With tools like ChatGPT exploding in popularity, a lot of business owners are wondering: Is SEO still the same game we’ve been playing all these years?
Do we still need to focus on content? What about backlinks? Is everything we’ve learned over the past couple of decades now irrelevant?
Here’s the short answer: yes, content and links still matter—but the rules are evolving.
Google vs. ChatGPT: What’s the Difference?
Google and ChatGPT may both help people find information, but they work in very different ways.
Google uses a search algorithm to rank web pages based on a long list of factors—like backlinks, content relevance, mobile usability, speed, and more. Its goal is to organize the internet and direct people to the most helpful, authoritative sites.
ChatGPT doesn’t rank anything. It’s a generative AI, which means it creates answers based on everything it’s learned—from websites, books, articles, and more. Sometimes it uses limited live browsing, but mostly it’s pulling from what it already knows. It doesn’t cite sources the same way Google does; instead, it blends information together to give you a conversational response.
So while both are trying to be helpful, the way they deliver answers is completely different.
Where Google and ChatGPT Overlap
Even though they work differently, there’s still a surprising amount of overlap. When we check how well a business ranks in Google, we often see that same business pop up in ChatGPT responses, too.
Why? Because both platforms favor clear, helpful, trustworthy content. If you’ve taken the time to create solid, well-structured content that ranks in Google, there’s a good chance ChatGPT is also picking up on it—even if it doesn’t directly link to your site.
That said, they don’t value the exact same things. Google puts more weight on technical SEO and backlinks. ChatGPT seems to care more about how well your expertise is explained, and how often your business is mentioned across credible sites.
So yes—SEO still matters. But it’s not business as usual.
How to Show Up in Google and ChatGPT: A Practical Plan
1. Build Authority Across the Web
Backlinks still matter for Google, and general authority matters for ChatGPT. Earn links and mentions by contributing to industry sites, getting featured in press, joining associations, and getting listed in reputable directories.
2. Create In-Depth, Expert Content
Don’t settle for surface-level blog posts. Write content that shows you know your stuff—deep dives, step-by-step guides, real examples, and answers to actual customer questions.
3. Use FAQs and Clear Summaries
Help both Google and AI tools understand your content by adding well-written FAQs and short summaries. These make your content easier to digest and improve your chances of showing up in featured snippets or AI answers.
4. Add Structured Data Markup
Schema markup (a type of structured data) helps search engines understand what your content is about. Use it for your FAQs, articles, product info, and service pages to give your site a boost in both traditional and AI search.
5. Write Like a Human
Forget the keyword-stuffed, robotic copy. ChatGPT is trained on natural language, so your content should feel like something a real person would say—helpful, clear, and conversational.
6. Earn Mentions in Trusted Places
It’s not just about links. Mentions on review sites, forums, local business directories, and industry publications help build your credibility in the eyes of AI tools.
7. Keep Content Fresh
Google likes fresh content—and so do AI models that try to stay current. Regularly update your site with the latest insights, product updates, or best practices.
8. Repurpose Content Into Multiple Formats
Different people (and AI tools) consume content in different ways. Turn your best content into videos, infographics, podcasts, or downloadable guides to expand your reach.
9. Optimize Your Listings
Make sure your business info is accurate and consistent across platforms like Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, Yelp, and local directories. These all feed into how AI tools understand your brand.
10. Strengthen Your Brand Signals
AI tools rely on something called entity recognition—basically, how well your business is associated with a certain topic or expertise. Use consistent naming, bios, and contact info everywhere you’re mentioned online.
11. Test Yourself in AI Tools
Ask ChatGPT a question your customers might ask. Does your business come up? If not, you’ve got some work to do—but it’s a great way to see how you’re being perceived by AI.
AI-SEO Readiness Checklist
Ask yourself:
✅ Do we create useful, in-depth content that answers real questions?
✅ Are we earning backlinks and mentions from trustworthy websites?
✅ Is our content up to date? Are our listings accurate everywhere?
✅ Do our key pages use FAQs, summaries, and schema markup?
✅ Have we checked how AI tools describe us or answer queries in our niche?
If you answered “yes” to most of these, you’re in a solid spot. If not, now’s the perfect time to level up.
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