.

Understanding this dual approach—internal memory vs. live search—is critical when developing your GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) strategy.

Step 1: Understand the Questions Your Audience Asks to ChatGPT

Let's start this section with a quick story.

The other day, I was at the airport waiting for my flight, and a long line started forming—one for priority boarding, the other for regular passengers.

Ahead of me, I noticed someone who looked unsure about which line to join. Instead of asking staff or Googling it, she pulled out her phone and typed into ChatGPT:

"What does priority boarding mean for airline X?"

SearchGPT kicked in, and within seconds, she had her answer. One of the sources listed was the airline's official website—mission accomplished.

Just like SEO begins with keyword research, GEO—Generative Engine Optimization—starts with understanding the kinds of queries people type into AI tools.

To optimize effectively, you need to know how people actually use large language models like ChatGPT.

AI tools aren't search engines in the traditional sense. Instead of typing in a few keywords, users engage in full conversations with these systems.

Let me give you another example. A few weeks ago, I ran a GEO audit for a client who mentioned that several of their customers had found them through ChatGPT.

But here's what was interesting: the queries those customers used were far more detailed than what you'd see on Google.

For instance, a user asked:

"I run a construction company—what's the best way to set up a limited liability corporation?"

If that same person had gone to Google, they probably would've typed something like:

"llc registration"

To identify and understand these conversational queries here are a few proven techniques:

Tip #1: Use Qwairy to Discover AI-Based User Questions

I'm the founder of Qwairy, a tool designed to help brands uncover the kinds of questions users ask large language models like ChatGPT.

Here's how it works: Qwairy analyzes your brand's positioning across multiple LLMs and suggests real user queries that are being asked.

You'll get insights into comparative, informational, and transactional questions—all specific to your brand or industry.

Here's a real-world example using the brand Decathlon:

You can then track the evolution of your visibility on LLMs week by week.

You can also add questions manually:

And to find these questions I'll give you 3 other tips you can use for free.

Tip #2: Use REGEX on Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a goldmine for finding all the questions users typed into a search engine before your site appeared.

To do this, you need to use the following Regex, which I'll show you in an image.

Here's the Regex to add: ^(who|what|where|or|how|what|when|why|how many)+\s

And here's the result:

Another Regex to add: ^(best|best|vs|or|)+\s → It gives you all the queries that contain the word "best".

Tip #3: Watch Bing Webmaster Tools

Thanks to the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI, we now know that ChatGPT—especially its SearchGPT functionality—relies heavily on Bing to deliver real-time search results.

That means Bing Webmaster Tools becomes a key resource for tracking your visibility within SearchGPT.

This free tool lets you monitor how your site performs on Bing, including which queries trigger impressions of your pages.

One limitation, though: Bing Webmaster Tools doesn't support regex filtering, so if you want to dig deeper into specific query types, you'll need to filter manually.

To get started, head to the Search Performance tab. There, you'll find valuable insights into which search queries are generating impressions for your website.

Tip #4: Perplexity questions

Another valuable option is to leverage the related questions suggested by Perplexity.ai.

Perplexity is an AI-powered search engine that enhances search results by generating contextual information and suggestions.

When you enter a query into Perplexity, it provides you with a list of similar or follow-up questions related to your original input.

These suggestions are often a great reflection of the types of questions real users might ask on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

Here's what you can expect to see:

Tip #5: Google's People Also Ask

When you do a search on Google, Google systematically shows you the questions that users ask its search engine.

And once again, these questions are typical LLMs questions.

Here's what you'll find if you type "Racing Bike" :

Now that you know how to uncover the types of queries people ask on LLMs, the next step is to optimize your content to rank for those queries.

LLMs like ChatGPT consider several factors when generating answers, including:

• The quality of your content
• The clarity and structure of your writing
• Your authority and presence across the web

(And in Step 3, we'll show you how to identify the sources LLMs typically pull from.)

Step 2: Create or Optimize Content for LLMs – GEO On-Page

Let's move into the second phase. At this point, you've identified the key queries relevant to your business, and you've realized that your content isn't appearing in ChatGPT or SearchGPT responses.

