How to Rank on SearchGPT – 7 Tips to Get Cited in ChatGPT

With SearchGPT (ChatGPT search engine)now open to everyone, more users are switching from traditional search engines like Google to this AI-powered platform.

Unlike Google, where ads, Reddit threads, and irrelevant results often clutter the page, SearchGPT delivers straightforward, tailored answers that make finding information quick and easy.

This shift is changing how people search, and it’s a cue for content creators to start optimising for SearchGPT. In this article, we’ll dive into seven practical tips to help you rank on SearchGPT and boost your visibility on the ChatGPT search engine.

How to Rank on SearchGPT

Now, let’s dive into each tip and see what actions you need to take.

Tip 1: Ensure Proper Crawling

To have your content referenced by SearchGPT, it’s essential to allow its web crawler, GPTBot, to access your site. In your robots.txt file, enable OAI-SearchBot by adding the following directive to ensure it can discover and index your content:

User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /

Note that the click-through rate (CTR) for SearchGPT is significantly lower than that of Google. This is because users get most of the information they need directly from SearchGPT, so they may not feel the need to visit your content.

Tip 2: Optimise for Bing to Boost Visibility on SearchGPT

Microsoft Bing is at the core of how SearchGPT works. While ChatGPT pulls info from multiple sources, Bing’s vast index is the main driver behind its real-time, accurate results. If your site isn’t in Bing’s index, it won’t appear in ChatGPT’s results.

So, what does this mean for you? It means it’s time to treat Bing as a key part of your SEO strategy, right alongside Google. By optimising for Bing, you’re boosting the chances that your content shows up in SearchGPT, helping you reach an even wider audience.

Bing Webmaster Tools is a great way to check if your site is indexed and catch any gaps. By giving Bing some extra attention, you’re not only boosting your visibility there – you’re also setting yourself up to appear in ChatGPT’s AI-powered search.

Tip 3: Keep Content Up-to-Date

SearchGPT prioritises fresh information to deliver the most relevant and timely answers to users’ queries. Keeping your content updated signals to SearchGPT that your article is a dependable source, increasing its chances of being referenced.

To update content effectively, focus on reviewing and refreshing key sections with the latest data, trends, or industry changes. Adding new insights, examples, or statistics can keep your content relevant and valuable to readers and SearchGPT alike.

Consider using a heading at the beginning of your article to highlight when the content was last revised. This clear indication informs readers about the freshness of your information and encourages them to engage with the latest insights.

Tip 4: Write in a Conversational Tone and Use a Q&A Format

Writing in a conversational tone helps make your content more engaging and accessible. Since SearchGPT delivers answers in a dialogue-like style, a friendly tone aligns well with its presentation format and can improve your chances of being referenced.

Using a Q&A format further enhances your content’s structure, making it easier for SearchGPT to find direct answers to specific questions. Including common questions and concise answers within your content helps SearchGPT quickly identify relevant details for users.

For example, instead of using the H2 “Benefits of Accessibility Audit,” you could phrase it as “What are the benefits of accessibility audit?”. This approach invites readers to think critically about the topic while maintaining a conversational tone.

Tip 5: Optimise with Semantic Keywords and Context

Using semantic keywords is essential for ensuring your content resonates with both users and AI search engines like SearchGPT. These keywords focus on related terms and concepts that help convey the overall context of your content, making it easier for the AI to understand.

Incorporating context into your writing enhances its relevance and accuracy, improving how SearchGPT retrieves and presents your information. By weaving in related topics and synonyms, you create a richer piece that aligns with user intent, increasing your chances of being referenced.

For example, if your main topic is “SEO audit,” you might include semantic keywords like “on-page SEO” and “technical SEO,”. This helps SearchGPT understand your topic and increases the chances of being referenced.

Tip 6: Use Structured Data

Structured data (also known as schema markup) provides search engines with additional context about your content.

While traditional search engines use it to generate rich results (like FAQs, breadcrumbs, and star ratings), AI-powered search models like SearchGPT also benefit from it. Structured data helps clarify your content’s meaning, making it easier for AI to understand and reference.

For example, adding FAQ schema to a Q&A-style article can increase its chances of being picked up in AI-generated responses. Similarly, using Article schema or Product schema helps SearchGPT recognise key details about your content.

Tip 7: Get Mentioned on Authoritative Sites

AI search engines like SearchGPT rely on high-quality sources to generate accurate responses. If your website is mentioned on well-established, authoritative domains, it signals credibility and increases the likelihood of AI pulling from your content.

For example, if your content is linked or cited on websites like Wikipedia, industry blogs, government websites, or news outlets, SearchGPT is more likely to recognise it as a reliable source. Additionally, appearing in widely used databases (like Google’s Knowledge Graph) can further boost your visibility in AI-generated responses.

Note that OpenAI has media partnerships with Condé Nast (which owns Vogue, The New Yorker, and GQ) and other publishers, meaning content from these sources is more likely to be used in AI-generated responses. If your website or content gets cited in these publications, it increases the likelihood that SearchGPT will pick up and reference your information.

Our Article’s Success Story

Our “How Often Should You Audit Your Website“ guide is ranking number one on SearchGPT and is referenced directly in the answers. You can see it in the image below – or search for it yourself on ChatGPT to check it out.

How did we achieve this? We followed every instruction outlined in this article. Within a few days, ChatGPT picked up our article, and now it’s both ranking and being cited. This proves that our strategy works. Follow it and you will be able to rank your content on SearchGPT.

Boost Your SearchGPT Ranking with WebYes

We said it before – ranking on SearchGPT isn’t just about creating great content. You need to focus on nailing technical SEO and delivering an exceptional user experience. For that, you need a reliable tool to identify issues and guide your improvements.

That’s where WebYes comes in. With WebYes, you can identify technical SEO issues, monitor your website’s performance, and improve the user experience. By addressing these key areas, you’ll ensure your website is primed to rank on SearchGPT and keep visitors coming back.

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