Contents
- The Growing Role of AI in Search
- SearchGPT – OpenAI’s Leap into AI-Driven Search
- Google Gemini – Google’s Answer to AI-Powered Search
- SearchGPT vs. Gemini – How They Compare
- What This Means for Marketers
- Embracing the AI Search Revolution
- AI Search FAQs
The Growing Role of AI in Search
As businesses and digital marketers, we’re all navigating a rapidly changing world that’s increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI). Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022, AI has become a key player in areas such as customer service, content creation, and beyond. In fact, ChatGPT reached over 100 million users within two months of launch – a clear indication of how quickly AI adoption is growing in our daily lives.
AI isn’t just helping us write emails or brainstorm ideas – it’s fundamentally changing how we search for information online. OpenAI’s SearchGPT and Google’s Gemini are two cutting-edge tools designed to transform the search experience, by using AI to offer smarter, more human-like responses to our queries.
But what does this mean for us digital marketers and businesses – how will these tools impact search engine optimisation (SEO), website rankings and paid ads (PPC)?
SearchGPT – OpenAI’s Leap into AI-Driven Search
Launched in mid-2024, SearchGPT is OpenAI’s latest creation, blending its already famous ChatGPT functionality with AI-driven search capabilities. It takes the conversational tone and intelligence of ChatGPT and applies it to searching the web.
Instead of just getting a list of websites like a traditional search engine, SearchGPT tries to give you a more thoughtful, human-like answer by pulling information from various sources and packaging it into one clear response.
SearchGPT was met with a huge wave of interest – the waitlist saw tens of thousands of sign-ups in just the first week, showing how eager people are to try new ways of searching for information. It’s designed to save time by summarising information and giving users exactly what they need, instead of leaving them to sift through multiple pages of search results.
Google Gemini – Google’s Answer to AI-Powered Search
Google, of course, wasn’t going to let OpenAI have all the fun. Their AI-powered tool, Gemini, launched in late 2023 and has been Google’s biggest move yet to incorporate AI into search.
Gemini aims to make search results more intuitive by improving how well it understands language and context, giving users more relevant answers.
However, Gemini didn’t have the smoothest of starts – some of its responses early on were flagged for inaccuracy, with critics pointing to several headline-worthy mistakes (glue in your pizza anyone?). These missteps, along with its rushed development to compete with other AI tools, led to some concerns about its reliability.
Despite these challenges, Google has positioned Gemini as an important tool to help improve organic search traffic and enhance content discovery.
SearchGPT vs. Gemini – How They Compare
At their core, both SearchGPT and Gemini aim to improve how we search for information, but they take different approaches.
SearchGPT excels in giving conversational, context-rich responses that feel like they’re coming from a person, not just a machine. It pulls information from various sources across the web and condenses it into a single, clear answer. This makes it less about sifting through links and more about delivering insights directly to the user.
Gemini, on the other hand, still provides the familiar Google experience of listing websites, but with an AI twist. It enhances search results with better understanding and context, trying to make them more relevant and accurate. However, as we’ve seen, its early issues with accuracy have raised eyebrows.
A major difference between the two is that SearchGPT doesn’t have ads (yet), while Google still integrates paid ads into its results alongside Gemini. However, the capabilities of algorithms, such as ‘Query Deserves Freshness’, means some are predicting a rise in a similar, albeit monetised algorithm for purchase-driven queries (‘Query Deserves Advertising’).
Public response to both tools has been mixed. Some users love the convenience of AI-powered search, but others are wary of inaccuracies and trust issues. On top of that, the recent ruling on Google’s dominance in the search industry will likely be sparking concerns about whether AI will further concentrate control in the hands of tech giants.
What This Means for Marketers
Here’s the part that matters most to us as marketers: how will AI-powered search impact our digital marketing strategies and the performance of marketing campaigns?
SEO: The Future of Organic Search
Google has always made it clear that its algorithms aim to prioritise high-quality content. Despite some early observations, the exact process of how AI ranks content isn’t fully transparent yet.
What we do know is that, just like with traditional SEO, we’ll need to ensure our content is clear, informative, and trustworthy to stand out in AI-generated responses.
Here’s what marketers should focus on in these early days:
- Content Quality: More than ever, AI will favour well-written, comprehensive, and accurate content. Make sure your content answers the right questions and is valuable to the reader.
- Structure: AI tools need to easily understand your content, so make use of headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it scannable.
