How to Rank in ChatGPT and AI Search Results

Here's something that caught my attention: ChatGPT receives roughly 5.19 billion visits per month. Weekly users surged from 1 million in November 2022 to 400 million by February 2025. And Gartner forecasts a 25% decline in traditional search by 2026 as AI takes over.

That's not a future prediction—that's happening right now.

The thing is, ranking in AI search is completely different from traditional SEO. It's about becoming the kind of authoritative, trustworthy source that AI models naturally want to reference. Instead of optimizing for keywords, you're optimizing for concepts. Instead of building links for PageRank, you're building credibility for AI citation.

Let me walk you through how this actually works.

How LLMs Decide What to Cite

Unlike traditional Google search where you're competing for spots 1-10 on a results page, with LLMs you're either mentioned in the AI's response or you're invisible. There's no page 2. There's no "other results." You're either in the conversation or you're not.

So how do AI models decide which sources to reference?

The RAG Process

Most AI search engines use something called Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Here's the simplified version:

1. User asks a question → "What's the best CRM for real estate investors?"
2. AI retrieves relevant content from its index (similar to how Google finds pages)
3. AI synthesizes an answer using the retrieved content
4. AI cites sources it deems most authoritative and relevant

The key insight: the AI isn't just matching keywords. It's evaluating which sources are most trustworthy, most comprehensive, and most likely to provide accurate information.

Key Ranking Factors for LLM Citation

Based on the research, here's what matters most:

8 Practical Strategies to Rank in AI Search

1. Set Up Bing Webmaster Tools

This might seem random, but Bing powers much of the AI-driven search in ChatGPT. One study discovered that when using ChatGPT Search, the results are 73% similar to Bing's search results.

If you're not in Bing, you're likely not in ChatGPT. Make sure you:

• Create a Bing Webmaster account
• Submit your sitemap
• Monitor indexing status
• Fix any crawl errors

2. Implement Schema Markup Everywhere

Schema Markup is structured data that you add to the head section of your web page's code. LLMs love it because they're all about words and context.

When you look at all the sources in a ChatGPT search, almost all of them have schema markup on their pages. At minimum, implement:

Organization Schema (homepage):

{
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Your Company",
  "description": "What you do",
  "url": "https://yoursite.com"
}

Article Schema (blog posts):

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Title",
  "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Author Name"},
  "datePublished": "2026-01-23"
}

FAQPage Schema (any page with Q&A):

{
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "Your question?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Your answer."
    }
  }]
}

FAQ schema is particularly powerful for AI citation because it directly matches the question-answer format that AI engines use.

3. Keep Content Fresh and Updated

Keeping your web pages up to date is one of the best ways to make them show up higher in LLM citations. ChatGPT likes to rank its sources based on publish dates.

Every 3-6 months:

• Update statistics and data points
• Remove outdated information
• Add new insights or developments
• Republish with a new date

Don't just change the date—actually update the content. AI models can tell the difference between a meaningful update and a date change.

4. Create Unique, Original Data

Language models tend to prefer content that brings something new. They've been trained on huge amounts of existing material and remember most of what's already out there. When a user asks a basic question, the model just pulls an answer from memory.

But here's the thing: models can't run surveys or crunch fresh numbers. They rely on data that's already been collected and published. If you provide that data, it gives the model a reason to reference your page.

Types of original content that get cited:

• Survey results
• Industry benchmarks
• Case studies with specific numbers
• Original research and analysis
• Expert interviews with unique insights

5. Build Brand Mentions Across the Web

For AI tools, brand mentions work kind of like backlinks do for Google. Every time your name comes up in a Reddit thread, online review, or relevant article, it sends trust signals to LLMs and helps your brand rank in ChatGPT search results.

Reddit and Quora are two of the best places to start because ChatGPT seems to reference them the most.

How to build brand mentions:

• Answer questions genuinely on Reddit (not spam)
• Participate in industry Quora topics
• Get listed and reviewed on industry-specific directories
• Encourage customers to mention you in reviews
• Guest post on relevant industry sites

The key word here is "genuine." Don't spam. Provide actual value, and your brand will naturally get mentioned.

6. Enable AI Search Bot Access

This is a technical but critical step. Configure your robots.txt file to explicitly allow known AI user-agents:

User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /

User-agent: ChatGPT-User
Allow: /

User-agent: PerplexityBot
Allow: /

User-agent: ClaudeBot
Allow: /

Blocking these crawlers makes your content invisible to AI-powered search platforms. Make sure you're allowing them access.

7. Structure Content for Machine Readability

AI engines parse content differently than humans. Clear structure makes it easier for AI to understand and cite your content:

Use clear headings:

• H1 for main topic
• H2 for major sections
• H3 for subsections

Use lists and tables: AI loves structured data. Bullet points, numbered lists, and comparison tables are easily parsed and often directly quoted.

Use FAQ sections: Question-answer formats match how users query AI, making your content more likely to be cited.

Include concise definitions: When explaining concepts, include clear, quotable definitions early in your content.

