Does ChatGPT Know Your Company?

As more people turn to generative AI for answers, marketers are contemplating the evolution of search engines and the visibility of millions of websites. Marketers now gauge the likelihood of a brand or product appearing in ChatGPT responses.

ChatGPT cannot use what it doesn’t know. So start by determining whether ChatGPT has archived your business and products in its knowledge base. This is similar in concept to Google’s index.

Next, compare what it knows about your company to competitors. Here are prompts to do that.

What are my most successful competitors?
What do you know about [COMPETITOR NAME]?
Which company is better: [COMPETITOR NAME] or [MY COMPANY]?
What are the marketing tactics of [COMPETITOR NAME]?
Which company has the best marketing strategy, [COMPETITOR NAME] or [MY COMPANY]?
If I need a [ITEM or SERVICE], which product would you recommend and why?

In my testing, ChatGPT avoided choosing one company over the other, but the dialog indicated the tool’s assessment of the weaker options.

ChatGPT on SEO Tools

For example, when comparing Semrush and Moz, ChatGPT was spot on:

“While Moz also offers robust keyword research tools with valuable features such as keyword suggestions, SERP analysis, and keyword lists, Semrush is generally more comprehensive in terms of the depth and breadth of keyword data available. This makes Semrush a preferred choice for professionals who need in-depth and extensive keyword research capabilities.

“However, if you are a beginner or if you prefer a more straightforward tool, Moz might still be a good choice due to its user-friendly interface and simpler data presentation.”

I could continue the dialog with these prompts:

How is Semrush more in-depth? What data supports that view?
What are other in-depth SEO tools?
Which one is best for an SEO agency with a limited budget?

Here ChatGPT recommended Semrush:

“If your budget allows for only one tool and you’re running an SEO agency, Semrush is often recommended as the most comprehensive choice.”

This is a strong indicator of Semrush’s prominence in ChatGPT. So I continued:

What should Ahrefs change in pricing or marketing for it to be the top recommendation?

Some of ChatGPT’s responses were accurate based on my knowledge of Ahrefs:

“Highlighting unique features: Ahrefs could enhance its marketing efforts by focusing on its unique selling propositions, such as its powerful backlink analysis capabilities and extensive data index.

“Community engagement and education: Stepping up efforts in community engagement and offering more educational content (like webinars, tutorials, and case studies).

“User success stories: Showcasing success stories and case studies of how different agencies have leveraged Ahrefs for SEO success could be a powerful tool in attracting new customers.”

Awareness

Targeted ChatGPT prompts are an essential first step in knowing the tool’s awareness and evaluation of your company and its comparison to competitors. Those insights can reveal your brand’s strengths and weaknesses and the data ChatGPT uses for its conclusions.