DeepSeek

DeepSeek is an open-weights AI company whose models power a fast-growing search and chat product. It is a notable new surface in AI search, especially in markets where cost or local-language performance make US models less practical.

For SEO, DeepSeek matters because it has its own retrieval, its own citation biases, and its own growing user base. A complete AI search strategy tracks DeepSeek alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

Why DeepSeek matters for SEO

• It has a fast-growing user base in technical and academic communities
• It is often the default AI assistant in markets where cost matters
• Its retrieval and citation biases differ from ChatGPT and Perplexity
• Its open-weights nature means more derivative products, more reach

How to optimize for DeepSeek

• The same fundamentals apply: server-rendered HTML, schema markup, clear passages, E-E-A-T signals
• Track DeepSeek separately in your share of model measurement
• Test DeepSeek’s responses for your top buyer questions
• Treat it as a first-class AI surface, not an afterthought

Common mistakes

• Assuming DeepSeek uses the same retrieval as OpenAI or Google. It does not
• Not testing DeepSeek separately when measuring citation rate
• Ignoring non-US AI surfaces in your AI search strategy