How to Rank #1 in ChatGPT (Without Playing SEO Whack-a-Mole)

TL;DR: Search is shifting from "10 blue links" to "one great answer." To win, you need Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): let AI crawlers index you, structure your pages in question → best answer format, earn third-party proof (reviews, forums), and ship content with intensity and iteration. Expect fewer clicks but higher intent from the ones you do get.

Why your Google traffic dipped (and why that’s not the end)

More people now ask ChatGPT or Perplexity for answers directly instead of clicking through Google’s results. That collapses the funnel: fewer links, fewer clicks, and a binary outcome—either you’re cited in the answer or invisible.

Good news: There’s a playbook for this new era—AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)—that echoes what worked in classic SEO, with a few crucial twists.

AEO in one sentence

Make content that AI can find, trust, and quote—in the exact question → answer shape people ask for.

The 7-Part AEO Checklist (what to do this month)

1) Open the door for AI crawlers

Make sure you’re not blocking OpenAI’s crawlers. In your robots.txt, explicitly allow:

User-agent: GPTBot
Allow: /

User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /

If you currently block non-Google or Bing bots for cost or security reasons, add exceptions for these two; otherwise you won’t even be indexed for answers.

2) Start measuring “AI referrals”

In HubSpot or your analytics tool you’ll begin to see AI traffic as a self-reported source (via UTM). Track a baseline now so you can measure progress as you ship AEO content and placements.

Goal for this month: move AI referrals from “near zero” to a visible, trackable slice.

3) Reshape key pages into Q → Best Answer blocks

Answer engines prefer clearly structured Q&A. Convert or augment your most important pages (homepage sections, service pages, pricing pages) to include scannable blocks:

• Question (H3): “How much does Invisalign cost in Palo Alto?” Best answer (2–4 sentences): direct, up-to-date, with ranges and context.
• Question: “Braces vs. Invisalign—what’s better for adults?” Best answer: succinct comparison plus when to choose which.
• Question: “How soon can I get an appointment?” Best answer: concrete timelines and a next-step CTA.

Think FAQ+, not fluffy blog prose. You’re writing for users and the model at the same time.

4) Keep the “old rules” that still matter

Answer engines still source from web search, often fanning out with Bing queries and then synthesizing. Authority, clean technicals, fast load, and credible links still help your pages get selected as inputs.

5) Earn third-party proof where models look

AI answers over-index on high-signal human discussions and review aggregators. For products or SaaS this includes sites like G2; for services, high-quality forum threads (e.g., relevant subreddits) where a clear, upvoted comment delivers a definitive recommendation tend to get cited. Be helpful and transparent—no astroturfing.

Dentist example: A thoughtful, evidence-based reply in a local subreddit thread “Best dentist in [City] for Invisalign?” that explains criteria, shows your credentials, and outlines costs or financing clearly can be the difference between you being named in AI answers—or not.

6) Structure your data (and inventory)

If you sell items or have bookable services, expose structured details (availability, locations, hours, SKUs, options). Answer engines prefer sources that look “retail-ready” or “service-ready” because users want what’s available now.

Dentist example: Make sure each service page (e.g., “Dental Implants”) has appointment lead time, insurance accepted, sedation options, imaging on-site, and financing—presented in a consistent, machine-readable way.

7) Ship with intensity and iteration

Volume still wins. In the early HubSpot days, outsized results came from abnormally high publishing cadence and relentless iteration—because outcomes track with reps. Apply that same mindset to AEO.

A 30-Day “AEO Sprint” for busy owners

Week 1 — Foundations

• Update robots.txt to allow GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot.
• Set up an AI referrals segment in HubSpot or analytics to capture baseline.
• List the 15 questions your ideal buyer actually types (“Which whitening lasts longest?”, “How to choose a CRM under $100/mo?”).

Week 2 — Q&A Core

• Convert your top 5 pages (homepage, top 3 services, pricing) to include Q → Best Answer sections above the fold.
• Add structured facts (hours, availability, insurance or plan tiers, inventory or appointment slots).

Week 3 — Third-Party Signals

• Identify 2–3 relevant review or aggregation venues (for software: G2/Capterra; for local services: Yelp/Healthgrades plus one relevant subreddit or community).
• Contribute genuinely helpful answers on two forum threads and invite a few real customers to leave balanced, specific reviews (results, timeline, who it’s for).

Week 4 — Ship & Test

• Publish 3 short Q&A posts (400–700 words each), each answering a single intent (e.g., “In-office vs. take-home whitening: which is better?”).
• Run a ChatGPT audit: ask 10 buyer-intent questions (“best dentist in [City] for implants,” “best no-code CRM for B2B under $100”), note where your brand is cited or not cited, and adjust content accordingly. Expect fewer clicks but higher intent.

Bonus: Don’t just market—lead a movement

HubSpot’s early growth wasn’t just content; it was category creation and community (they even avoided trademarking “inbound marketing” to let the movement spread). Consider naming and convening your own “better way,” then be the obvious tool or practice behind it.

Examples

• Dental: “No-Fear Dentistry” — a patient-education series plus quarterly meetups for anxious patients; your practice becomes the hub.
• Startup: “CRM-Lite” — a blueprint for sub-$100/mo CRM setups for founders under 10 employees; your product or services naturally fit.

Community is also great business: when you bring the right people together, you remove market inefficiencies and participate in the value you unlock.

Ethics & guardrails (what not to do)

• Don’t spam forums or fabricate reviews—answer engines value authentic, upvoted, question-matched threads.
• Don’t chase hacks—smart teams work to nullify gray or black-hat tactics over time. Build pages that deserve to rank and be cited.

The mindset shift: intensity is the strategy

Most teams “know” the strategy; few execute it with enough reps. Set a cadence (e.g., 2 Q&A pages per week + 1 forum contribution), review AI referral lift monthly, and iterate. Over time, the compounding effect looks a lot like old SEO—just with a new front door.

Swipeable templates you can use today

Q → Best Answer Block (drop into any service page)

### [Question your buyer actually asks]
[Best, most direct answer in 2–4 sentences. Include concrete numbers, timelines, or trade-offs.]

**Who it’s best for:** [persona/context]
**What to do next:** [CTA with exact next step + expected time]

Forum reply outline (ethical & useful)

1. Acknowledge the asker’s criteria.
2. Share the decision factors that actually matter.
3. Give a short, definitive recommendation (plus when not to choose it).
4. Add one proof point (review stat, case result, credential).
5. Disclose affiliation if relevant; link to a guide, not a sales page.

Want help? Prism can AEO-ify your site in 30 days

We’ll audit your content, fix your robots or structure, build Q&A blocks for your top pages, and help earn third-party proof—then ship your first month of AEO content with you. (We’ll also set up AI referral tracking so you can watch the needle move.)

Watch the full conversation

We embedded the episode that inspired this playbook—“$30B Founder: How To Rank #1 In ChatGPT” from My First Million. It covers AEO, why Q&A formatting matters, how to let AI crawlers in, and why volume or iterations still win. It also includes links to 100 free prompts for crafting AI-friendly content.

Sources: Key ideas and quotes adapted from the episode transcript.