What is SearchGPT? How to Rank in SearchGPT?

SearchGPT, the next-generation artificial intelligence-powered search engine developed by OpenAI, has become one of the topics that arouse more and more interest daily. Especially those who want to see their website on SearchGPT have many questions; what it is, how it works, and what should be done to get ranked. In this context, we will examine the answers to the most curious questions such as what SearchGPT is, how it works, its basic features, differences with Google and ranking factors, and strategies to be more visible in SearchGPT. 

What is SearchGPT and Why is it Important?

SearchGPT is a search engine powered by OpenAI's artificial intelligence technology. The most significant difference from traditional search engines is that instead of listing the results, it compiles the information in those results and provides direct answers. This is a feature that changes the experience positively. We should also add that it understands the search made with the help of artificial intelligence and natural language processing much better and thus can offer more relevant results. 

The biggest benefit to the experience of being a “generative” model is that it can not only find the information searched for but also create original answers synthesized from different sources according to the exact information searched for. 

Let's compare Google and SearchGPT experiences with an example: 

In SearchGPT, I searched by specifying the date and type of event, and I did it with a more colloquial question. The answer gives the information we want, it has the right dates and it only lists the concerts. The fact that it gives brief information about each concert saves me from navigating through many pages. 

This search may be “too” long tail for Google. Google could not respond to the phrase “this weekend” and presented results without date filtering. The first-page lists concerts in Ankara, but the results below show all events in Ankara, not just concerts. Overall, we can see that the experience is poor. 

We can understand the reasons why SearchGPT gives better results like in this example by looking at its working principle. SearchGPT analyzes the user's request not only based on keywords but also by understanding the context and purpose of the sentence. It uses natural language processing and machine learning techniques to understand not only what the user is looking for, but also what they want to know, and what they want to do. One of the biggest features is that it can access real-time web data. It uses data from the index of the Microsoft Bing search engine and does this with a technique called RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation). 

RAG first retrieves web pages relevant to the user's request from the Bing index, i.e. the “retrieval” phase. Then, it uses the content on this page and the information of the Chat GPT to create a meaningful response, i.e. the “generation” step. Finally, this response is presented by referring to the resources used. 

Key Features of SearchGPT

To better understand SearchGPT, let's examine its key features in detail. 

• Speech-based interface:
  SearchGPT allows users to ask questions and search for information in a natural language. After the first question, we can expand the search by asking more questions, just like in a conversation. It remembers previous questions and answers, so the answers are not taken out of context. 
• Direct responses:
  In traditional search engines, multiple pages are listed as the answer to the search, and the user is expected to read them all and find the answer on their own. In SearchGPT, the answer to the direct search is presented in different formats such as summary, definition, list, and table. In this way, users can save time and reach the answer they are looking for more quickly. Combining and summarizing information from different sources is also very useful for understanding complex topics. 
• Quotes panel:
  The source of SearchGPT's information is also transparently disclosed. This increases credibility and reduces the likelihood of hallucinations as it is based on real-world data. At the same time, users who want more detailed information on the subject can easily access the original content. Since SearchGPT analyzes multiple sources, it can present different perspectives. 
• Real-time information: 
  SearchGPT pulls live data directly from the internet and generates its answers. This is essential for constantly changing information such as trending topics, weather, and financial news. 
• Data does not change the algorithm: 
  According to OpenAI, SearchGPT does not use this information to train its algorithm. It does this to respect the intellectual property rights of content creators and to prevent its algorithm from being biased by these ideas. 

SearchGPT Ranking Factors and Ranking Tips 

To be among the pages used as a source in SearchGPT, it is necessary to understand how these pages are selected. When we look at the ranking factors, we see that most of them are things to be considered on an SEO-compatible web page. For this reason, I would like to briefly list these factors for you, our readers, and then explain what you need to do in detail. 

• Content Relevance and Contextual Understanding 

- Semantic understanding and alignment with user intent 

- Natural language use and tone of speech

- Long-tail keywords

• Depth and breadth of knowledge:

- Comprehensive content, subheadings, and FAQs

- Authoritative information and expert opinions

• User Interaction Signals: 

- Clear and simple language

- Being prepared for conversation flow and follow-up questions 

• Content Freshness: 

- Up-to-date information and regular updates

- Republishing

• Structured Data and Accessibility:

- Structured headings (H1, H2, H3)

- Bullet points and numbered lists

- Readable language and appeal to a wide audience

• Authority and Credibility:

- Quotes and sources

- Domain authority 

- Backlinks

- Brand awareness 

• Speech Based Search Features: 

- Optimization for follow-up questions

- Adapt to user personas

- Voice search optimization

• Technical SEO: 

- Mobile optimization

- Meta descriptions

- Site speed, website performance, and Core Web Vitals

- Organized page structure

How to Rank in SearchGPT? 

