ChatGPT is taking over the internet, ranking as the 11th most visited website globally as of November 2024, with 3.7 billion visits each month. People use it for all sorts of things, including but not limited to asking questions, writing content, and even creating code.
But did you know people are also relying on ChatGPT to find and check out companies to hire? I know! Unbelievable, right?
If you’re thinking about getting your company noticed by ChatGPT, here’s the thing – its model is already trained, but as it gets updated and more real-time data is added, there’s a good chance your company could show up in future versions.
In Malaysia, online platforms like ChatGPT are becoming more important in everyday decision-making, especially for businesses looking to lead the pack in the digital world. As AI grows, companies that adapt early will have a better chance of standing out, and that includes being featured on ChatGPT.
How Does ChatGPT Rank Website Content
ChatGPT doesn’t rank pages the same way Google does. However, both Google and ChatGPT prioritise high-quality, well-written content. Google has been moving towards showing more genuine, helpful content in search results, and the same goes for ChatGPT. Whether it’s for Google or ChatGPT, if your content does provide immense value to readers and is easy to understand, you’ll gain recognition by both platforms.
ChatGPT looks for reliable sources that offer accurate and insightful answers to people’s questions. Accuracy and relevance are key in deciding which content gets shown. To get noticed on ChatGPT (and even Google), having clear and well-organized content is a given. Now, you might be wondering, if ChatGPT doesn’t exactly “rank” content like Google, how does it decide which content to show? Well, like we mentioned, VALUE – content that answers the user’s question properly and gives them the best information.
A) Authoritative Sources
First, there’s authority. When ChatGPT checks sources, the first thing it looks at is how trustworthy that source is. If you’re a reliable source, you’re more likely to show up in its results. Sounds easy, right? But it’s not always that simple. Just because you think your source is credible doesn’t mean it actually is.
Authority can mean a few things. It could be about who the author is, where the content is hosted, or even how often others link to or mention your content. Becoming known as an authoritative source doesn’t happen overnight, but there are definitely steps you can take to improve your reputation. We will share some tips on optimising your content for better visibility a little later.
B) Accuracy and Fact-Checking
High quality content means content that is factually accurate and reliable. ChatGPT hunts for the most up-to-date information to not only help users but also to avoid spreading false or misleading details. As the web moves toward being more truthful, AI tools like ChatGPT have to ensure they stay unbiased and stick to the facts. They’re all in when it comes to representing information correctly and making sure it doesn’t change the meaning of the original content. This holds a lot of weight for keeping the internet a trustworthy place for everyone, especially in this day and age where misinformation can spread like wildfire.
C) Relevance and Depth
Relevant and detailed content helps AI like ChatGPT provide more right-on-the-money answers. When content is both on-point and thorough, it better meets users’ needs and keeps them satisfied. ChatGPT uses smart algorithms to understand the context of a question and find the best answers.
Content that fits the criteria we mentioned is more likely to be shared, linked to, and referred to, which helps establish the source as trustworthy and authoritative, thus more likely to be picked up by AI. Not only that, if you make sure your content is both relevant and extensive, it increases the chance that people will keep coming back for more. In the end, you won the hearts of not only AI but also your target audience!
D) Clear and Structured Writing
It’s pretty obvious that having clear and well-organized content is a no-brainer. The easier your content is for systems like ChatGPT to understand, the quicker and more likely it is to show up as part of their answers. It’s not just about having a good structure, it’s also about presenting ideas in the right order. For example, if you’re writing a blog about changing a tire, start by telling the reader to jack up the car first, then explain how to remove the wheel. A logical flow makes it easier for both users and AI to get the right information.
7 Actionable Strategies to Rank Your Website On ChatGPT
1) Create High-Quality Content
Since ChatGPT weighs in different factors to decide what content to serve, it’s no surprise that having quality content is so important. We’ve already covered what quality content looks like, but let’s break it down into simple steps to make it clearer:
A. Using keywords effectively and naturally: Even though ChatGPT doesn’t rank content purely based on keywords, using them naturally in your content can help you get more visibility. Do your usual keyword research, but focus on the intent behind those keywords—what users are actually looking for—and never stuff them!
B. Content structure and readability: Make your content easy to follow by using headings, subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs. This helps both users and AI like ChatGPT grasp your content quickly. Everything is about speed today and if you’re falling short on that, you will risk losing engagement with your audience, let alone appearing in search results.
