According to a Similarweb study, ChatGPT traffic might surpass Google by the end of 2026. With OpenAI integrating live web search into ChatGPT, more people are using it for quick and reliable information. Many users even prefer ChatGPT over Google for its concise answers.
This raises a big question—should we start optimizing for these platforms? If yes, how should we approach it? What do you all think?
We’d need tools to track rankings from ChatGPT to know what we’re optimizing. Platforms like BrightEdge are probably already working on something.
Elwood said:
We’d need tools to track rankings from ChatGPT to know what we’re optimizing. Platforms like BrightEdge are probably already working on something.
Have you checked out https://otterly.ai?
I doubt this will happen anytime soon. Shifting user behavior from traditional search to ChatGPT is massive. Right now, ChatGPT doesn’t come close to Google’s daily users. Plus, AI tools like ChatGPT often pull from existing search engines like Bing or Google, so SEO is more important than ever.
Ranking in the top results of search engines now means you also show up in AI-generated answers. For example, if someone asks ChatGPT for the best CRM and you’re HubSpot, being in Google’s top results means you’ll be part of ChatGPT’s response too.
SEO creates the links and mentions that AI tools rely on. Far from being obsolete, SEO is more critical than ever for ensuring visibility in this new landscape.
@Forrest
Every time someone makes a claim like this, there’s no link to the actual study. I’ve seen similar claims about Google’s market share dropping below 50%, but those usually misquote sources. I tried finding solid stats on this for a presentation but couldn’t. Do you have a source for this?
@Fletcher
I’m arguing against this claim happening anytime soon. I use ChatGPT a lot but still rely on Google for many searches. AI isn’t replacing traditional search that quickly.
Forrest said:
@Fletcher
I’m arguing against this claim happening anytime soon. I use ChatGPT a lot but still rely on Google for many searches. AI isn’t replacing traditional search that quickly.
Totally agree. People making these claims never back them up with real data. Even this Similarweb study isn’t properly cited. If their sales team thought ChatGPT was a big deal, they’d be pushing it as a feature, but they haven’t.
Does anyone have a link to this study?
I have no idea how people rank for AI-related queries, but I’d love to figure it out.
This worries me. As an informational site, we rely on traffic. If people stop searching on Google, it’s going to be a problem.
lol, sure.
The word ‘could’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
What about all the Android devices with pre-installed Google apps and Chrome? Isn’t that a huge factor?
I’ve switched to ChatGPT for most of my searches. That said, I think government regulations might slow down OpenAI’s progress.
I use ChatGPT for almost everything now. It summarizes my SEO data, compares tools, and even gives pricing details. It’s just faster and more helpful than Google.
It’s possible. More people prefer ChatGPT over search engines these days.
Not gonna happen.