• Focus on User Intent:
  

- Focus on why your audience is looking, not what they are looking for. What problem do they want to solve? What information does he need? What questions does he/she ask? 

- Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience, try to think from their perspective. 

- Do research! Keyword analysis, competitor analysis, reviewing forums in your industry, and social media will help you.

• Create Conversation-Based Content:

- Use natural language, write as if you were talking to a friend. 

- Create content in a question-and-answer format. 

- Explain complex topics with examples and in detail. 

• Deliver In-Depth Content:

- Cover all aspects of the topics, and go into detail instead of superficial information. 

- Show that you are an expert in your field. Show your experience, research, and expert opinions. 

- Divide the topics into subheadings so that readers can easily find the sections they are interested in. 

- Touch on other topics related to your main topic. This will make your content more comprehensive and valuable.

- Long and detailed content performs better in SearchGPT. (Avoid verbiage just for the sake of length, it is important to provide quality and comprehensive information). 

• Structure Your Content: 

- Segment your content logically with headings and subheadings. This will help search engines and users understand your content better. 

- Present information in lists to increase readability and make it easier for SearchGPT to summarize your content. 

- Visualizing your data with tables and graphs makes your content more interesting and understandable. 

- Short paragraphs are easier to read and understand than long texts. 

• Use Examples and Applications: 

- Illustrate your point with real-life scenarios. 

- Success stories will help your reader take action better. 

- Explain how to do it step by step, and create a guide. 

- Provide practical information, tips and tricks. 

• Keep Your Content Up-to-Date:

- Review and update your content regularly. Add new information and remove old information. 

- Update the publishing date of your content as you refresh your content. 

- Follow developments and trends in the industry and update your content accordingly.

• Provide Reliable Information: 

- Support your information with references. Cite and link to your sources. 

- Make sure that the information you provide is accurate. 

- Be as objective as possible and include different opinions. 

• Appeal to a Wide Audience:

- Avoid technical terms or, when you use them, define them in a way that everyone understands. 

- Your content should be easy to read for readers of all levels of knowledge. 

- Use a combination of text, video, and images to appeal to different learning styles. 

• Create Engaging Content: 

- Use attention-grabbing and intriguing headlines. 

- Write an introduction that attracts the reader's attention and includes the information contained in the content they will read. 

- Pay attention to storytelling. Stories grab people's attention and make it easier for them to retain information. 

- Encourage your readers to comment, interact, and share. 

• Optimize Technical SEO: 

- Make sure your website loads fast. You can optimize images, and use caching, and CDN for this. 

- Make sure your pages display properly on mobile devices. 

- Use a descriptive URL structure, use keywords, and make it as short as possible. 

- You can help your website to be crawled more easily by using a sitemap. 

- Use schema markup to give search engines more information about your data. 

• Increase Brand Awareness:

- Links from other websites are a signal of credibility for search engines. Try to earn backlinks from quality and relevant websites in your industry. You can do this through content marketing and outreach. 

- Make sure your brand is mentioned when getting backlinks. 

- Be active on social media and share your content. 

• Bing Optimization

- Add your website to Bing Webmaster Tools and track your performance on Bing. 

- Submit your sitemap to Bing. 

- Use Bing Keyword Research to analyze what your target audience searches for on Bing. 

- Make sure your content is optimized according to Bing's guidelines. It's generally similar to Google, but there are some differences. 

- Register your business on Bing Places for Business. 

SearchGPT is a harbinger of change in the search engine world and has the potential to revolutionize the user experience. This change represents a new opportunity for website owners and content creators. As we have discussed in this blog, to get traffic from SearchGPT, you need to go beyond traditional SEO techniques and optimize your content with a high user experience. You can be visible on SearchGPT with a website with strong technical SEO and a high brand reputation, along with comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date content. 

SearchGPT is still a new topic at the time of writing this blog, and it is possible that ranking factors will evolve or the experience will improve in the future. It's not hard to predict that artificial intelligence will play an increasing role in search engines. Don't forget to follow Zeo Blog and Zeo's social media accounts to keep up with the developments!