How to Influence ChatGPT Search Results

Chris Long from Go Fish Digital has shared an insightful case study on influencing ChatGPT Search results. As ChatGPT becomes a significant part of user interactions and queries, understanding how to optimize content for it can be a game-changer for brands. Here’s a breakdown of the strategy outlined in Chris's post and how it can be applied effectively.

The Opportunity with ChatGPT Search

As businesses monitor their online presence, ChatGPT Search results are becoming an increasingly critical area of focus. In Chris’s case, Go Fish Digital identified a gap in how their brand was represented compared to competitors for the query “digital PR agency.” While competitors had “Notable Clients” listed in ChatGPT’s output, Go Fish Digital didn’t, even though they had the necessary credentials and content.

The Strategy: Structuring Content for ChatGPT

The team at Go Fish Digital devised a targeted strategy to bridge this gap. Here’s how they did it:

1. Audit ChatGPT’s Use of Citations
   Chris and his team identified that ChatGPT Search was frequently citing a specific article from their site. This article became the cornerstone of their optimization efforts, as ChatGPT uses such sources to generate its output.

2. Update and Structure Content
   Recognizing the need for clear and structured data, the team added a section titled “Notable Clients” to the existing article. They formatted this section as a bullet-point list, which made it easier for ChatGPT (and similar systems) to interpret and use as a data source.

3. Monitor Changes
   After making these adjustments, they monitored the results for about a week. The effort paid off—ChatGPT began including “Notable Clients” when mentioning Go Fish Digital in its responses.

Why This Works

ChatGPT relies on structured, high-quality content to generate search results and citations. By:

• Identifying content frequently referenced by ChatGPT,
• Adding relevant, well-structured information,
• And ensuring clear formatting with key-value pairs,

you can effectively influence how your brand is presented in ChatGPT’s responses. This method capitalizes on ChatGPT’s reliance on scraping and summarizing from trusted sources.

Future Potential for Optimization

Chris Long’s team isn’t stopping there. They’re exploring additional ways to enrich their brand’s representation, such as:

• Highlighting Awards or Years Active.
• Ensuring ChatGPT pulls in more comprehensive data points to build trust and authority.
• Testing the inclusion of FAQs or Key Differentiators to further influence the output.

How to Apply This Strategy to Your Brand

If you want to improve your brand’s representation in ChatGPT Search, here’s a step-by-step guide inspired by Chris’s strategy:

1. Identify Key Queries
   Determine the search terms where your brand should appear prominently and monitor how ChatGPT currently represents you.

2. Locate Frequently Cited Content
   Check which of your articles or web pages ChatGPT cites. Tools like ChatGPT itself or web monitoring tools can help identify these sources.

3. Optimize for Structure and Relevance
   Add sections to your content that align with the type of information ChatGPT might use (e.g., “Notable Clients,” “Awards,” “Key Services”). Use clear headers, bullet points, and concise descriptions.

4. Test and Iterate
   Make updates and monitor changes in ChatGPT’s output over a set period. Adjust your content strategy based on the results.

5. Expand Citations
   Create additional authoritative content that addresses related queries, ensuring that ChatGPT pulls from a variety of sources on your site.

Why This Matters for SEO

As generative AI systems like ChatGPT integrate into search experiences, optimizing for these systems becomes a vital extension of traditional SEO. The ability to influence ChatGPT’s responses ensures your brand is represented accurately and compellingly, providing a competitive edge in an evolving digital landscape.

Chris Long’s case study demonstrates that the future of SEO isn’t just about ranking on Google—it’s about mastering how your brand appears across all platforms where users seek answers. Adopting strategies like these will prepare businesses for a broader, AI-driven search environment.