ChatGPT and SEO: The End of Google’s Search Algorithm?

Learn how ChatGPT can enhance your SEO strategy.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. According to Webopedia, SEO is defined as: the process of enhancing your website or web pages to raise organic traffic on search engines, such as Google.

Let’s say you’re trying to increase traffic to the website of your small business or non-profit organization. Investing time in your SEO strategy can be a significant cost saver as opposed to paid search advertising.

Many online users are now relying on OpenAI’s ChatGPT for various purposes, including searching and discovering new information.

Long before these platforms were released, we would spend our days going down a Google or YouTube rabbit hole. Now, with what seems like endless ways for people to search for answers, brands are having a harder time keeping the attention of their target audience.

When ChatGPT introduced its ‘Browse with Bing’ feature that uses real-time data from the internet (for paid ChatGPT Plus users only), many went as far to say it will surpass Google as the top search engine.

At the same time, ChatGPT has been under fire from critics who speculate it answers prompts with incorrect information and poses risks related to plagiarism.

It may be many years before we see tools like ChatGPT overtake Google as the most frequently used search engine. After all, ChatGPT was never meant to be a search engine, but rather a chatbot powered by a generative AI model.

While the public often confuses the distinction between the two technologies, traditional search engines and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, serve different purposes and are therefore not direct competitors.

But, they can go hand in hand to improve your website’s search engine rankings.

Since ChatGPT and Google Search are not direct competitors, you can leverage the capabilities of both tools alongside each other to develop more effective SEO strategies.

One problem with AI-generated content is that it overlooks the importance of SEO. If you’re a content marketer, write blogs, or have your own business, you don’t want to post raw and unedited content just because ChatGPT fed it to you.

You can make a difference by adding a human voice to your brand.

And remember, your content simply won’t work without SEO.

You’re the founder of an online-only business offering a platform that connects urban gardeners with vacant lots in their neighborhood to establish community gardens.

You have a limited budget for marketing, but you want to spread the word. So, you decide to create a blog to raise awareness and keep traffic flowing to your website.

Once it’s time to click the “Publish” button on your blogging tool, you stop for a moment and feel proud that you just posted your first article (even though you heavily relied on AI-generated content).

A couple of days or weeks pass, and you check Google Analytics to understand how readers engaged with your content. Despite the time you saved in creating the blog, ultimately, no one read it, making it a waste of time in your efforts to attract urban gardeners to your site.

The most common mistake you should avoid with ChatGPT is assuming it generates advanced prose that is accurate, relevant, and engaging to your target audience.

Instead of expecting perfect content from the get-go, try asking ChatGPT to identify relevant SEO keywords for a blog you’ve already written.

To find the right keywords for your blog post, think like your readers or customers. Ask yourself what they’d type into Google to find your content on the first page.

Now that you’ve identified your primary keywords, strategically place them throughout your title, meta description, main headings, and URL.

Congratulations! You’ve just used AI to improve your content strategy without sacrificing creativity and authenticity!

When OpenAI first launched ChatGPT in November 2022, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) had no horse in the AI race. It wasn’t until March 2023 that Alphabet released Bard, its AI-powered chatbot, which received poor reviews after the company fumbled its debut.

Earlier this year, Google unveiled “Bard is now Gemini” as part of a rebrand to compete with GPT-4, the paid version of OpenAI’s chatbot.

Like ChatGPT, Gemini can be a helpful tool in your SEO workflow.

Here’s three examples of prompts you can try out with Google Gemini to create SEO strategies that deliver results:

• • “What are the best keywords to target in [my industry/our cause] right now?”

• • “What are the latest SEO trends for [small businesses/nonprofit organizations]?”

• • “Give me some SEO-friendly content ideas for [small business/nonprofit organization] blogs to engage [customers/donors]?”

By prompting the tool to analyze search queries, Google Gemini can give you great suggestions to jump start your keyword list.

• • Understanding the Basics of SEO: SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is all about improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. It’s a smart move for businesses and nonprofits, as it can drive more traffic to your site without having to spend money on ads.
  • Making Friends with ChatGPT and Google Search: While ChatGPT and Google Search are different beasts, they can work together to enhance your SEO strategy. By using both, you can climb those search result rankings.
  • Avoiding Pitfalls with AI-Generated Content: AI-generated content can be a time-saver, but don’t rely on it blindly. Adding your human touch and sprinkling in some high-quality keywords is crucial. After all, your content won’t get noticed without it.
  • Tapping into Google’s Gemini: Google’s Gemini (formerly Bard) is another useful tool in your SEO toolbox. With Gemini, you can ask for keyword ideas and content suggestions tailored to your audience. It’s like having a personal SEO assistant at your fingertips.

Ready to gain deeper insights into optimizing your digital marketing strategies? Please feel free to schedule a free one-hour consultation with me to find the best solution for you.