ChatGPT vs. Google: 7 Steps to Win the New SEO Game

Not Bennett Creative Video Production celebrating a first page ranking on Google for Austin video production.

When a friend, who is a meticulous online researcher, told me he used Chat GPT to search for and purchase an espresso machine, I knew a shift away from Google was upon us.

For over two decades, Google has been the king of the internet. It was the doorway to the web - if your business wasn’t ranking on Google, you were invisible. Did Bennett Creative Video Production and Social Media Marketing Agency celebrate when our business made the first page of Google? Absolutely. There were no cocktails, but we were drunk on success. 

But change has been in the air for the last couple of years. New technologies and user behaviors are challenging the status quo and Google’s monopoly trial has had ramifications, potentially de-throning the king.

Enter ChatGPT, Perplexity, You.com, and other AI-driven platforms that are redefining how people find and interact with information online. These tools are faster, smarter, and more user-friendly than traditional search engines. They're conversational, context-aware, and in many cases, more efficient. So where does that leave businesses that rely on traditional SEO strategies?

Let’s break it down and look at how your business can stay ahead as AI poses for a SEO take-over.

Why Google’s Dominance Is Slipping

AI Chatbots Are Becoming the First Stop for Answers

Let’s be honest, we love how ChatGPT talks to us. ChatGPT offers direct, conversational answers without making users sift through pages of links. Instead of typing a question into Google and clicking through ten different blogs, users can ask ChatGPT or another AI and get a well-rounded, often accurate answer in seconds. With zero ads.

This isn’t just a novelty. It's a shift in behavior. AI is becoming the new front page of the internet, especially for professionals, students, and digital natives who value speed and clarity over ad-saturated search results. In all honesty, it’s Bennett Creative’s go-to for searches.

Plus, ChatGPT can be just plain fun. One social media trend has been to ask ChatGPT to roast their Instagram feed and the search engine calls out online behavior (if that hurts your feelings, ask it why someone would fall in love with you). It’s funny. Google isn’t funny and engaging like that. On April Fool’s we used it to generate images of our staff as social media influencers in the wild. We created Instagram stories saying everyone quit Bennett Creative to become influencers and the photos generated were hilarious. 

Google’s Antitrust Trial Shook Public Confidence

Google’s recent antitrust trial played a subtle but significant role in the rise of AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT. The case exposed how Google used billion-dollar deals with companies like Apple and Samsung to remain the default search engine such as paying Samsung to pre-installed AI Gemini on their phones. This raised public awareness about its dominance being maintained more by contracts than innovation. That scrutiny, paired with user frustration over ad-heavy and low-quality results, created an opening for alternatives like ChatGPT and Perplexity. These search engines offer faster, cleaner, and more conversational answers.

While Google was tied up in legal challenges and public criticism, OpenAI moved quickly to innovate. ChatGPT evolved rapidly, adding browsing capabilities and integrations that made it more useful and accessible. Google, meanwhile, stumbled with its own AI rollout—first hesitating to release its tools, then overcorrecting with buggy features like Gemini and AI Overviews. In the process, it lost ground to AI platforms that seemed more agile, trustworthy, and aligned with how users want to search today. This week at the 2025 I/O conference, Google released new AI features, but the responses were mixed, leaning more towards underwhelmed.

Social Media Is Replacing Traditional Search

Users are also increasingly turning to social platforms for search. TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit are becoming trusted sources for product recommendations, tutorials, and local tips. For Gen X, TikTok is now the first place they search for things like restaurant reviews, style advice, or DIY help. As a millennial myself, I head to Instagram for these searches. Google doesn’t even cross my mind when I’m looking for a coffee shop on vacation.

What makes social media so appealing as a search tool is the community-driven aspect. It’s easier to trust someone’s real-world experience than a Google ad or an SEO-optimized article. Businesses need to start thinking of social media not just as a marketing channel but as a search discovery engine in its own right. If you want help growing your social media and diversifying your online presence, reach out! We’ve perfected this craft.

Changing Habits = Changing Algorithms

The way people search is evolving. Users are now asking full questions, seeking conversations, and expecting direct, personalized responses. While Google is built on indexing pages and ranking keywords, AI is built on understanding context and intent. It’s a fundamentally different game. Life is a bit more like a sci-fi novel now, we’re in the future folks.

What This Means for SEO

SEO isn't dead, but it is changing. Businesses that cling to old tactics like keyword stuffing, chasing backlinks, or creating thin content will lose relevance in an AI-driven world. The new frontier of search rewards helpful, human-centered content, authentic branding, and platform diversity. 

