There’s no question: ChatGPT is reshaping how people search, discover, and decide. What started as a curiosity is now a fully-fledged AI search engine, integrated into the daily habits of millions — especially after the February 2024 update that introduced native search to all users.
At OtterlyAI, we built our platform to help marketing teams not just react to this shift, but lead it — by tracking and optimizing their brand’s visibility in AI-generated answers.
So we asked: Who’s already winning the AI search race in Germany?
To find out, we analyzed the most popular German search prompts in ChatGPT and measured which websites are being cited most often — essentially, which domains are the most visible and trusted in this new search landscape.
Today, we’re thrilled to release The State of German ChatGPT, our first country-specific study on the most visible websites in ChatGPT’s German results.
And what we found was fascinating.
PS: Stay tuned for the upcoming reports on:
- The State of US ChatGPT – the most visible US websites on ChatGPT
- The State of UK ChatGPT – the most visible UK websites on ChatGPT
- …and many more countries
Editorial Feature: The State of German ChatGPT – Key Insights from the 2025 Study
In this first-of-its-kind analysis, OtterlyAI uncovered which German websites dominate ChatGPT’s AI-generated answers. Here’s what we did and what we learned.
We studied the most common German-language search prompts and analyzed link citations within ChatGPT’s responses. The goal? Identify which websites are most visible — the ones ChatGPT turns to when generating factual or helpful content for users.
🇩🇪 The Top 10 Most Visible German Domains on ChatGPT
Key Takeaways on the Top German Websites on ChatGPT
1. Trust Over Traffic: Only 26% of the websites most visited in Germany (per SimilarWeb) also appear in ChatGPT’s top 50. That means high website traffic ≠ high AI visibility.
2. Wikipedia Still Rules: Unsurprisingly, Wikipedia leads — it’s structured, factual, and always fresh. A model for AI-friendly content.
3. News, Weather & Public Info Dominate: Weather portals, news sites, public media (like ZDF, Tagesschau), and consumer advice platforms are all over the top 50.
4. Tech Giants Are Missing: No Google. No YouTube. No Meta. No Amazon. These traffic behemoths rarely get cited — likely because they provide access, not information.
5. Localization Matters: Regional publishers like NDR and MDR perform surprisingly well. ChatGPT’s results are becoming more local — and that’s a big opportunity for regionally relevant content.
Comparing ChatGPT with Top Visited Websites
We then compared those German Websites on ChatGPT with the most visited German Websites on the Internet. As a source, we used Similarweb and their data on the most visited German Websites (see source).
Here’s what we found.
Interestingly enough, there’s a 26% overlap between the top 50 most visited German Websites and the Top 50 German Websites on ChatGPT.
But….who’s missing on ChatGPT?
- Tech & search platforms: google.com, google.de, bing.com, duckduckgo.com, yahoo.com
- Social media: facebook.com, instagram.com, linkedin.com, x.com (Twitter), tiktok.com, whatsapp.com
- E-commerce & services: amazon.de, ebay.de, otto.de, temu.com, paypal.com, dhl.de, idealo.de
- Entertainment: youtube.com, netflix.com, twitch.tv
Download Full Study
👉 Want the full study on the most visible websites on ChatGPT? Download the State of ChatGPT Germany here:
What This Means for Brands
If you’re serious about earning visibility in AI-generated answers, clicks aren’t enough. You need content that’s structured, credible, and answer-focused.
📌 OtterlyAI’s Top 5 Recommendations:
- Be a Source, Not Just a Site. Create content that teaches, explains, and cites well.
- Update Frequently. Fresh content wins — daily or hourly updates improve citation chances.
- Prioritize Topical Authority. Own your niche with depth and clarity.
- Think Like an AI. Structure your content to be easily summarized, cited, and trusted.
- Go Local When It Makes Sense. If you serve specific regions, lean into that.
Ready to See Where Your Brand Stands?
OtterlyAI can track your citation performance across ChatGPT and other AI search engines — and help you climb those ranks with precision.
👉 Download the full report: The State of German ChatGPT