searchGPT replacing google?
Well, this changes everything. Or does it?
Shitty answer: it depends.
This is about my experience with ChatGPT Search, used as a default search engine.
I hope this is food for thought and maybe a conversation starter about what happens to inbound when SEO changes.
Getting answers
After turning on ChatGPT Search (SearchGPT), I decided go about my day as normal.
I search a lot. I use the Arc Browser, so Command+T on my Mac opens a search or URL bar. Command+T is how I do fast searches, open new tabs. I use it A. Lot.
Two types of searches I do often:
Quick Answers. Give me a hard fact or confirm something for me. I don't want long answers. Not at first.
20 Questions. I'm starting with shallow knowledge and want to go deeper. It's helpful to ask a starting question and ask more until I get what I need.
I thought SearchGPT would frustrate me on quick answers. It opens a new window and does that typing text reveal. I thought Google would be helpful here. Get what I need with the option to dig deeper.
That's what I thought would happen.
Digging for answers is when I expected SearchGPT to feel right. Here are some real searches I did this week:
add apollo to website tracking
benchmark cold email outreach
We’re having katsu curry for dinner. I have carrots and cabbage and snow peas. What kind of salad goes with katsu curry?
For each of these, I wasn't sure what info I needed. Cold email? Which metrics matter? Adding Apollo.io tracking to our website? Is there official guidance on this or something I hack?
BTW - chopped carrots, cabbage, and snow peas with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame seeds is :chefs kiss: with katsu.
Other times, when SearchGPT popped up I expected to be frustrated. I was wrong (but not all the time). Some of those searches:
qwoted
Airwallex yield accounts
framer create sidebar menu with static logo
For "qwoted" it gave me a direct link to the site and a summary of the tool. It gave me a rundown of Airwallex's Yield accounts. And for Framer website help, it walked me through everything plus linked to YouTube.
SEO's dead?
Hahahaha. Of course it is. Again.
Nah, it's hardly dead. The mode of search may change, but the experience is similar. Find quick answers. Dig in for more.
SearchGPT often surfaces what I need. It often gives me 10+ reference pages. That's more links than I'd explore on Google. I'm more likely to click them in SearchGPT.
Bottom line
Change is here. As business owners, marketers, managers we want/need to show up in these results. Are the signals the same? Do we build sites the way we used to?
I don't know, but I'll spend a lot of time thinking about it.
What about you?
What's your approach? What do you see changing (maybe nothing at all)?
Peter
(500 / 500)