{"id":20549,"date":"2026-04-14T07:34:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T07:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ikp.at\/?p=20549"},"modified":"2026-04-14T07:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T07:35:32","slug":"who-needs-google-anymore-when-chatgpt-has-the-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ikp.at\/en\/blog\/know-how-en\/who-needs-google-anymore-when-chatgpt-has-the-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"Who needs Google anymore when ChatGPT has the answers?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Julia Ruff, Senior Consultant and Head of Digital Innovation & AI at ikp Vienna, discusses in the ikp Expert Talk how search behavior is changing due to AI tools and what role Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) will play in the future for PR, content, and visibility.<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you find that clients are explicitly asking for GEO optimization\u2014or does the initiative still come from the agency?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Julia Ruff: AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and others are (for now) here to stay. Many clients have now realized that this new wave of AI is not a passing trend. Of course, we mustn\u2019t overlook the fact that Google still dominates with nearly 80% of all digital search queries worldwide<\/a>. Nevertheless, with a share of 17% of search queries, ChatGPT is becoming an increasingly important alternative to classic Google Search\u2014and the signs point to growth.<\/p>\n

Users\u2019 search behavior is changing; therefore, it\u2019s also important for companies to consider how to design their content so that it\u2019s found and read by AI and cited as a trustworthy source in the answers. We\u2019re also noticing this in the increased inquiries from existing and new clients. A fitting quote from usability pioneer Jakob Nielsen: \u201cBeing ignored by AI is like being on page two of a Google SERP in the old days.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

How is GEO changing the way PR texts and press releases should be written?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Julia Ruff: PR texts must be much more structured, fact-based, and precisely worded\u2014moving away from unnecessary marketing jargon toward numbers, data, and facts. AI systems prefer content that is clearly structured and understandable and, ideally, directly answers the user\u2019s search intent. This means: fewer clich\u00e9s, more substance. Content that sounds too sales-y, too generic, or\u2014worse yet\u2014too AI-generated, gets penalized. Of course, the goal isn\u2019t to strip texts of all creativity and deliver only cold, hard facts\u2014high-quality content remains the top priority. But for the target audience to even notice a creative headline or feel engaged by a pointed metaphor, content must first pass the test of the new gatekeeper: AI.<\/p>\n

What types of content or formats are preferred by AI search engines?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Julia Ruff: AI language models prefer content that is structured and trustworthy and from which data can be easily extracted. This primarily includes:<\/p>\n