a client is getting leads from chatgpt, here’s how you can too

These days, “I just asked ChatGPT” is quickly becoming the new “I Googled it.”

It is a real shift in how people are discovering and interacting with businesses online.

More and more users are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to search for answers, get personalized recommendations, and even find businesses like yours. But rather than making SEO irrelevant, this evolution makes it more essential than ever.

Real Data, Real Shift

Recently, we were reviewing analytics for one of our long-time clients, going through the usual sources: Google, email, direct traffic, social. Then something jumped out at us:

Referral Source: ChatGPT.

It wasn’t just a casual visit either, it was a high-intent user who landed on the site and converted, after being referred by a ChatGPT answer.

That moment confirmed something we’ve been observing for a while now: people are finding businesses through AI-driven platforms. And the content that shows up in those answers? It’s the same content we’ve been building and optimizing through strong SEO practices.

How ChatGPT Actually “Searches”

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that ChatGPT just magically knows everything. Not quite.

Here’s a simplified look at what’s happening under the hood:

• It pulls from publicly available online content, like blog posts, product pages, landing copy, FAQs, and even local listings.

• While ChatGPT has a training cutoff (for example, many versions are trained on content up to mid-2024), newer versions can also search the live web when prompted.

• When someone asks something like “best branding agencies in Oklahoma” or “how do I increase Shopify sales?”...it looks across the web, gathers the most relevant and trustworthy information, and returns a streamlined answer.

  
  

If your site’s content is optimized, structured, and genuinely helpful, you have a much better chance of being referenced or paraphrased; right at the moment someone is ready to make a decision.

What This Means for Your Business

Buyers today don’t just start their journey on Google anymore. They might begin on Instagram. TikTok. Or by simply asking ChatGPT.

But no matter the platform, they all draw from the same source: your digital presence.

So when someone asks:

• “What are the best jewelry stores on Nantucket?”

• “Who’s the top real estate agent in Boston?”

• “What restaurants near me serve churros?”

  
  

AI tools are searching the web for accurate, relevant, well-structured content and choosing what to surface.

If your business doesn’t have that kind of content, or it’s buried, outdated, or unclear, you’re being filtered out before the buyer even knows you exist.

SEO Is Now About Being AI-Ready

We call this the next evolution of search: AI-first SEO.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Clear, question-based content (think helpful blog posts that speak to actual user queries)

• Structured data and proper headings so bots understand your content’s hierarchy

• Regular content updates (outdated info gets buried fast)

• Smart internal linking to provide context and flow

• Consistent brand voice and helpful, trust-building content

  
  

These aren’t revolutionary tactics, they’re long-time SEO best practices. But with AI tools like ChatGPT now acting as gatekeepers to information, getting these fundamentals right has never been more crucial.

In AI-generated responses, there’s no scrolling through ten links. There’s one answer. And if you're not part of that answer, you may not be in the conversation.

The Bottom Line: Visibility Drives Conversions

Whether someone finds you on Google or through ChatGPT, the journey always starts with visibility:

Visibility → Trust → Engagement → Conversion

Conversational search isn’t replacing traditional SEO, it’s extending its reach. But it’s only a win if your content is built to show up.

If your site is outdated, hard to navigate, or simply not answering the questions your customers are asking, you’re being left out of conversations that are shaping buying decisions right now.

Ready to Get Found in the AI Era?

At Blue Seven Studios, we’re already seeing how AI is transforming how leads are generated and how conversions are happening.

If you haven’t looked at your SEO through an AI lens, now’s the time. We’d love to help you audit your marketing strategy or your site, review your analytics, and map out a smart, sustainable strategy to keep your brand showing up…no matter where your audience is searching.

 The future of search is already here and we want you to be part of it.