How ChatGPT uses SEO to drive growth and revenue

Generative search engines like google like ChatGPT have efficiently used SEO as a part of their progress technique, even because the echo chambers of the online declare they’re killing this highly effective advertising and marketing channel.

Let’s check out how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude fare in Search engine optimization, and why ChatGPT’s funding within the technique is paying off.

A $600,000 annual Search engine optimization funding may generate outsized returns for generative AI platforms.

Utilizing Semrush-reported month-to-month natural visitors — 76.5 million visits for ChatGPT, 908,000 for Claude, and 1.7 million for Perplexity — plus a conservative 0.5% conversion fee and a $20/month entry worth, projected returns vary from roughly $92 million in annual income for ChatGPT (15,200% ROI) to 82%-240% ROI for Claude and Perplexity.

OpenAI’s funding in Search engine optimization and content material for ChatGPT’s progress

OpenAI understands the worth of Search engine optimization to drive progress. It was providing $310,000-$393,000 to rent a content material strategist with Search engine optimization expertise.

It then launched a second job seek for a progress function targeted on Search engine optimization, CRO, and internet technique.

Taking a look at Search engine optimization-focused progress function salaries within the U.S. ($100,000 to $295,000), we are able to estimate OpenAI invested between $410,000 and $600,000 for 2 Search engine optimization roles, not together with advantages and different bills.

Search engine optimization has extra lives than an agile alley cat as a result of it leverages human conduct. Looking out is core to our survival. After we had been cave dwellers needing meals or shelter, we looked for it. Search engines like google and yahoo amplify this conduct.

ChatGPT is expanding search behavior and growing Google searches in sure use instances. Nevertheless, there’s a 20% decline in overall Google search volume from 2024 to 2025. 

That shift makes visibility much more essential. Because the search panorama evolves — and as Google’s AI Overviews take clicks away — growing your web site’s skill to be discovered via Search engine optimization turns into extra essential, not much less.

The OpenAI workforce understands this. That’s why it constructed Search engine optimization into ChatGPT’s basis and continues investing in it.

Evaluating the Search engine optimization foundations of ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity

I carried out a short evaluation of how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude use Search engine optimization to develop. The objective was to uncover the nice, the dangerous, and the ugly so manufacturers can apply what works and discard the remainder.

Utilizing Semrush for aggressive key phrase evaluation, I examined area authority, model versus non-brand key phrase distribution, and complete key phrase rankings.

Model authority and demand

ChatGPT’s web site has an authority rating of 99, adopted by Perplexity’s 81 and Claude’s 75. Constructing a powerful product and model, then leveraging public relations, information, and social media, is one of the simplest ways to develop your web site’s authority. 

The branded time period “ChatGPT” will get 45.5 million searches month-to-month, whereas Perplexity will get 1 million and Claude will get 500,000. That’s an infinite demand; they use Search engine optimization to transform into visitors, signups, and income.

Paid and natural search

All manufacturers spend cash on Google Adverts, however Search engine optimization drives most of their search visitors. None are integrating search, which is an enormous alternative.

Built-in search is the follow of concentrating on extremely invaluable, typically costly, key phrases with each Search engine optimization and PPC. It will increase conversions, lowers Google Adverts price per click on, and helps you’re taking up extra actual property on the search engine outcomes pages, pushing rivals decrease.

Key phrase rankings

• ChatGPT: ~287,800 key phrases.
• Perplexity: ~184,800 key phrases.
• Claude: ~36,000 key phrases.

ChatGPT leveraged user-generated content material to construct an enormous indexable floor space.

Perplexity targeted on monetary, stock-driven content material pages. Claude makes use of weblog articles concentrating on high-intent skilled audiences.

Neither can match ChatGPT’s kinetic power from branding efforts and Search engine optimization constructed into its technical basis.