To fix that, you have two main levers to pull:

• GEO On-Page
• GEO Off-Page

We'll start with GEO On-Page, and break it down into two scenarios:

• Case 1: You don't yet have any content on the topic
• Case 2: You have content, but it's not surfacing in ChatGPT answers

Case #1: Creating a New Page Optimized for LLM Visibility

Let's look at an example. Suppose you want your brand to appear in ChatGPT or SearchGPT results for the query:

"Best racing bike"

On ChatGPT, one of the most effective ways to get visibility is this:

• Have your brand mentioned directly in the generated response

Take this typical query:

"What's the best racing bike for beginners?"

In responses to this kind of question, ChatGPT tends to list specific brands or models. Your goal is to position your brand to be one of them.

Brands like Decathlon and Giant are mentioned.

To be positioned as a brand, most of the work is GEO off Page, which we'll cover in the next section.

SearchGPT is a little different in that it also cites its sources, so you have two ways of positioning yourself:

• As a Brand
• As a Source

Here's the same query typed on SearchGPT :

You'll notice that SearchGPT displays the sources it draws from when answering a question.

That means one powerful GEO strategy is to optimize your content so it becomes one of those cited sources.

In this case, the bulk of the effort falls under GEO On-Page optimization. Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Create GEO-Optimized Content for SearchGPT (or Repurpose Existing Content)

As mentioned earlier, SearchGPT relies on Bing search results. So, if your content ranks well on Bing, there's a strong chance it will also be picked up by SearchGPT.

Try this: run your target query directly on Bing. You'll quickly notice that the top results on Bing often align closely with the sources cited in SearchGPT.

That's your cue—optimize your content to perform well on Bing, and you improve your chances of being referenced by SearchGPT.

You've guessed it: SearchGPT has used Bing's Exact Match content for the query "What's the best racing bike for beginners".

So the first step in GEO is to create your content optimized for this query.

And to maximize your chances of ranking well on this query, you need to create the perfect content. That's what we're teaching you right now.

Case #2: Creating the perfect content for ChatGPT

If we return to the case of Décathlon, we'll see that they have a page that also responds to this query, which is as follows: https: //www.decathlon.fr/vc/meilleur-velo-route-pour-debuter

Unfortunately, this page is an e-commerce page with no content on which SearchGPT can rely.

At the very least, this content should include a section explaining :

• What's the best racing bike for beginners?
• How to choose a racing bike for beginners

To make a perfect content on SearchGPT here are different advices. Good news: it's a lot like SEO On Page.

Here are a few techniques that work.

Semantic optimization: Semantic optimization means using the right terms in your content. If you're talking about a subject like racing bikes for beginners, search engines will expect you to use terms like "carbon", "frame" and "tire".

The good thing is that tools like ThotSEO or YourtextGuru provide you with this information automatically.

This will optimize your presence on Bing and ChatGPT as it adds consistency to your content.

Consistent Hn structure: As in SEO, consistent Hn structure is one of the essential criteria for positioning yourself on SearchGPT.

Bing is sensitive to the presentation of your content and the presence of your keywords in the main titles of the page.

Addressing the main themes of your subject in your content will also be key to good quality content.

Finally, we advise you to formulate your titles as questions to get closer to the queries your prospects may type into SearchGPT 😉

Bing has specified on its guidelines used 3 pillars to judge the quality of a content :

Source : https://blogs.bing.com/search-quality-insights/December-2014/The-Role-of-Content-Quality-in-Bing-Ranking/

💡The main difference with SEO is the depth of your content. In SEO, you could have just talked about the Best Racing Bike in your content. To position yourself on AI, you need to go deeper: The best bike for beginners, the best bike for -1000 euros...

Use short sentences in an active voice : Another trick that works for positioning yourself on ChatGPT is to use short sentences and write in an active voice.

AIs also work by token. A token is a token that generally represents a few characters (around 4). Logically, AIs will favor texts that are easy to read and understand.

