How do people find information online today? It’s changing fast! Many are now asking questions directly to AI tools like ChatGPT, getting quick, summarized answers instead of just lists of links.1 This might make you wonder if traditional website optimization (SEO) is still important. The truth is, SEO isn’t going away; it’s becoming

more important, just in a new way. Your goal is now also about making your content so good and trustworthy that AI tools use it to answer questions directly.1

Unmasking the Source: ChatGPT’s Google Search Connection

ChatGPT learns from vast amounts of information 3, but it can also look up

new information online in real-time.6 When it does, it shows you where it got the information from.6

Here’s the key for your business: Tests show that when ChatGPT looks up new info, it often relies heavily on what appears in Google’s search results. One experiment found ChatGPT could only find details about a new webpage after it showed up in Google, even if Bing hadn’t listed it yet.9 This suggests ChatGPT is pulling information from Google’s search results.9

So, if your website ranks high on Google, especially in those quick summary boxes (‘featured snippets’), it’s much more likely ChatGPT will ‘see’ and use your content. Even if someone doesn’t click your link, your content can still be the source for an AI’s answer. This makes top Google rankings crucial for influencing AI-generated answers.10

SEO’s Renewed Importance: Adapting for AI

Some think AI search makes SEO obsolete. But that’s ‘profoundly inaccurate’!11 AI is actually making good SEO practices even

more important. Content that works well for AI answers often already does well in regular Google searches, especially if it’s easy to read and appears in quick summary boxes.11 A strong SEO foundation is now vital to get noticed by AI.

Key Ways to Optimize Your Content for AI:

To make your content AI-friendly:

• Answer Questions Directly: People ask AI questions using everyday language.1 Your content should answer these naturally, using clear headings, bullet points, and simple tables to make information digestible.12
• Build Trust (E-E-A-T): AI tools prefer reliable sources.1 Clearly show who wrote your content, cite reputable sources, and maintain consistency across your online presence.1
• Use ‘Structured Data’: This special code on your website tells AI exactly what your page is about (e.g., a recipe, a product).15 It’s ‘one of the clearest signals AI systems rely on’ 15 to understand your content.
• Optimize Beyond Text: AI understands images, audio, and video.12 Use clear file names and ‘alt text’ for images, and include transcripts for videos.12

Conclusion

So, AI search isn’t a ‘threat’ to SEO; it’s a big ‘evolution’.11 AI search relies on the same good SEO practices that have always worked for Google.11 Content that does well with AI is often the same high-quality, well-optimized content that already ranks well in regular Google searches.11 For your small business, it’s time to update your SEO strategy. Focus on creating trustworthy, well-structured content that directly answers customer questions and is easy for AI to understand. This will ensure your business stays visible and relevant in the AI-powered search world.

Works cited

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2. LLM and Visibility: How to Optimize Your SEO? – SaaS Advisor, accessed August 12, 2025, https://saas-advisor.com/en/blogs/news/llm-and-visibility-how-to-optimize-your-seo
3. Where Does ChatGPT Get its Data From? – BotPenguin, accessed August 12, 2025, https://botpenguin.com/blogs/data-sources-of-chatgpt
4. How did OpenAI scrap the entire Internet for training Chat GPT? : r/webscraping – Reddit, accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/webscraping/comments/1bapx0j/how_did_openai_scrap_the_entire_internet_for/
5. What is LLM? – Large Language Models Explained – AWS, accessed August 12, 2025, https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/large-language-model/
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8. ChatGPT Capabilities Overview – OpenAI Help Center, accessed August 12, 2025, https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9260256-chatgpt-capabilities-overview
9. Confirmed: ChatGPT uses Google SERP Snippets for its Answers [A …, accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.aleydasolis.com/en/ai-search/chatgpt-uses-google-serp-snippets-for-answers/
10. The Intersection of ChatGPT and Google Search: Insights from Recent Tests – SEOteric, accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.seoteric.com/the-intersection-of-chatgpt-and-google-search-insights-from-recent-tests/
11. AI search is booming, but SEO is still not dead – Search Engine Land, accessed August 12, 2025, https://searchengineland.com/ai-search-booming-seo-still-not-dead-458935
12. How AI Is Changing Search Query Behavior – TrafficSoda, accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.trafficsoda.com/ai-changing-search-queries/
13. AI Search Content Optimization: The Complete Guide (2025), accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.beebyclarkmeyler.com/what-we-think/guide-to-content-optimzation-for-ai-search
14. How will voice search and conversational AI impact blog SEO? – Quora, accessed August 12, 2025, https://www.quora.com/How-will-voice-search-and-conversational-AI-impact-blog-SEO
15. Why Structured Data in AI Search Matters More Than Ever in 2025, accessed August 12, 2025, https://writesonic.com/blog/structured-data-in-ai-search