Has ChatGPT just changed the rules of AI SEO overnight?

New data from Promptwatch suggests that Reddit's share of visible citations in ChatGPT Search has fallen by around 86% in a matter of days – a dramatic shift for a platform that had become one of the most talked-about sources in AI search optimisation.

In this episode of The AI and Marketing Podcast for Local Businesses, Adam and Josh break down what happened, why ChatGPT may suddenly be citing Reddit far less frequently, and whether the explosion of Reddit marketing and manufactured brand mentions could have played a role.

They also explore what the change tells us about the wider world of AI search. If ChatGPT can dramatically change the sources it cites almost overnight, should businesses really be building strategies around individual AI SEO "hacks"?

Adam and Josh discuss the risks of relying too heavily on Reddit, how ChatGPT may choose which businesses and sources to trust, why Google AI Overviews and AI Mode appear to be behaving differently, and what local businesses can do to build more sustainable visibility across AI search.

Most importantly, they explain why the long-term winners may not be businesses trying to manipulate the latest AI ranking factor, but those building genuine authority across reviews, PR, trusted websites, industry publications, directories, social platforms, their own website and real customer conversations.

If you want to understand how to get your business mentioned, cited or recommended by ChatGPT, and how AI search optimisation is changing in 2026, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

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