ChatGPT, for example, devotes a maximum of 4,000 tokens to a page. The beginning of your content therefore has an impact on your positioning.

Integrate enriched data:

ChatGPT loves sources—they help the model better understand the origin of information and assess the reliability of your content.

Including links to authoritative reference sites not only strengthens your content, but also signals credibility.

As a result, this can improve your chances of ranking in ChatGPT and SearchGPT responses.

Use JSON-LD FAQ Schema markup : Schema markup is code added to a web page to help search engines more easily understand the page's content.

This schema is the FAQ schema Markup, which lets you add an FAQ with schema markup to each article.

If you use a CMS like Wordpress, it's very easy to set up with the FAQ Schema extension.

Alternatively, if you have another CMS: use this FAQ generator and add it directly to your html or give the code to your development team.

A recent article or nothing: ChatGPT and SearchGPT prefer recent content! Systematically in these sources, SearchGPT will pull data from the previous 3 months and rarely go above a year's worth of data.

Video - New SearchGPT opportunity: As founder of Qwairy, I keep a close eye on changes to SearchGPT.

Recently, I've been seeing Youtube videos appearing more and more regularly. Here's an example on the racing bikes query:

Producing Youtube videos and adding them to your content is therefore becoming a real hack to position yourself on LLMs.

And as always, remember to target the precise query you want to reach!

Once your content is optimized for GEO On page, it's time to move on to the next step and optimize your GEO Off Page.

Step 3: Analyze the sources used by SearchGPT - GEO Off Page

As with SEO, you need to implement backlink strategies to appear on ChatGPT and SearchGPT.

The first method is to identify the sites cited by ChatGPT.

To find these sources, I advise you to save time by using Qwairy :

Qwairy is a SaaS solution that lets you track :

• Your brand's visibility on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude
• Queries on which you are cited.
• The sources LLMs use to respond.

In concrete terms, Qwairy analyzes the answers provided by LLMs on thousands of targeted questions and builds :

• A dashboard showing whether you are mentioned.
• A source report listing the sites presented by the RNs.
• A competitive analysis to find out who's performing better than you.

Qwairy gives you direct access to all the sources used by each LLM:

You can even see in detail which pages are cited:

And select the LLM you prefer to find out its sources (here we select ChatGPT):

Using the sources, you'll quickly see that depending on the LLM, the sources are very different.

Based on these sources, you'll be able to guide your backlink strategies.

Your objective will then be to obtain brand mentions on the questions that LLMs are asked.

For example, on the keyword Bike Racing, we identify the presence of the site materiel-velo.com :

From this information you can :

• Analyze whether you're present on the sources used by llms and, if not, request a brand mention
  • Target your netlinking campaigns - Find opportunities for brand mentions
• Optimize your partnerships - you can set up a partnership with certain sites to be mentioned.
• Work on affiliation - A great way to increase your presence in ChatGPT sources.

With GEO off page, the aim is to increase the number of brand mentions on the web.

ChatGPT is very sensitive to brand mentions. The more you're mentioned on the web and in its corpus, the greater your chances of being positioned on the web.

This makes branding an essential part of SEO work.

Step 4: Become a source of authority for ChatGPT and SearchGPT - External GEO

To answer their users' questions, LLMs work in a simple way: they scrape the web and use the data on the web. The more present on this data you are, the more you'll be cited.

The next step in GEO off page is to become the source. It's no longer just a matter of being mentioned on sources, but of becoming SearchGPT's trusted source of reference.

So how do you go about it? That's what we're going to explain here.

Be present on reference sources

ChatGPT is particularly sensitive to certain sources such as Wikipedia, Reddit, or even media with which it has signed a partnership such as The Guardian.

The first step to becoming an authoritative source is to be present on these media. Presence on some of these media may be more complicated than others, but here are some tips to get you started:

• Participate in conversations on Reddit around your topic.

It's really quite simple - all you have to do is wander around Reddit and find out what's being talked about.

• Develop your presence on wikipedia

Getting your own Wikipedia page can be a long road. Indeed, Wikipedia expects your site to have an encyclopedic existence.