On top of that, you really don’t want to ditch the efforts to show up in Google. One does wonder if ChatGPT is searching the web, or searching search engines, as results tend to be similar to Bing and Google. When writing this I asked ChatGPT if biases were involved. Of course ChatGPT thinks it’s better than Google and vice versa right? ChatGPT told me that was a smart question (thank you). The bot gave me a long answer so the TLDR is this: ChatGPT isn’t biased but will reflect reality. Which today, includes the growing role of AI tools like ChatGPT alongside Google - not necessarily in competition with it. When used together, they can be a powerful combo.

So there you have it, play to win both.

Want tips on how to rank in ChatGPT? Bennett Creative has figured out how to do it, even if we're not a photography lab, per say.

7 Ways to Rank in ChatGPT Search

1. Shift Your Focus From Keywords to Conversations

In the old SEO model, you built content around keywords. In the new model, you create content that answers real questions in a conversational tone. Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity pull from content that reads clearly and provides value.

Write like you’re talking to a customer, not a search engine. Use natural language, anticipate follow-up questions, and structure your content to help AI tools easily extract the most important points.

2. Prioritize Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)

AI platforms are more likely to pull and reference content that demonstrates subject matter expertise. This is where E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) becomes even more critical.

Make sure your site clearly displays author bios, credentials, testimonials, and case studies. Don’t just claim authority, businesses need to prove it.

3. Structure Your Content for AI Consumption

AI tools love structure. Use clear headlines (H1, H2, H3), bullet points, summaries, and schema markup when possible. Content that is easy to parse and cite has a better chance of being surfaced in chatbot answers or AI summaries.

Also, consider creating FAQ sections that directly address the types of questions people ask AI tools. It’s like building your own micro knowledge base.

4. Invest in Original, Insightful Content

As AI-generated content floods the web, original human insights will become more valuable than ever. Share personal stories, case studies, industry insights, and opinions that can’t be easily replicated by machines.

Think of your brand’s content as thought leadership rather than just SEO fuel. AI will increasingly reward unique perspectives and well-sourced information over generic copy.

Bennett Creative is starting a podcast for just this reason. We know we have knowledge to offer in terms of video production and social media marketing tips and tricks. A podcast is a great way to talk about it, get that conversational content out in the world, and help our clients.

5. Build a Recognizable Brand

As users start asking ChatGPT and other tools directly for recommendations (e.g., “What’s the best social media agency in Austin?”), brand recognition matters. If you’re known, you’ll be surfaced. If you’re not, you’ll be left out. 

**Sidenote: The first time we asked ChatGPT who the best video production agency in Austin, Texas, it listed a company not even in Austin. The best part about ChatGPT is you can give it feedback. Bennett Creative founder, Andrew Bennett let it know that was bad information. The bot thanked us, and said it would send feedback. I don’t think Google could care less about that, am I right?

All that to say, businesses need to invest in their online presence beyond SEO: social media, email marketing, podcasts, guest features, and community engagement. Make your brand unmissable across multiple platforms. Which brings us to point number 6, the main way to build a recognizable brand is to diversity where you show up.

6. Diversify Where You Show Up

Relying solely on Google for traffic is a risky strategy. Be active on social media platforms like YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, and even TikTok, depending on your audience. AI tools are pulling data from a wider pool of sources—including forums, social platforms, and video content.

Repurpose your blog posts or long-form video content into short-form videos, carousels, and infographics. Be discoverable in more than one format.

7. Get Familiar with AI Tools and Platforms

Your audience is using them—so you should too. Learn how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude work. See how they answer questions in your niche. Experiment with prompts and pay attention to which sources they reference.

Understanding how these tools think will help you reverse-engineer the kind of content they’re likely to surface

To keep up, business have to keep adapting to the constant SEO and AI changes. Pour a large cup of coffee and let's go. Or call Bennett Creative, we can help you diversify your content on your website and social media, helping you to rank higher.

The World Isn’t Ending, It’s Just Changing. Again.

Google isn’t going to disappear tomorrow - in fact, they’re fighting back with a new AI rollout -  but it is undeniable that search practices are shifting. As AI tools like ChatGPT continue to shape how people access information, businesses that adapt early will have a significant edge. So coffee up my friends, let's get adapting.

We’re moving from a keyword-first web to a question-first, conversation-first internet. SEO is no longer just about getting to the top of Google. It’s about becoming the best possible answer, wherever the question is asked.

The AI search revolution is already here. The question is: will your business be part of the conversation? If you’re worried about this and wondering how to implement things like social media, podcasts and video content, reach out! We’ve spent years perfecting our craft and would love to help you show up in a ChatGPT search!

Here’s our question to you: What do you use for most of your searches - Chat GPT, Google, social media or something else? Reply in the comments!