What are AI chats?
AI chats refer to AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or SwissGPT. These smart tools use artificial intelligence to understand and respond to texts – almost like a human. They help with answering questions, writing texts or coming up with creative ideas. Through constant learning, they become better and better at having natural conversations. This is why they are now useful in many areas, from customer service to personal support in everyday life. More and more people are using AI chats as a replacement for Google searches.
What is AI chat optimization?
AI Chat Optimization focuses on the question of how companies manage to be mentioned in AI chats such as ChatGPT, Gemini or SwissGPT for relevant user questions. Basically, it’s about optimizing marketing and content strategies so that your own brand remains visible in the output of these smart dialogue systems. This means that if you want to be correctly recognized by AI chats and integrated into the dialogue at the right moment, you need to keep an eye on your entire online presence – and adjust it if necessary. This is the only way for companies to ensure that they are not lost in the new era of AI-supported search in the long term.
Why is AI chat optimization important?
AI chats such as ChatGPT, Gemini and SwissGPT are fundamentally changing how people search for information, products and services. Instead of using traditional search engines, they receive directly formulated answers from AI systems. This presents companies of all sizes – from small start-ups and SMEs to large corporations – with a new challenge: how do you manage to appear in the responses to these AI chats? Conventional SEO strategies are no longer sufficient, because AI chats no longer present a simple list of links, but provide directly processed information. Companies throughout the DACH region must therefore optimize their online presence and content in order to be correctly recognized and recommended by these systems. AI chat optimization is the key to staying visible, relevant and competitive in this new era of AI-powered information search.
What questions does AI Chat Optimization answer?
AI chat optimization is based on a variety of generally applicable best practices and methods, as well as individual measures that differ depending on the company’s goals, industry and target group. In general, the following questions are answered as part of AI chat optimization:
- What specific marketing measures are required to be included in the AI Chat outputs?
- How do companies need to design their content and online presence so that they are recognized and classified as relevant by AI chats?
- What role do keywords, semantic search engine optimization and the structuring of information play for visibility in AI chats?
- What types of content are preferred by AI chat and how can companies create and distribute this content as efficiently as possible?
- How do companies need to adapt their activities and interactions on social media and other online platforms for visibility in AI chats?
- What current activities by companies are hindering the discoverability of AI chats and how can they be prevented?
AI chat optimization success stories?
The number of success stories is increasing all the time. The following screenshot shows an excerpt of a dialog between a user and ChatGPT. A customer who had never been in contact with Sophie Hundertmark before received this contact information with regard to ChatGPT advice and subsequently requested a workshop on how to use ChatGPT.
Another well-known success story is that of Logikcull. It also shows that AI chats, such as ChatGPT, are having an increasing impact on customers’ search behavior and ultimately their purchasing behavior. In the case of Logikcull, the company itself was surprised when more and more new customers stated that they had become aware of the software company via ChatGPT. By June 2023, five percent of all leads from Logikcull are expected to have been brokered via ChatGPT. That’s the equivalent of almost 100,000 US dollars a month in subscription revenue for the company(source: OMR).
Frequently asked questions about AI chat optimization?
How long does the AI chat optimization process take?
The duration depends on various factors, including the existing online presence, the quality of the content and the company’s willingness to adapt. Initial successes can be visible after a few weeks, especially if structured data and content are optimized. In the long term, however, AI chat optimization is a continuous process, as AI models evolve and are regularly updated.
How is the success of AI chat optimization measured?
The success is evident in several areas:
- Increased mentions in AI chats: Companies should test whether they are mentioned in relevant questions.
- More organic traffic: When users reach the website via AI chats.
- Increasing leads and conversions: When customers become aware of products or services through AI chats.
- Direct recommendations by AI: AI chats can suggest specific companies or offers – a strong sign of successful optimization.
What is the difference between SEO with regard to Google and AI chat optimization?
SEO for Google is based on placement in the search results – through keywords, backlinks and technical optimizations. AI chat optimization, on the other hand, aims to be selected as a relevant source by AI-supported systems and mentioned in the answers. While classic SEO leads the user to a website, AI chats synthesize information directly and provide answers. Content must therefore be designed in such a way that it is understandable, trustworthy and of high quality for AI models.
Does AI chat optimization cost money?
Optimization can be carried out internally if know-how is already available in the company. However, external consulting, analyses and content adjustments can incur costs. It can also make sense to invest in structured data, AI-supported content tools or targeted AI training in order to remain successful in the long term. However, no expenditure is required with regard to classic paid media, such as Google Adwords or similar.
Do I need a ChatGPT Pro subscription for AI chat optimization?
No, a Pro subscription is not mandatory. AI Chat Optimization is all about how companies are recognized and mentioned by AI-supported systems – this happens regardless of whether you use a Pro subscription yourself. However, paid access can be useful for carrying out regular tests, analyzing new models and checking optimizations in a targeted manner.
Start now with AI Chat Optimization!
The knowledge, methods and processes surrounding AI chat optimization are still new, and only a few companies are already taking the changing search behaviour of their target groups into account in their marketing and sales strategies.
Companies that invest in these new methods and skills at an early stage secure a long-term competitive advantage. It is therefore better to start now than to follow suit too late.
If you have any questions about AI chat optimization or require technical, conceptual and strategic support, please do not hesitate to contact me. Just send me an e-mail or a WhatsApp message!
This article is also available as a podcast episode
Attention! The podcast was created entirely by my AI-Assistant based on my contribution – no guarantee for incorrect content.
