Get Listed in SearchGPT Citation for Queries.

The one constant we expect as digital marketers is that the industry will constantly change. Best practices, resources, and algorithms change frequently, and part of our job as law firm digital marketers is to keep up with them. We saw this on a global scale when ChatGPT emerged, and now we’re seeing it again with SearchGPT.

SearchGPT is Open AI’s new AI-powered search engine. It’s like Google but powered with AI. In the summer of 2024, Open AI announced the introduction of the platform they call SearchGPT, a prototype AI-powered search engine designed to provide fast, conversational answers with a source attribution.

The key in that sentence is “source attribution.” As expert legal marketers, that indicates to us that SearchGPT will become the future of much of our marketing efforts. The goal is to become a citation in SearchGPT, which will be as coveted as a page one ranking in Google. 

Benefits of SearchGPT

Ad-Free Experience

Unlike many of the most popular search engine platforms today, SearchGPT is ad-free, which makes it highly desirable for users.

Detailed Citations

The current prototype displays a list of citations similar to SERPs. Those detailed citations benefit sources on the web by allowing them to be cited as sources for various queries.

Chrome Extension

It is easy for users to make SearchGPT their main browser, which means internet users will be more likely to default to search on SearchGPT for information instead of Google or Bing.

Enhanced Local Search

Users can set their location, and the bot can understand “near me” references, which makes searching for something in your neighborhood more accurate and streamlined.

Conversational Follow-up Questions

Current search engines are largely based on keyword phrases. While you can target long-tail keywords, it’s generally phrase-specific. SearchGPT is conversational, allowing for follow-up questions, thereby creating more opportunities to display relevant citations (links to your website). This format also suggests that a user could drill down to more niche content quickly and effectively.

Become a SearchGPT Citation

For nearly 20 years, PaperStreet has pivoted with the industry as best practices evolve and algorithms change the rules of law firm internet marketing. SearchGPT is another revelation in the industry and we’re ready to ensure the law firms we represent have the greatest opportunity to leverage SearchGPT’s platform and popularity.

PaperStreet can help identify the queries and topics that are key to your business. In SearchGPT a user is likely to ask more questions or use a full sentence structure for their query instead of a keyword. While that may seem like a subtle change in behavior, it means there is opportunity to optimize your core website pages to capture that verbiage.

What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

While not entirely new, AEO is changing how people search and find answers online. AEO involves improving your content to provide direct answers to the questions users search and query. This type of content increases the likelihood that Google will pick it up and use it in specific search engine results page (SERP) features, including Rich Snippets and the “People Also Ask” section of the SERP.

AEO has a straightforward goal: to answer a direct question. For example, if you’re an estate planning attorney in Fort Lauderdale, and someone asks, “How do I set up a living trust in Florida?” they get the answer directly from your site. AEO, like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), uses keywords, links, site structure, and other important factors, but with the goal of answering the question asked by the user.

AEO is also important for voice search and virtual assistants, where users (and potential clients) frame their search in the form of a question. They may be asking about a specific type of legal practice area, such as family law and divorce, or they may simply want more information on personal injury, but most importantly, your site’s content is optimized to provide the answer.

Whatever the case may be, AEO is clearly an important piece of every site’s optimization.

Understanding Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

GEO is similar to AEO in that it’s connected to search, but the goal is different. With GEO, you want your site’s content to be optimized and attractive so that AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini will use it for user query results. When these platforms pick up your content, it will be more prominently featured in AI-generated search results, whether the user is using Google, Perplexity, or another platform.

GEO, like AEO, is similar to SEO in several ways. It relies on keywords, technical optimization, content quality, and other important factors also used in traditional SEO. However, GEO is distinct from SEO in that it focuses on synthesizing information to provide comprehensive answers, making your site more attractive to AI. Without GEO, your site could miss out on reaching potential clients who are using AI to search.

FAQs About SearchGPT

What is SearchGPT?

SearchGPT is Open AI’s new AI-powered search engine. While it’s not finalized yet (as of the summer of 2024), the prototype allows users to ask the search engine questions in a chat-like format and get instant answers with links to the sources throughout the web. It’s a more casual and conversational way to find information on the internet. 

How does SearchGPT impact lawyers?

The introduction of SearchGPT will likely change currently understood SEO best practices, which means that the strategies around your marketing efforts will evolve. We won’t know the specifics until the prototype is launched and tested by the greater World Wide Web, but we can expect to make optimization changes as well as modifications in how we approach content creation and writing. 

How does SearchGPT change the game of SEO?

We don’t know yet, but we’re taking every action to get ahead of the curve. We expect SearchGPT to change the way we plan, optimize and write content. It’s possible that other best practices like link building, and even page structure, may be impacted. We believe SearchGPT will forever change the game of internet marketing. 

Don’t Get Left Behind: Ask Us About Our SearchGPT Services

Let’s talk SearchGPT and ensure your website is prepared for this game-changing technology.

Our 7 Guarantees

Keeping 2,000+ Clients Happy Since 2001.

1
You Will Love Your Design We design to please you and your clients
2
Same-Day Support 24-hour turnaround edits during business hours
3
Free Education We provide knowledge to help you expand
4
No Hidden Charges We quote flat-rate projects
5
Own Your Site No strings attached
6
We Create Results SEO, PPC, content + design = clients
7
We Make Life Easier One agency for web, branding and marketing