8. Demonstrate E-E-A-T Signals

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It comes from traditional SEO but matters even more for LLM citation.

Experience:

• Share first-hand experiences
• Include case studies from your actual work
• Use specific examples, not generic advice

Expertise:

• Display author credentials
• Link to author profiles with bios
• Show relevant certifications or qualifications

Authoritativeness:

• Get cited by other reputable sources
• Build backlinks from industry sites
• Maintain consistent information across the web

Trustworthiness:

• Include clear contact information
• Display trust badges and certifications
• Update content to remain accurate
• Cite reputable sources in your content

Common Mistakes That Hurt AI Visibility

1. Thin, Generic AI-Generated Content

Ironically, content that sounds like it was written by AI tends to perform poorly in AI search. Models have been trained on that content—they don't need to cite it. Original insights, unique perspectives, and fresh data stand out.

2. Keyword Stuffing

Traditional keyword-stuffed content fails in RAG environments because semantic search identifies concepts, not keyword density. A page with a keyword mentioned dozens of times but lacking conceptual clarity will lose to a page that explains the topic thoroughly.

3. Blocking AI Crawlers

Some sites block AI crawlers in their robots.txt, making themselves invisible to AI search. Unless you have a specific reason to block them, allow AI user-agents.

4. Outdated Information

AI models increasingly weight freshness. Content from 2020 about a 2026 topic won't get cited. Keep your core content updated.

5. Missing Structured Data

Without schema markup, AI has to work harder to understand your content. Sites with proper structured data are easier to parse and more likely to be cited.

Measuring Your AI Search Performance

Unlike traditional SEO where you can track rankings daily, AI citation is harder to measure. Here's how to approach it:

Manual Testing

Regularly query ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews with questions related to your target topics. Note:

• Are you being cited?
• What sources are being cited instead?
• What do those sources have that you don't?

Track Referral Traffic

In your analytics, monitor traffic from:

• chat.openai.com
• perplexity.ai
• Various AI assistant referrers

This won't capture all AI-influenced traffic (since many users don't click through), but it gives you a signal.

Monitor Bing Performance

Since Bing powers much of ChatGPT's search, your Bing rankings are a proxy for ChatGPT visibility. Use Bing Webmaster Tools to track your performance there.

The Integration with Traditional SEO

Here's the thing a lot of people miss: this isn't about abandoning traditional SEO. It's about extending it.

The fundamentals overlap significantly:

• Quality content helps both
• Authority signals help both
• Technical optimization helps both
• User experience helps both

The additions for AI search are:

• More emphasis on structured data
• Active presence in forums and discussion platforms
• Original research and unique data
• Ensuring AI crawlers can access your content
• Regular content updates

If you're already doing SEO well, you're most of the way there. The gap is smaller than you might think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does traditional SEO still matter if AI is taking over?

Yes. Traditional search isn't going away—it's being supplemented. You need visibility in both channels. The good news is that the strategies overlap significantly.

How do I know if ChatGPT is citing my content?

Manual testing is currently the best approach. Query ChatGPT with questions relevant to your content and see if you appear in the citations. There's no automated tracking tool yet (though they're emerging).

Will AI search completely replace Google?

Unlikely in the near term. Different query types suit different formats. Complex research queries work well with AI. Quick factual lookups might still go to Google. Navigation queries ("Facebook login") will continue as-is. The landscape is fragmenting, not replacing.

How long does it take to start appearing in AI results?

If your site is already indexed in Bing and has proper schema markup, you could appear relatively quickly—within weeks. If you're starting from scratch, expect 2-3 months to build the foundation.

Should I create content specifically for AI search?

Not exactly. Create content that genuinely serves your audience. But format it in ways that AI can easily parse: clear structure, FAQ sections, tables, concise definitions. Think "human-first, AI-friendly."

What This Means for Your Business

The shift from "search results" to "AI-generated answers" is happening faster than most businesses realize. The brands that figure out how to be cited by AI engines will have a significant competitive advantage.

But here's the good news: the fundamentals haven't changed that much. Create genuinely valuable content. Structure it clearly. Demonstrate expertise. Build credibility. The new piece is making sure AI can find, understand, and trust your content enough to reference it.

For real estate investors specifically, this matters a lot. When someone asks ChatGPT "how to sell my house fast in [city]" or "best cash home buyers near me," you want to be the source it cites. The investors who are already building proper structured data, creating locally-specific content, and maintaining strong online presence will dominate this new channel.

If you're looking for a website built for both traditional search AND AI visibility, that's exactly what we focus on with our AI SEO Website service. Every site includes full structured data implementation, Voice DNA to ensure your content sounds authentically you, and a data-driven approach designed for the modern search landscape.

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Sources:

• Marketer Milk - LLM SEO Ultimate Guide
• Go Fish Digital - How to Rank in ChatGPT
• Omnius - How to Rank in AI Search Results
• SEO.com - ChatGPT SEO
• TripleDart - LLM SEO Guide