I’ll tell you something funny. I’m an SEO specialist, but yet I hardly use Google anymore.
Many search marketers I speak with tell me something similar:
“When I use Google, it’s mostly just to check how my clients appear”
Instead, I use ChatGPT search. Its new feature automatically pulls up-to-date information from the web, providing direct answers along with citations. This is quicker than manually checking search results one by one. (If you’ve recently asked ChatGPT something, you’ve probably used this feature without even realising it!)
Early days for ChatGPT Search:
- Oct ’24: Launched for paying users
- Dec ’24: Expanded to all logged-in users
- Feb ’25: Made available publicly
Have you tried it yet? Next time you have a question for Google, try both to compare!
Current adoption of AI-powered Search
Is this new approach gaining traction? Search marketers are very unrepresentative of most users, so it was great to finally see concrete data in Rand Fishkin’s blog post, comparing market share of search engines and AI tools.
Key findings:
- Surprisingly Google searches grew by 20% last year.
- Search-like queries on AI tools (like ChatGPT) still account for less than 1% of traditional search volume.
So there’s no need to panic if you currently rely heavily on Google. Besides, it’s not yet clear how OpenAI will eventually monetise ChatGPT Search – it might even end up behind a paywall.
All of that said, I think the growth rate is far more interesting than the current adoption numbers. I’m curious how these numbers will look six months from now.
Especially in the education sector, because younger audiences tend to be the first ones to adopt new behaviours.
How can education marketers prepare?
There are a few straightforward and practical steps you can take right away:
- Include specific statistics and quotes in your articles and content
- Ensure your brand and key topics appear on influential AI training sources, like Reddit
- Keep prioritising clarity and authenticity. Human stories and clear, structured content will position you well for both SEO and AI discoverability.
Good news: these actions are already good marketing and SEO practices. You’re probably halfway there!
Recommended resources
- Ahrefs: How to optimize content for LLMs
- Rand Fishkin’s data comparing ChatGPT vs. Google usage
- Chapter 9 in my book “Genuinely Helpful” explores AI search, too (Happy to see our predictions holding strong half a year later!)
That’s all for this update!
I hope I sparked some ideas on how you might position your school or university successfully if (or when!) search behaviours shift.
