Real-Time AI Search, Schema Strategies, and SEMrush Hidden Gems: What SEO Pros Should Know This Week

From OpenAI’s latest move into real-time search to underrated SEMrush features and powerful schema applications, this week’s developments are shaping how marketers strategize, optimize, and future-proof their websites.

Here’s a roundup of what’s new, and what to do about it.

ChatGPT Search Launches With Bing-Powered Results

OpenAI has officially launched a new real-time search feature in ChatGPT for Plus and Team users, signaling a major step toward AI-integrated browsing. The new functionality is powered by Bing’s index, confirming the deepening collaboration between Microsoft and OpenAI.

Key Implications:

• To rank in ChatGPT Search, make sure your site is set up and verified in Bing Webmaster Tools.
• OpenAI’s crawlers now include OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT-User, and GPTBot. You can allow or disallow each individually via robots.txt.

Action Item:

Review and update your robots.txt file based on how you want AI crawlers to access your site. Ensure Bing optimization is part of your broader SEO strategy.

Halloween Update Spooks the SERPs

Reports across the SEO community suggest a significant Google algorithm update around Halloween. While not officially confirmed, visibility tools like SimilarWeb and Semrush detected heightened volatility across search rankings.

What to Watch:

• Keep an eye on ranking drops or gains from late October to early November.
• Analyze impacted pages to understand whether content quality, technical health, or E-E-A-T signals might be involved.

Action Item:

Flag any unusual traffic swings in client reports and prepare for possible reversals or follow-up adjustments based on volatility trends.

4 Underrated SEMrush Features That Deserve a Second Look

Brian Mini shares four overlooked SEMrush tools that can sharpen your SEO strategy:

Internal LinkRank (ILR)

Located in the Site Audit crawl report, ILR helps identify pages that lack strong internal linking. This means not just orphaned pages, but those missing valuable link equity as well.

Backlink Analytics

A step beyond backlink audits, this tool highlights positive backlink growth, including authority score trends and high-value referring domains.

Topic Research

This Content Marketing tool generates SEO-friendly blog topics with built-in search volume, keyword difficulty, and “Topic Efficiency” scores—perfect for content ideation.

Local Keyword Data

Always filter keyword research by city or state to get realistic insights for local clients. National volume can skew expectations for region-specific campaigns.

Action Item:

Add at least one of these features into your weekly workflow and client reporting for a more comprehensive SEO deliverable.

ChromeGPT and the Rise of AI Assistants in Browsers

In tandem with ChatGPT Search, a Chrome extension called ChromeGPT has also launched. These advancements suggest we’re inching closer to an internet where AI becomes the user’s default navigation layer.

Action Item:

Begin optimizing your content for AI readability and summarization. Use clear headers, concise answers, structured data, and schema markup to increase the likelihood of inclusion in AI-generated overviews.

Using Webpage Schema to Capture SEO Wins

When your content doesn’t clearly qualify for Product, Article, or FAQ schema—don’t skip structured data. According to Alex Chefalo, the catch-all WebPage Schema is a powerful tool for enhancing SEO even when page content is mixed or unconventional.

Examples of combining schema types:

• WebPage + FAQ
• WebPage + Review
• WebPage + Video Object
• WebPage + Software Application

Action Item:

Start integrating WebPage schema on mixed-content pages. Use free schema tools to generate markup and embed directly in the header HTML.

Final Takeaways

With OpenAI shaping search behavior, Bing reemerging as a critical SEO channel, and Google shaking up the SERPs again, the SEO landscape is entering yet another phase of transformation. To keep your strategy sharp:

• Optimize for Bing as aggressively as you do for Google.
• Audit your internal links and local keyword assumptions.
• Make schema part of every page build—especially when no clear template fits.
• Use tools like SEMrush more creatively to unearth insights clients value.

And don’t forget: meaningful SEO isn’t just about reacting to updates. It’s about proactively shaping experiences that AI, algorithms, and users all trust.