By Jonathan Baker The advances in search—courtesy of GenAI and ChatGPT—have changed the rules of online content. These AI innovations demand fresh site content in everything from webpages to earned media. The rules are no longer about content creation, but continued curation. Supporting Statistics With generative engines and chatbots dominating today’s search landscape, brands must go farther to not only achieve but maintain visibility. And brands are getting the message: A study published in e-Marketer noted that over 70 percent of pages cited by ChatGPT have been updated within the last year. Going further, content to 60 percent of commercial pages was updated within six months. The message is clearly defined in this graph: The conclusion: The shorter the time gap in refreshing online content, the greater the chances of being discovered. Going from one extreme to the other… Older Content = Becoming Invisible Websites that have not been updated or refreshed in more than the space of one year have a 50 percent chance of being cited by ChatGPT. (Translation: These sites will get lost in the shuffle of those that are refreshed regularly and frequently.) Time and Effort So, the direction is clear: Online content must be updated often to remain discoverable in ChatGPT- and GenAI-powered searches. The leads to a question brand and business owners will ask: “My team and I are busy enough. How can we oversee and curate our website and other content?” Fortunately, there are answers that require minimum time and effort: Automatic revisions: Fittingly, in the age of AI search, AI workflows may be implemented to update content on a periodic basis. Organization of highly relevant content: Brand and business owners should analyze webpages that are most likely to appear in search, placing them at the top of content to be updated. Schedule small changes: Rather than a single giant website overhaul, regularly scheduled updates of several pages at one time relieves pressure and increases productivity of keeping online content fresh—and findable. Takeaway With the advent of AI-powered search, the days of “one and done” online content creation are over. The new era requires fresh web pages that must be refreshed regularly. Take an honest look at the online presence of your brand or business. Then check its click-through rate. If figures are down, updates are needed. Don’t get lost in the new era of search. The EGC Group can help. Visit our Web Builder Pro page to get an idea of our expertise in online development. Then, contact us to find out how we can help.
