What is the first step to rank in Claude AI?

The first step is to create a neutral, Wikipedia-style site with a .wiki domain. Charles Floate used charlesfloate.wiki, and it ranked higher than his decade-old blogs because Claude favors that format.

Why does Claude distrust SEO content?

Claude's system prompt explicitly groups SEO content with conspiracy theories and warns the model to distrust it. Anthropic programmed this because they believe large amounts of SEO content can be forcibly optimized and lack credibility.

How many sources does Claude pull per query compared to ChatGPT?

Claude pulls only 5-6 sources per query, while ChatGPT pulls 18-30. This makes it easier to be cited in Claude because there are fewer slots to compete for.

Can I use the same SEO tactics for Google to rank in Claude?

No. Standard Google SEO tactics like keyword stuffing, backlinks, and listicles often hurt your chances in Claude. You must use neutral, factual content in formats Claude trusts, like wiki pages or changelogs.

How do I know if my audience uses Claude enough to warrant this strategy?

Use SparkToro to identify where your audience queries AI. Charles found that 92% of his audience uses ChatGPT, so he focuses there first. Only invest in Claude ranking if a significant portion of your customers uses it.

How to Rank #1 in Claude: Charles Floate's Strategies

Q: What tool does Charles Floate use to track rankings in Claude?

Charles uses Amplitude, custom TypeScript tracking with dedicated proxies, and anti-detect browsers. He creates persona profiles to see how Claude responds to different user types.

01What How to Rank in Claude Means and How It Works

How to rank in Claude means optimizing your content so that Anthropic's Claude AI retrieves and cites your pages in its answers. It is not like Google SEO. Claude uses a system prompt that tells the model which sources to trust and which to distrust.

Charles Floate reverse-engineered Claude's system prompt by joining red-teaming and prompt injection communities. He discovered that Claude's prompt contains a specific line that groups SEO content with conspiracy theories—both are flagged as untrustworthy. This means standard SEO tactics can actually hurt your chances.

Instead, Claude prefers neutral, factual sources like Wikipedia, changelogs, and developer documentation. To rank, you need to match the format and trust signals Claude is trained to favor.

02Claude's System Prompt and Why It Distrusts SEO Content

Anthropic released a public version of Claude's system prompt, but it was incomplete. The full prompt includes instructions on web retrieval and tool use. One paragraph explicitly warns the model to distrust "large amounts of SEO content" because it can be forcibly optimized.

The same line also mentions conspiracy theories. Charles found this linking of SEO with misinformation shocking. The prompt tells Claude to prefer changelogs, Wikipedia, developer sites, and the brand's own core pages instead.

This means if you write a typical SEO blog post full of keywords and backlinks, Claude may ignore or even penalize you. The model is trained to see that pattern as manipulation, not authority.

03Set Up a Wiki Site to Rank in Claude

Register a domain with the format yourbrand.wiki. Charles uses charlesfloate.wiki, and it ranks higher than his decade-old blogs.
Replicate the Wikipedia style: neutral tone, citations, factual claims, no promotional language.
Structure the content as mini-encyclopedia entries, not blog posts or listicles.
Keep the site only a few pages. Claude doesn't need a huge site to trust it.
Do not add tracking pixels, affiliate links, or any obvious SEO signals. Claude may detect them as optimization.
Update the wiki occasionally with new, verifiable facts. Claude checks for freshness but values stability.

04How to Use the Strategy with Examples from the Episode

Charles demonstrated by searching for himself in Claude. The AI returned charlesfloate.wiki first, even though that domain is only a few months old. His older blog posts, years old, were not cited.

This shows the power of format over age. He recommends you create a wiki page for your entity, your company, or your niche topic. Write about yourself neutrally, like a third-party encyclopedia.

Include links to credible external sources that back your claims. Avoid calling yourself "the best" or "number one." Claude's algorithm tracks consistency across lists. If you write ten listicles and put yourself at the top of every one, Claude will demote you.

Instead, vary your position and mix in competitors.

Charles also shared how to track your rankings in Claude. He uses Amplitude, custom tracking with TypeScript, dedicated proxies, and anti-detect browsers. He creates persona profiles—for example, a middle-aged man in New York interested in cars and whiskey.

He interacts with ChatGPT (and Claude) over months, building the persona. Then he reverse-engineers what content Claude pulls for that persona versus a different one, like a woman in Thailand. This shows how Claude personalizes results, so you must test multiple personas.

05Results and Comparisons: Claude vs. ChatGPT

Charles tracks citations across both models. Claude pulls only 5-6 sources per query. ChatGPT pulls between 18 and 30 sources.

This difference gives you a much higher probability of being cited in Claude. With fewer slots, you stand out more if you optimize correctly. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is easier to manipulate—it often accepts made-up claims as fact.

But Charles notes that ChatGPT is also moving toward stricter verification. Claude already penalizes over-optimization. For example, if you consistently rank yourself number one in all your listicles, Claude marks you down or ignores you.

Charles spoke with Jabez Rubin who confirmed this behavior. The lesson: diversify your claims and associations.

Charles also compared Claude to Google Gemini. He finds Gemini easier to manipulate, similar to ChatGPT. Claude is currently the hardest to trick because of its system prompt's explicit distrust of SEO.

He expects other models to follow suit. The gap between easy-to-rank and hard-to-rank AI platforms is widening, so early adaptation to Claude's rules gives you an advantage.

06Tips, Limits, and Mistakes to Avoid

Do not over-optimize. Claude's system prompt flags heavy SEO as untrustworthy. Keep your content neutral and factual.
Avoid making the same claim across multiple pages. If you say you are the best everywhere, Claude will ignore you.
Do not target only Claude. Use tools like SparkToro to check where your audience actually queries. Charles says SparkToro shows 92% of his audience in ChatGPT, only 5% in Claude. Focus on the dominant platform first.
Limit your wiki site to a few pages. A large, link-heavy site looks like SEO spam to Claude.
Do not copy Wikipedia articles verbatim. Claude may detect duplicate content. Write original, verifiable facts.
Watch out for personalization. Claude's results differ per user profile. Track with multiple persona profiles, not just your own.

07Who This Strategy Is For and Why It Matters

This strategy is for any business or individual who wants to appear in Claude's answers. If your target audience uses Claude frequently, you cannot rely on Google SEO alone. The old tactic of flooding the web with keyword-stuffed articles will hurt you in Claude.

Instead, you need to match Claude's trust signals: neutral format, cited facts, and entity-based wiki pages. Charles emphasizes that AI ranking is becoming a separate discipline from Google SEO. He calls it ASEO (AI Search Engine Optimization).

As more people use Claude for research, product recommendations, and expert opinions, being cited there becomes valuable. Early adopters of wiki-style content will dominate the 5-6 citation slots Claude offers per query. Ignoring this shift means losing visibility to competitors who adapt.