C. Natural Language: Write in a way that feels natural, like you’re having a conversation. ChatGPT and other AI systems understand and process content written this way more easily, so it’s a win for visibility.
2) Implement Structured Data
Structured data is like a shortcut for AI models to get the gist of an information. It helps AI quickly find the right content without wasting time trying to figure things out. To AI search engines, every second matters. The quicker it can interpret the data, the better it can serve you.
Without structured data, AI would have to deal with messy, complicated info, which could lead to confusion or even mistakes. Knowing how to leverage this tool will help your content get the attention it deserves, bringing it one step closer to be surfaced on ChatGPT.
3) Manage Brand Reputation & Digital PR
Building a positive brand image isn’t as easy as it sounds. People now are given more ways to share their thoughts, such as on social media, reviews, and forums, making it all the more important for brands to keep an eye out for negative feedback. Having a good online reputation is a big deal if you want to show up in AI search engines like ChatGPT.
Here are some tips to help you build and maintain a strong brand reputation:
- Guest posts on trusted websites
- Industry awards and recognition
- Partnering with influencers to boost your brand
- Affiliate marketing, awards, and listicles
- Engage in forums and UGC platforms, such as Quora and Reddit
- Positive mentions on well-known websites
- Good product or service reviews from happy, satisfied customers
Having an unshakable reputation means staying on top of reviews, forming smart partnerships, and getting links from valuable websites. While backlinks are still important, they’re not as powerful as before. Today, search engines also look at social media signals and mentions from other online platforms to get a full picture of your brand.
4) Improve Page Speed and User Experience
Page speed and user experience are closely linked, like bread and butter. If your website is fast and easy to navigate, it ups your chances of getting noticed by both ChatGPT and Google.
When users have a smooth experience on your site, they’re more likely to stick around and engage with your content. This signals to search engines that people are enjoying your site, which can help boost your ranking. In Malaysia, where internet speed is improving but can still be spotty in rural areas like Kampung Batu Lintang, Kedah, it’s important to make sure your site loads quickly for everyone, regardless of their connection speed. This not only helps with user satisfaction but also strengthens your online presence.
5) Optimise Content
Keeping your content in sync with the times is a total must. Having a fresh publish date on your posts can make a bigger impact than you might think. Republishing older content isn’t just good for driving more traffic, it’s also great for your readers.
When you update your content regularly, it shows that you’re staying on top of the latest info and fine-tuning your posts to better meet what users are digging for. Instead of milking SEO tricks for all they’re worth, use the data you’re gathering to polish your content in a way that directly answers your audience’s needs. This way, you’ll hold your readers’ attention and keep them coming back for more.
6) Varying Content Formats
To keep both users and AI search engines more interested, consider offering different types of content. Experiment with videos, images, and text to cater to a variety of preferences and how these people like to learn.
As people’s expectations change, giving them more content options means letting them pick the format they prefer. This variety also tells AI that your content is flexible, which could help raise its ranking in search results, including those on platforms like ChatGPT.
7) Monitor and Analyse Performance
Keeping track of how your website is performing is beneficial to know what works and what doesn’t. For example, using Google Search Console (GSC) lets you see how many people click on your site, how it pops up in search results, and if there are any issues to fix. You can identify things like a slow page or a low click-through rate and tweak them to improve user experience. As mentioned above, good user-experience means higher chances of getting noticed by ChatGPT.
Observing things like how long people stay on your page or if they leave quickly (bounce rate) shows whether your content is hitting the mark. For instance, if users leave fast, maybe your headline doesn’t match the content. Fixing these issues keeps people engaged and builds trust, which can help enhance your web reach, giving your content a better shot at appearing in ChatGPT’s results.
We’re Here to Help You Win at AI Search
When it comes to ranking your website on ChatGPT or other AI search engines, it can feel overwhelming to fathom how to get it right, or you could say, a pain in the neck. But most of the advice boils down to one key idea: create honest, reliable content that matches what people are searching for. This is the foundation for ranking in these systems. If you focus on the user’s needs, you’ll have a better shot at making it to the ‘front page’ of ChatGPT.
If you need guidance, that’s where we come in. At Marketing Signal Lab, Kuala Lumpur, we’re experts in AI search engines and AEO (AI-Optimized Content). We’re here to help you stay ahead and future-proof your content marketing. Interested in learning more about how we can help you reach your goals? Let’s have a chat!