However, you can start by adding content and adding yourself as a source.

Note: Wikipedia's reviewers are very careful about the sources you add and the content you add. The ideal is to add value.

Personally, I've managed to place a few links there by completing articles and indicating the source from informational articles published on my clients' blogs.

Create data studies

The next step is to create your own data and statistical studies.

I'll give you a quick example based on my use of ChatGPT.

I wanted to write content on entrepreneurial dynamism in different French cities. So I asked SearchGPT to find this content for me and it got various studies from INSEE (french statistical organisation).

Now we need to replace INSEE and create our own studies as a brand.

The future of your business will depend on your ability to become a real media player. Creating a unique study can enable you to position yourself regularly on ChatGPT.

Consider using your email base or linkedin profile to conduct surveys and find unique data.

As an example, in the case of Qwairy, I will soon be conducting a study on the Sources most used by LLMs.

To do this, I'm going to create a study based on a hundred brands and dozens of questions exported directly from my tool.

If I were a furniture e-commerce company, I'd create an annual trend study on the most popular products. I could easily do this based on searches on my site.

Build a topical authority with lots of articles and content

As I said earlier, the future of your business depends on your ability to become a media player and add value with your content.

If you want to position yourself on ChatGPT and in particular as a source, you need to create content.

Think about the topics that might be of interest to your audience, do some query research with Qwairy and SEO keyword research, then get to work creating content.

Quote your sources

Another essential subject for positioning yourself in SearchGPT: remember to quote your sources!

This makes it easier for the bots to understand your website.

Be present on social networks

As I mentioned earlier, SearchGPT uses Bing to recommend pages.

Bing is particularly sensitive to social signals. An article shared on social networks is an article that increases its chances of ranking on Bing.

And since SearchGPT uses Bing, you get the idea...

There's a good chance that ChatGPT's database is also based on social network data, so you'll have just as much chance of ranking.

By the way: Linkedin belongs to microsoft and microsoft has a partnership with OpenAI so you better improve your linkedin company profile.

Step 5: Measure your visibility on SearchGPT

Once you've set up these various topics, it's essential to track the results.

To do this, we're going to divide the tracking into two parts:

• Tracking your brand's visibility on LLMs with Qwairy
• Tracking traffic from LLMs with a Looker Studio dashboard

Monitor Your Visibility on LLMs with Qwairy

Qwairy.co also lets you keep tabs on how visible you are across large language models.

Simply set up the queries you want to monitor, and you'll get weekly updates on how you're performing.

You'll also get details by providers performance (Gemini, GPT, Sonar, SearchGPT…) and by keyword :

You can even take things further by comparing your performance with that of your competitors:

Track Traffic on Your Site from LLMs

To assist our clients, we will set up tracking of traffic stemming from LLMs. We will directly create a Looker Studio dashboard that will be accessible to all.

You can, if you wish, utilize this, and here's what it looks like:

With this management, you can observe:

• The individuals who arrived at your site from LLMs and from which specific LLM
• The landing pages on which people entered
• Day-to-day traffic from LLMs

You might find that a certain page is quite popular on LLMs:

The dashboard is connected to Google Analytics data.

To utilize it, simply make a copy of the dashboard directly.

Click here to access the dashboard

Remember to make your own copy=

Conclusion

Ranking on ChatGPT and SearchGPT isn't just a futuristic idea—it's already shaping how users discover brands today.

While traditional SEO remains essential, a new discipline has emerged: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). It requires a shift in mindset—from optimizing for search engines to optimizing for AI-generated answers.

To stand out, your strategy must cover all fronts:

• Understand how people query LLMs, and adapt your content accordingly.
• Optimize your pages for clarity, depth, and authority—especially on Bing.
• Build your off-page presence, ensuring your brand is cited as a trusted source.
• Actively track and improve your performance with tools like Qwairy and Looker Studio.

The brands that succeed tomorrow will be the ones who learn to speak the language of LLMs today.

So, don't just rank—become the answer.