Reddit Just Got Removed From ChatGPT — and Its Stock Tanked. Here’s What It Teaches Us About SEO, AEO, and the Future of Digital Visibility

A few weeks ago, Reddit was riding high.

The platform made up 14% of ChatGPT’s citations, meaning when OpenAI’s model pulled in sources for its answers, Reddit was everywhere. Investors loved it. Traffic surged. Reddit was suddenly seen as AI’s go-to source for human insights — a goldmine of authentic data in a sea of SEO spam.

Fast forward to this week… and the tide has turned.

Reddit seems to be almost completely removed from ChatGPT citations.

The result? Reddit’s stock dropped 9.5%, plunging as much as 12% in pre-market trading after studies revealed the decline.

So — what’s happening here?
And more importantly: Can SEO, AEO, or even Google’s algorithms really influence the stock market?

Let’s unpack it.

Key Takeaways

• Reddit’s visibility in ChatGPT dropped from 14% to near zero — and its stock price followed.

• This event highlights a new reality: AI visibility (AEO) may soon be as powerful as SEO.

• Digital exposure equals investor confidence. When brands lose visibility, value can fall.

• Businesses must now think beyond Google — and start optimising for AI ecosystems.

• The next wave of SEO is about being the source AI trusts.

1. Reddit’s Fall: A Case Study in Digital Dependency

Let’s start with the numbers.

Reddit’s IPO earlier this year was buoyed by its integration with OpenAI — a data licensing deal that made Reddit content a training source for ChatGPT. Investors took that as a sign Reddit was future-proofed in the age of AI.

But when ChatGPT’s citations suddenly stopped surfacing Reddit threads, traders noticed.

Within hours, Reddit’s stock fell nearly 10%. That’s billions in market value — gone because of visibility loss in a digital product.

This isn’t just a Reddit problem. It’s a wake-up call for every content-driven business.

When your brand’s visibility depends on an algorithm — whether it’s Google, Meta, or OpenAI — you’re not just in the content business.
You’re in the algorithmic economy.

2. The Rise of AEO: From Search Engines to Answer Engines

For two decades, we’ve obsessed over SEO — optimising for how humans search.

But ChatGPT doesn’t “search.” It answers.

That shift from search engine optimisation (SEO) to answer engine optimisation (AEO) is rewriting the playbook.

Brands used to ask:

“How do we rank on page one of Google?”

Now they’re asking

“How do we become a trusted source on ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude reference?”

AEO is about visibility inside AI-generated responses — the new “page one.”

And if Reddit’s stock crash tells us anything, it’s this: AEO visibility can directly affect real-world market value.

For a deeper dive into this concept, check out Search Engine Journal’s guide on the rise of AEO.

3. When Algorithms Influence Markets

Here’s where things get fascinating (and a little scary).

We’ve known for years that Google updates — like Panda, Penguin, or Helpful Content — could devastate businesses overnight.

But now, AI citation algorithms might carry the same power.

When Reddit was cited frequently by ChatGPT, it signalled credibility.
When those citations vanished, it signalled irrelevance.

Investors didn’t see the nuance — they saw a drop in AI visibility.

And in today’s market, digital visibility = perceived value.

It’s no longer just about SEO rankings. It’s about algorithmic trust across every ecosystem — from Google to OpenAI.

For context, you can track Reddit’s stock performance data on Statista.

4. What This Means for Marketers and Brands

Here’s the bottom line:
You can’t control every algorithm — but you can control your discoverability.

To prepare for this new AI-driven visibility era:

Diversify your presence. Don’t rely solely on one platform (Google, Meta, or OpenAI).

Invest in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust). AI models use these signals to decide what to cite.

Optimise for AI summaries. Structure content with clarity, schema markup, and credibility.

Monitor AI citations. Tools like Perplexity’s sources or ChatGPT’s browsing summaries offer early visibility clues.

Stay adaptable. AI algorithms will evolve faster than Google’s ever did.

The marketers who thrive will be those who understand:

Visibility in AI ecosystems isn’t just traffic — it’s reputation, trust, and even stock value.

If you want to prepare your business for this shift, start by reading our guide to AI and the Future of Digital Marketing or learn how to boost discoverability with our SEO for Australian Businesses.

The Bottom Line

Reddit’s tumble isn’t just about stock volatility.
It’s a preview of what happens when AI visibility disappears.

SEO built the web economy.
AEO will shape the AI economy.

And in this new landscape, brands that master algorithmic visibility — not just on Google, but across AI models — will lead the next digital revolution.

So ask yourself:
If ChatGPT stopped citing your brand tomorrow — would anyone notice?

Now’s the time to make sure the answer is yes.