The Importance of Multi-Platform SEO in the ChatGPT Era
Why Optimising for Both Google and Bing Has Always Mattered—And Still Does
In the last 18 months or so digital landscapes have shifted rapidly, with artificial intelligence-driven platforms like ChatGPT emerging as mainstream destinations for information, research, and inspiration. For millions, asking ChatGPT a question—be it about product recommendations, troubleshooting, or creative brainstorming—has become second nature. This trend has prompted new questions about the flow of information, the sources that underpin AI-generated answers, and, crucially, the ongoing relevance of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
ChatGPT, Bing, and the Changing Information Ecosystem
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is powered by a mix of proprietary knowledge and dynamic access to the web. Thanks to OpenAI’s agreement with Microsoft, Bing Search is the preferred search engine for sourcing real-time information, unless users explicitly request results from Google or otherwise. This arrangement means that the vast SEO efforts poured into websites across the internet are now being channelled through Bing’s index whenever ChatGPT is asked to look up fresh information.
At first glance, this may seem like a seismic shift—one that could undermine Google’s long-standing dominance or fundamentally change the way SEO is approached. However, the reality is far more stable and nuanced.
SEO Fundamentals Remain Unchanged
The core mission of SEO has always been to make content accessible, discoverable, and valuable—regardless of the search engine. Whether Bing or Google is the primary referrer, the best practices that drive strong SEO outcomes have always overlapped considerably between the two platforms:
- Quality Content: Both search engines prioritise authoritative, well-written, and relevant material that meets the needs of users.
- Technical Optimisation: Fast loading times, mobile-first performance, clean and logical Information Architecture, and proper use of content structure benefit rankings on both Google and Bing.
- Backlink Profiles: Earning links from reputable, relevant sources signals credibility to both search engines.
- User Experience: High engagement, low bounce rates, and intuitive navigation are universally rewarded.
- Structured Data: Marking up content for clarity helps both Google and Bing better understand and surface information.
- (this is not a complete list)
In short, the pillars of effective SEO are not platform-specific—they are the foundation for visibility on any modern search engine that matters.
Why SEO Should Have Always Been Multi-Engine
It’s easy to forget that Bing’s search market share, while much smaller than Google’s, still represents millions of queries every day. More importantly, Bing powers search for prominent platforms and devices—Windows computers, Microsoft Edge, and now AI tools like ChatGPT. A website that has only ever focused on Google may have missed opportunities to reach diverse, valuable audiences.
But that thinking is a misunderstanding of what’s really going on.
For years, savvy SEO professionals have recommended holistic strategies that optimise for both Google and Bing (or any other) simultaneously. The distinctions between the big two are subtle—Bing may place a slightly higher emphasis on exact-match keywords or social signals, for example—but the broad strokes of effective SEO remain consistent, and effort made for one search engine is still highly relevant for the other.
If your agency is promoting a new “ChatGPT SEO” as a different or additional investment you ought to make, then beware. It’s still the same effort and the same rationales that go into it.
The New AI Layer: What Changes (and What Doesn’t)
With ChatGPT and similar AI tools mediating the user’s access to web content, some nuances are emerging:
- Indirect Traffic: Users may receive answers without visiting the source website, potentially reducing direct traffic. However, AI-generated answers still rely on well-optimised, crawlable content from across the web.
- Information Aggregation: AI tools synthesise sources, making it even more critical for websites to be clear, authoritative, and up-to-date to be referenced by these engines.
- Opportunity for Brand Visibility: When AI tools cite sources or provide links, well-optimised sites stand a better chance of being surfaced and recommended—even if the journey looks different than a traditional search.
Crucially, none of these developments change the underlying requirements for SEO success. If your content is structured, relevant, and authoritative, it will be found—by Bing, by Google, and by the AI platforms that rely on them.
Google’s Response to ChatGPT
Currently available in the USA, Google has launched “AI Mode”. This is a fully interactive and conversational style chat interface directly in the Google Search page, allowing users to use Google Search in the same way that they are currently using ChatGPT.
This new feature is obviously designed to combat loss of engagement in the search platform where revenue is generated through winning Ad clicks. Watch out for this feature in your search window as it rolls out globally in coming months.
The battle for the user’s attention is one that each search platform will fight hard to retain.
Stay the Course with Smart SEO
While the partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft may have shifted the balance of where and how search queries are resolved, it has not rewritten the rules of SEO. The best way to ensure your content is surfaced by ChatGPT, Bing, Google, or any future platform is to continue following SEO best practices—optimise for clarity, authority, and user value, no matter the channel.
In other words: smart, multi-platform SEO was always the right path. The rise of AI-powered search simply underscores the wisdom of a strategy that never put all its eggs in one basket. For web creators, marketers, and businesses, the mission remains the same—create great content, and make it easy to find. The rest will follow.
