We are quickly seeing the Googleization of ChatGPT and the ChatGPTization of Google Search. It’s certainly a fascinating time to be exploring. I cover several new ChatGPT search features announced as part of OpenAI’s Ship-mas.
On the eighth day of the ship, OpenAI announced some exciting news about its ChatGPT search product. And it is clear that we are witnessing the Googleization of ChatGPT before our eyes. And of course we are also experiencing Google’s ChatGPTization (like Google search starts adding more ChatGPT-like functionality).
Below I will discuss some new features that OpenAI has announced Day 8 of the cruiseThese include improvements to local search, changes to search results for navigation queries, showcasing well-known brands for specific search types, and then one of the most exciting features – integrating search into ChatGPT’s live mode. And this feature brings us closer to the reality of Jarvis. More on that soon.
ChatGPT search:
First, ChatGPT Search launched in October for paying members, but now it is shared with all logged in accounts. With ChatGPT Search, chat can now search the web for information when they need it. And if ChatGPT is to compete with Google, leveraging search was a necessity.
For example, here is a search for “Best Sand Wedges 2024.” As you can see, ChatGPT accesses the Internet to find articles about the best sand wedges. Hovering over each source in the results will display a card with more information (and a link to the third-party website).
And when you click the Sources button at the bottom of the results, you’ll see a section on the right with all third-party quotes and sources. There are lots of links to publishers here too, which is great to see.
Also note that all links from ChatGPT include UTM parameters with chatgpt.com as the source (so you can display data in your analytics reports).
On the way to Jarvis:
When I wrote a post about Google’s Code Red in early 2023 based on the launch of ChatGPT, I explained where I thought AI chatbots in search were headed. And that means everyone has their own personal Jarvis – one who knows everything about you, can research on your behalf, take action on your behalf, and more. Well, both Google and OpenAI are working to achieve this goal. And others like Perplexity, Anthropic, etc. are hot on their heels. Note that I will share more about integrating search into Live Mode soon.
Here is my take on the drive to Jarvis from my post in 2023:
Hello local search:
As part of OpenAI’s announcement on ChatGPT search on December 16th, OpenAI stated that they were launching Map integration with local entries. If your search is local in nature (e.g. searching for restaurants near you), ChatGPT can return local listings with a map. You can switch between map and list modes, tap a business for more information, then call or visit the website. An important observation was that reviews were not (yet) available. This is crucial for local search, so I’m sure this will be the case.
Here is the list mode:
When you tap a business, a card appears with more information and links:
Google Search is incredibly important for local businesses. Many have found that local listings often act as their sites in the SERPs, ranking in the local pack is very important, etc. Therefore, it is important that ChatGPT now has a “local mode”. I’m sure every local recruiter or agency has red flags going off right now as this opens up a new world for them and their clients.
And with that in mind, I wonder if OpenAI will start something like this Google Business Profiles Where can businesses log in, add their information, manage listings, etc.? Or will OpenAI simply work with an external data provider that has a lot of local business information? It will be interesting to see how they proceed on this front. Here too, local search is huge.
Improved navigation queries (and the advertising option):
Next came an improvement in navigation queries. A navigation query is when a user attempts to go to a specific site or location within a site (hence “navigate”). For example, when you visit Reddit, ChatGPT now displays a branded map that allows you to quickly visit the site. Many people search Google every day for brands, websites, etc. and expect to get to that website quickly. Therefore, it is smart that ChatGPT Search adds something in this regard.
The new map is displayed here:
But there’s more on the navigation front. The next example that OpenAI provides for improving ChatGPT search will inevitably anger some companies. If you are looking for one Business categoryChatGPT Search can list the most prominent brands at the top of the SERP (one being the superbrand with a larger map and treatment). Of course, this leaves a lot of brands out, and I’m sure some companies won’t be happy if they’re left out.
Here is a search for “vacation booking websites”:
Advertising opportunities are emerging!
I had to mention that this represents a huge opportunity for OpenAI to serve ads. In my opinion, the card format can easily contain advertising. And this could be a quick way for OpenAI to increase revenue from ChatGPT search. I can only imagine that many companies would pay to be listed at the top of the SERP for such category queries (or bidding on brand names). And if the ad system works like Google Ads, you can bid on brand names as long as the brand isn’t visible in your ads. For example, Amazon Prime could bid on the search query “Netflix” and vice versa.
Below is a model of how to easily integrate sponsored listings for a search query like “vacation booking sites.” Note the “Sponsored” tag on the larger card in the SERP and in the links on the right:
ChatGPT search with live mode brings Jarvis closer to reality:
It was exciting to see this in the video and I was very excited to see functionality on December 19th. finally became available (OpenAI had originally announced that it would be launching in a few days). I’ve long said that we’re heading towards a time where everyone has their own personal Jarvis (as I mentioned earlier in this post). And OpenAI has just taken a big step in that direction with ChatGPT Live mode, which can now do this Tap Search for the most current information. And that leads to a more natural and up-to-date live conversation with ChatGPT.
For example, you could ask ChatGPT for the latest news and information on the topic you are looking for. In the video below you can see ChatGPT asked about searching for upcoming events. This wasn’t possible until this update. And if you think about how Iron Man spoke to his Jarvis, you know that a natural conversation with real-time data is extremely important. We are getting closer and closer to this reality.
Here’s OpenAI’s announcement about search in live mode (at 8:10 in the video):
And here’s a clip from my latest episode of “SEO From The Front Lines” where I test ChatGPT in live mode by asking it about a very current topic (the December spam update that was released just a few hours ago was published after the podcast was recorded). . As you can see, ChatGPT knew about the update and provided helpful information about it by tapping search. Watch the video below at 9:32:
By the way, Google also has a live mode… and always gets the latest information via search. It says Gemini Live and has been around since August 2024.
Summary: Day 8 of Ship-Mas was exciting for the search industry.
To conclude (pun intended), it is incredibly important to understand that we are experiencing the Googlization of ChatGPT and at the same time the ChatGPTization of Google. The latest ChatGPT search features bring the product closer to a real search engine, which is sure to make Google a little nervous… And there are now clear opportunities for advertising in ChatGPT search. And finally, in Live mode, you can see how this all leads to a personal Jarvis for everyone (with natural conversations leveraging real-time data).
Exciting times. Stay tuned. 🙂 🙂
GG