You have spent years mastering search engine optimization, making sure your brand shows up when a customer types a few keywords into a search bar. But what happens when the search bar is replaced by a chat window?
The way your customers find information is undergoing a fundamental shift. They are no longer just searching; they are having detailed conversations with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. If your marketing strategy doesn't adapt, you risk becoming invisible.
To help you understand this new landscape, we analyzed 87,725 publicly shared ChatGPT conversations. The results are clear: people use AI very differently than they use traditional search, and you need to know why.
The first thing you will notice is the complexity of the queries. When someone uses Google, they are brief. In contrast, when they talk to an AI, they are descriptive.
Our analysis found that the average number of words per message in an English conversation is 7.3. That is more than double the average for a Google search. Users are not just typing keywords like "best running shoes." They are asking elaborate questions like, "What are the best running shoes for someone with flat feet who runs on pavement three times a week?"
This shift from keywords to questions means you need to provide answers, not just links. Your brand must be part of a comprehensive solution the AI can offer.
A search is typically a one-time query. A conversation is a back-and-forth dialogue where opinions are formed and decisions are made.
The data shows that this is the new normal. While 40.2% of conversations are short (1-4 messages), nearly 60% involve five or more exchanges. In fact, a stunning 35% of conversations extend beyond eight messages.
In these longer dialogues, users refine their needs, ask follow-up questions, and explore alternatives. Each message is an opportunity for an AI to mention a brand. If a customer asks for an alternative to your product, is the AI aware of your key differentiators? These ongoing dialogues are the new battleground for brand preference.
If you think LLMs are just a new way to get factual answers, you are only seeing part of the picture. Our analysis of query types reveals a much broader set of user goals.
Factual Information: Only 48.3% of conversations focused on finding simple facts. This is the only area that directly competes with traditional search.
Opinion/Suggestion: 16.2% of users asked for opinions or suggestions, a job previously reserved for friends, forums, or review sites.
Creative Content: 14.7% of users engaged the AI for creative tasks like writing emails, brainstorming ideas, or generating content.
Your customers are now asking an AI for advice on what to buy, suggestions on how to solve a problem, and creative ways to use products in your category. Your job is to ensure your brand is the answer the AI gives.
The technical community has overwhelmingly embraced AI. The data shows that developers, engineers, and other tech professionals are using LLMs as a daily workflow tool.
Across all conversations, we found that roughly 10% contain snippets of code. In English-language conversations, GitHub was the most frequently cited domain, mentioned 307 times. If your customers are developers or technical buyers, you can be certain they are asking ChatGPT about your products, APIs, and documentation.
The data from these 87,725 conversations paints a clear picture: your customers' path to discovery has fundamentally changed. The old playbook of keyword-based SEO is no longer enough to guarantee you will be found.
The critical question you must ask is: When a potential customer has one of these conversations, does your brand show up? Leaving your brand's presence in this new channel to chance is a risk you cannot afford to take.
Ready to take control of your AI narrative? Visit ContextProof to schedule a demo and learn how to ensure your brand is the definitive answer when your customers ask.
A note on the data: This analysis is based on 87,725 conversations that users voluntarily made public through ChatGPT's sharing feature between March and August 2023. While not representative of all ChatGPT usage, it provides valuable insights into how people interact with large language models.