The 3Cs Search engine optimization and AI optimization framework

Under, I utilized our company’s 3Cs Search engine optimization and AI optimization strategy: code (technical basis), content material technique and optimization, and conversions.

Code

For this part, I targeted on indexability, or how nicely search engines like google can discover essential web site content material. That is essential to rank in conventional search, together with Google and Bing, and LLMs like ChatGPT.

Robots.txt

ChatGPT has a extremely optimized robots.txt file that features a number of sitemaps, location suggestions, and blocks for sure crawlers whereas permitting others.

Perplexity’s robots.txt file isn’t as optimized or detailed. Claude was lacking a robots.txt however added it not too long ago. Not having a robots.txt file or having it return a 404 could be detrimental to your rankings.

Be aware that ChatGPT and Claude block one another from crawling their web sites by way of robots.txt.

Suggestion: Optimize your robots.txt, embrace all sitemaps, block pages you don’t need listed, and permit LLM crawlers like ChatGPT to crawl your website.

URL construction

Based on Google consultant John Mueller, key phrases in a URL are a “very, very small rating issue.” That stated, we are able to see a transparent efficiency distinction between ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity as a result of they embrace key phrases of their URLs.

Together with key phrases in a URL is a vital approach to give search engines like google, LLMs, and customers details about what the web page is about.

Think about you went to a restaurant and needed a burger. You say, “I need a burger,” and also you’ll get a burger. In case you stated, “I would like 2387d2e3,” you’d solely get frustration out of your waiter. That’s what occurs with LLMs and conventional search engines like google. 

Sure, search engines like google can take a look at different components of the web page to grasp what it’s about, however you win once you examine all of the packing containers. That’s the distinction between ChatGPT and Claude’s URLs under.

ChatGPT makes use of the identify of what a person creates and shares within the URL, which helps it rank higher for these phrases.

Claude doesn’t. Its public artifacts don’t have phrases constructed into them.

Suggestion: Use quick URLs with key phrases in them. I’ve seen this have main rating impacts, regardless that Google and others say it’s a minor rating issue. Altering that is laborious after the actual fact. Semantic URLs are additionally essential to rank in LLMs like ChatGPT.

Content material

All the LLM web sites use content material for advertising and marketing, together with use instances, partnerships, goal industries, and extra.

Claude’s weblog has extremely focused articles for professionals.

Perplexity has a discovery hub with well timed, helpful content material.

Nevertheless, the content material isn’t optimized for Search engine optimization. Meta titles, descriptions, URLs, and canonical tags aren’t optimized, which confuses search engines like google. 

Some pages aren’t even listed on Google consequently.

Their blogs don’t optimize photos both. Picture names ought to be descriptive, like “perplexity-deep-research.webp,” to enhance rating skill.

Perplexity is giving itself loss of life by a thousand optimization cuts.

Though Claude and Perplexity goal extremely related key phrases, an evaluation of the highest 50,000 key phrases every web site ranks for reveals ChatGPT profitable with sustained month-over-month progress.

Suggestion: Construct Search engine optimization into your technical basis. Totally optimize weblog articles. Leverage user-generated content material via boards or neighborhood hubs.

Conversions

All these manufacturers perceive Search engine optimization must drive conversions, not simply visitors and rankings. There are two kinds of conversions: free conversions for folks not prepared to purchase and paid conversions for folks prepared to purchase.

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude all give customers a trial of their product, then ask them to transform or sign up.

Suggestion: Convert as a lot web site visitors as potential. Use AI coding platforms to build interactive content for conversion, as Google AI Overviews take visitors away.

If OpenAI bets on Search engine optimization, must you?

OpenAI is spending as much as $600,000 on Search engine optimization expertise to develop ChatGPT, not together with employees advantages and different prices. This evaluation breaks down how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude use Search engine optimization to gas progress. 

If disruptive expertise firms like OpenAI are doubling down on Search engine optimization and content material to drive progress, you must embrace it in your progress technique as nicely. It really works.