Turns out building on old foundations isn't always smart...

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ChatGPT is copying Google's hard work (and why that matters)

I've been diving into some fascinating research lately.

And it's completely changed how you should think about the future of search.

Two SEOs focusing on AEO - Kasim Aslam and Aleyda Solis - just dropped some bombshell findings about how AI search actually works.

The short version? ChatGPT is basically using Google's hard work to provide answers to its user base.

The Plot Twist

Here's what blew my mind: According to Kasim’s research, OpenAI's ChatGPT shows a 40-70% overlap with Google search results. Perplexity is even higher.

But Google’s Gemini? Only 25% overlap.

Why? Because Google's Gemini crawls the web directly while ChatGPT relies heavily on crawling Google's search result snippets.

Aleyda proved this with a brilliant test. She published a new page, didn't submit it anywhere, and watched what happened:

• ChatGPT couldn't find it until Google indexed it

• Gemini found it immediately by crawling directly

• Once Google indexed the page, ChatGPT started using Google's snippet text word-for-word

What This Actually Means

We're witnessing the shift from searching to asking.

And it changes everything we know about SEO.

Traditional SEO was about getting one of ten blue links. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about being THE answer.

There's no second place when an AI gives one response.

The New Rules

58.5% of searches now end without a click. Often times, AI just answers the question directly.

This isn't coming. It's here.

The winners in this new world aren't the big aggregators we're used to seeing dominate search results. They're often smaller, local companies with clear, authoritative content.

What Actually Works Now

Schema markup is everything. But it has to be baked into your content. 

Brand mentions are becoming the new backlinks. AI systems evaluate entities, not just keywords.

Structure and clarity matter more than keyword density ever did.

Who Benefits Most

E-commerce, local businesses, healthcare, education, travel, and individual experts are seeing the biggest wins.

Why? Because AI systems favor meritocratic, user-driven content over corporate SEO games.

The Irony

Here's what's really interesting: Google built the infrastructure that everyone else is now trying to use.

OpenAI is essentially providing its answers on top of Google's foundation.

Meanwhile, Google has both the search infrastructure AND their own direct crawling system with Gemini.

That's a pretty strong position to be in.

What This Means for You

If you're still optimizing for ten blue links, you're optimizing for the past.

Start thinking about being the definitive answer to your customers' questions.

Make your content clear, structured, and authoritative.

Use schema markup properly.

Build your brand mentions and entity recognition.

Because in a world where AI gives one answer, you want to be that answer.

The search revolution isn't coming.

It's already here.

To Your Measured Success!

–Jeff Sauer
Co-Founder of MeasureU


P.S. I've created three ways to help you succeed, depending on how much support you need:

1) Join our FREE Community: Get instant access to the MeasureU resource library, growth tools, and a network of forward-thinking measurement marketers.

2) MeasureU Accelerator: Join our live sessions multiple times per week where our team of 20+ mentors personally guides you through implementing measurement marketing systems that scale.

3) Done-For-You Solutions: Let our expert team build custom measurement systems that increase your marketing profit and help you scale without adding overhead.

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