ChatGPT: Use of "site:" surged to 16-17% on August 8

According to Promptwatch, the share of ChatGPT searches including the operator "site:" reached 16–17% on August 8, after weeks of hovering between 0.3% and 0.5%. The same tracking reported, on August 18, a reduced reliance on Reddit in these queries. These data only cover the queries where the tracking tool was activated. OpenAI announced the GPT-5.6 Sol update for Plus and Pro subscribers on August 6, which was presented as more reliable in terms of facts and more targeted.

Promptwatch reports less Reddit and notes the limited scope

On August 18, Promptwatch reported that searches conducted by ChatGPT seem to rely on Reddit much less frequently. The publisher further clarifies that its figures only pertain to the queries for which its automated tracking is activated, which limits the scope of these observations.

The use of "site:" jumps to 16–17% on August 8

According to Promptwatch's tracking, the share of ChatGPT search queries containing the operator "site:" fluctuated between 0.3% and 0.5% for weeks, before briefly dropping to 0.15% from August 3 to 5. It then reached 16–17% on August 8. This change is described as aligned with the deployment of GPT-5.6 earlier in the month.

OpenAI updates GPT-5.6 Sol and Promptwatch maps the response

OpenAI announced the GPT-5.6 Sol update in chat for Plus and Pro users on August 6, indicating a goal of increased reliability on facts and more targeted responses. Meanwhile, Promptwatch, a player in the emerging field of "Generative Engine Optimization," automates the tracking of responses in chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and publishes aggregated reports for content purposes. This positioning and these tools aim to help websites increase their visibility in the responses of conversational assistants.