- Authority: Getting backlinks from credible sources is still going to matter. AI models are likely to value content that’s linked from authoritative, trusted websites.
- Structured Data: Using things like schema markup (essentially data that helps search engines understand the structure of your content) will help AI better recognise what your content is about.
Web Development & SEO for AI-Powered Search
An often-overlooked aspect of SEO in the context of AI-driven search engines is web development. Having a technically sound, high-performing website can significantly improve your visibility in AI-generated search results.
Here’s why web development is key:
- Speed and Performance: AI-powered search engines prioritise fast-loading websites. Slow sites not only frustrate users but can also lead to lower rankings in AI-driven search results. Ensure your website is optimised for performance by regularly testing its load speed and improving areas like image compression, server response times, and script management.
- Mobile Optimisation: Since most users search on mobile devices, AI tools like Gemini and SearchGPT will likely prioritise mobile-friendly websites. Ensure your website is responsive, meaning it works well on both mobile and desktop, to improve your chances of being highly ranked in search results.
- Clear Site Structure: A well-organised site with logical navigation is crucial. AI models need to easily understand your site’s hierarchy and content. Clear URLs, effective use of headers, and an intuitive site structure make it easier for AI to crawl and rank your pages.
- Metadata: Implementing metadata allows AI systems to understand your website’s content better and present your website accurately in search results.
- Security: Having a secure website is critical for AI rankings. Sites with SSL certificates (indicated by the “https” in the URL) are seen as more trustworthy and secure, making them more likely to rank higher in search results.
- User Experience (UX): Search engines prioritise content that delivers a seamless and engaging user experience. Ensure your website is clean, easy to navigate, and provides a positive user journey. AI tools will favour websites with optimised user interfaces and strong calls-to-action.
PPC: A New Era for Ads
When it comes to paid ads, Google’s Gemini is likely to push ads further down the results page as AI-generated answers take the spotlight. This could mean a few things for PPC:
- Increased Competition: With ads potentially showing up later in search results, marketers may face higher costs to secure premium ad placements.
- Smarter Ad Placement: AI might help with more precise targeting, but we’ll need to keep a close eye on how AI-driven search evolves. For now, SearchGPT doesn’t feature ads, but that may change as these tools develop.
Embracing the AI Search Revolution
AI-powered search engines like SearchGPT and Gemini mark a significant shift in how we search for information, and they’ll undoubtedly influence how we, as marketers, operate.
With AI becoming more prevalent, it’s critical to stay on top of trends and continuously refine our strategies for both SEO and PPC. Other platforms, like Perplexity.ai, are also joining the AI search race, showing that this isn’t just a trend – it’s the future of search.
At Atelier, we understand the importance of evolving with these changes. Whether you need help optimising your current digital marketing efforts or preparing for the next wave of AI-driven search, we’re here to guide you.
Get in touch for help with future-proofing your website and digital marketing in an AI-driven future.
AI in Search FAQs
What are SearchGPT and Gemini?
- SearchGPT is OpenAI’s AI-powered search engine providing conversational answers.
- Gemini is Google’s AI search tool offering more relevant, accurate search results.
How do they differ from traditional search engines?
- SearchGPT provides direct, human-like answers from multiple sources.
- Gemini enhances traditional search with AI to understand queries better.
How will AI search impact SEO?
AI search prioritises high-quality, well-structured content. Websites need to be fast, mobile-optimised, and use structured data for better visibility.
Why is web development important for AI search?
Well-built websites rank higher in AI search due to factors like speed, mobile-friendliness, security (SSL), and clear structure.
How will AI affect PPC?
AI may push ads lower in search results, increasing competition for top placements and potentially raising costs.
How can I future-proof my SEO?
Create high-quality content, optimise your site for speed and mobile, use structured data, and stay informed about AI trends.
Will AI change how users search?
Yes, users will likely look for more direct answers instead of long lists of links, so businesses must optimise for both traditional and AI search.
Does mobile optimisation matter more with AI search?
Yes, mobile-friendly websites are prioritised by AI-powered search engines like SearchGPT and Gemini.
What is structured data, and why is it important?
Structured data (or schema markup) is code you add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. For AI-powered search engines, structured data allows them to quickly identify key elements of your site (e.g., product information, reviews, pricing), improving your chances of appearing in relevant AI-generated summaries.
How will AI affect the user experience on search engines?
AI will deliver faster, more relevant answers, so businesses need to provide well-organised, easy-to-read content.