Have you ever asked yourself where ChatGPT gets its answers from?
Most people assume ChatGPT "knows everything" from the data it was trained on.
The truth is more nuanced: when current information is needed, ChatGPT does not rely on memory. It goes out and searches.
And just like you, it opens a search engine. It just opens Bing.
How does ChatGPT Search actually work?
In October 2024, OpenAI officially announced ChatGPT Search, a real-time search capability built in partnership with Microsoft and its search engine, Bing (OpenAI, 2024).
The mechanism works like this:
- A user asks a question that requires up-to-date information
- ChatGPT detects that a search is needed and runs a query in Bing
- It pulls the first 20 to 30 results
- It processes, filters, and delivers a summarized answer with citations
The direct implication is simple: if you rank highly in Bing, you exist for ChatGPT.
If you do not rank, you simply do not show up in the answers.
What does this mean for your business visibility?
ChatGPT has become a major entry point in the customer decision process.
According to Semrush data from 2025, around 14% of Google users in the US are already trying ChatGPT for search tasks, and that trend is expected to keep growing.
Think about it: if a potential customer asks ChatGPT, "What is a good SEO agency in Israel?" who will appear in the answer?
Only the sites ranking high enough in the relevant results.
This is not just one more reason to worry. It is an opportunity.
Businesses that invested in SEO over the past few years are now in a double-advantage position: they appear in traditional search and in AI answers.
All the investment they already made is suddenly worth more than ever.
What should you do from here?
1. Do not neglect the foundation
Structured content, high-quality backlinks, and proper on-site optimization are still the factors that determine whether you appear in the top results, and therefore whether ChatGPT will recognize you at all.
2. Write in the language of questions
Content published consistently that answers specific questions ("What is the difference between X and Y?" "How do you choose...?") significantly increases the chance of being quoted in AI answers.
3. Build authority in your niche
Language models tend to cite sources that are seen as authoritative in their field.
That is how E-E-A-T works: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, all of which are more relevant today than ever.
4. Embrace GEO, Generative Engine Optimization
An emerging strategy that combines classic keyword research with writing adapted to the way language models process and present information.
Do not replace SEO. Expand it. Read more about preparing for AI search.
The bottom line
SEO has gained another layer of meaning.
If you rank well, you can show up in Google, in Bing, and in ChatGPT.
All the investment in the digital assets you built up to now is suddenly worth more than ever.
At Strudel Marketing, we help businesses become visible not only to traditional search engines, but to every tool your customers use to make decisions.
