ChatGPT has 1.2 billion weekly active users, with one-fifth of Google’s search volume

The latest data shows that ChatGPT has reached 1.2 billion weekly active users, and the search volume it handles is equivalent to one-fifth of Google Search’s. This scale makes conversational search a development worth watching in search engine optimization (SEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO).

This comparison reflects the volume of information queries handled by ChatGPT. However, weekly active users and search volume measure different things, so they cannot be used to directly estimate how frequently users search. Search volume reaching one-fifth of Google’s does not mean that the two have the same ratio in terms of user numbers or market share.

Information Access and Product Discovery Paths in Focus

For content publishers and merchants that rely on search channels to attract visitors, the impact of conversational search may first be felt in how information is presented: when users get information through question-and-answer interactions, whether they go on to visit relevant pages and how they discover products may affect how content and products reach them.

For SEO professionals, in addition to monitoring page performance in traditional search results, it is also important to pay attention to how relevant information is presented in conversational answers. For GEO professionals, the focus may be on whether content can be accurately understood and cited by generative systems.

However, weekly active users and search volume alone are not enough to infer specific changes in website traffic or product conversions. Going forward, it will be useful to continue monitoring how the relevant data is measured, as well as how conversational search is actually used to access information and discover products.