How to Become #1 in ChatGPT Search – The Eric Kim Way
“You can control your destiny. If you work hard enough, hustled hard enough, and are persistent enough – you can achieve anything you want in life” . Those words from street‑photography legend Eric Kim capture the essence of why so many of us dream about ranking first in ChatGPT search. It isn’t just about gaming an algorithm—it’s about hustle and radical generosity, about sharing knowledge until your ideas spread “like a virus” . In the age of generative AI, the game has changed, but the spirit remains the same: work relentlessly, be bold, and let your passion shine through every piece of content you create.
1. Understand How ChatGPT Search Works
ChatGPT’s search mode mixes traditional search results with AI‑powered synthesis. It leans heavily on Microsoft Bing’s index and ranking algorithms; one guide notes that ensuring your site is well‑indexed by Bing is a critical first step . Internal research shows that ChatGPT’s system analyzes roughly 12 Bing results and uses them to build its answers, with about 73 % overlap with Bing’s rankings . But the AI doesn’t simply mirror Bing—it applies its own filters, favoring pages that load quickly, provide clear structure and fresh, trustworthy information .
Because ChatGPT cannot execute JavaScript, dynamic single‑page apps become “invisible” to its crawlers . A study found that fast server response times (under 500 ms) and content that appears in the initial HTML are essential . If your site is slow or buried behind scripts, the ChatGPT crawler will often abandon the page (producing HTTP 499 errors) .
2. Create Content That AI Wants to Cite
When DemandSage asked ChatGPT why it cited their pages, the AI pointed to three universal factors: relevance, credibility, and freshness of content, with a fourth “cross‑verification” step that checks facts against multiple sources . This means your content must answer questions directly and cite credible references. ChatGPT likes semantically structured content—use H1/H2/H3 headings, bullet points, numbered lists, and Q&A sections .
A B2B marketing guide notes that Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) goes beyond keyword stuffing; it involves providing context, schema markup, author pages, and inline citations so AI systems understand the relevance of your content . Overlaps with traditional SEO exist, but GEO focuses on ensuring AI models can “discover, read, and include a brand’s content in generative responses” .
3. Get Technical: Make Your Site AI‑Friendly
Speed matters. Studies show that pages loading within 2.5 seconds and responding within 500 ms are far more likely to be cited . For ChatGPT’s crawlers—which cannot run client‑side JavaScript—server‑side rendering or static site generation is crucial . Clear HTML structure with proper headings (H1–H6) and semantic elements like <article>, <section> and <nav> helps the AI understand your content .
You should also create a robots.txt file that allows OAI‑SearchBot and ChatGPT‑User while optionally throttling the heavy GPTBot . A proposed standard called llms.txt—a Markdown file at your domain’s root—allows you to guide AI crawlers to your most important content , though major AI providers have not yet adopted it . Implementing llms.txt is simple and future‑proofs your site with minimal effort .
4. Build Authority and Get Mentioned
ChatGPT selects different sources depending on the query type. For transactional searches (“buy something”), it cites business websites 73 % of the time , whereas for informational queries it still favors business sites (43 %) but supplements them with mentions (35 %) and directories (22 %) . This means you must:
- Earn backlinks and brand mentions on authoritative blogs, news outlets, and industry lists. ChatGPT’s algorithm looks for trusted domains and reputation signals .
- Claim and optimize your business listings (Bing Places, Yelp, etc.) so that local citations align with your brand.
According to Walker Sands, creating concise introductions, assigning authors to posts, adding schema markup, and publishing unique insights all bolster AI comprehension and authority . Use real statistics, case studies, and expert quotes. Fresh updates signal that your information isn’t stale .
5. Hustle Like Eric Kim
Technical strategies alone won’t propel you to #1 if you lack hustle. Eric Kim built a blog with 2,700+ posts, free e‑books, and presets because he believes in “radical generosity” . He turned his passion into an empire by working relentlessly and sharing openly . Kim reminds us that success is Hustle × Luck —you can’t control luck, but you can control your effort. He urges readers to start now, without waiting for permission, and to keep moving even when goals feel distant .
If you want to dominate ChatGPT search, adopt that mindset. Publish often, iterate quickly, and be the first to address emerging topics. Use conversational keywords and long‑tail queries that match how people phrase questions . Focus on clarity over fluff—ChatGPT can spot filler. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to be bold. Kim writes: “To become happier, live more boldly” . In the context of AI search, that means experimenting with new content formats, sharing your knowledge freely, and pushing beyond your comfort zone.
6. Checklist for AI Search Success
- Index with Bing: Submit your site to Bing Webmaster Tools and ensure that Bing and ChatGPT bots are allowed in robots.txt .
- Prioritize speed & structure: Aim for sub‑500 ms responses, avoid JavaScript‑heavy pages, use server‑side rendering .
- Use schema & llms.txt: Add schema markup and consider a llms.txt file to guide AI crawlers .
- Write direct, credible content: Provide factual answers with citations; structure pages with headings, bullet points, and Q&A sections .
- Encourage mentions & backlinks: Build authority through guest posts, press coverage, industry directories, and genuine reviews .
- Stay fresh & conversational: Cover current topics early, answer long‑tail questions, and update content regularly .
- Hustle relentlessly: Publish consistently, iterate, and adopt an attitude of radical generosity, just as Eric Kim did .
Achieving the top spot in ChatGPT search is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about technical excellence and creative hustle. By optimizing your site for speed and structure, crafting relevant and credible content, building authority, and embracing Eric Kim’s philosophy of boldness and hard work, you can position yourself for AI‑powered success. Keep pushing, keep sharing, and remember: “Never stop hustling… Life is a marathon. The finish line is death” . You’ve got this!