How to Access Hidden ChatGPT JSON Data Using Chrome DevTools (SEO Pro Tip)

If you’re the kind of SEO who digs into Chrome DevTools and loves finding hidden layers of how things work, this one’s for you.

This morning, in the free Norzer Discord server, J shared a fascinating technique: how to extract the raw JSON data returned by ChatGPT after using the Search function. This is the behind-the-scenes data that doesn’t show up in the regular interface, but it’s there, and it’s loaded with useful insights.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide, or see the video at the end.

Trigger a Search-based response in ChatGPT

Use a prompt that requires ChatGPT to access the web (i.e., with browsing or search enabled). The key is to ensure that “Search the web” is enabled. In this example, we will be searching for “best Mexican restaurant in Boston.”

Open Chrome DevTools

Once ChatGPT generates a response, right-click anywhere on the screen and select Inspect to open DevTools.

Navigate to the Network Tab

In the DevTools interface, click on the Network tab. Then filter the list using Fetch/XHR and then refresh the page. You should see all the assets loading on the page.

Look for the Directory Request

Type the first part of the URL after the /c/ in the Filter box to isolate the JSON payload that contains the SEO rich information we are looking for.

View the Response

Click on that request, then check the Preview or Response tab. You’ll now see the full JSON object that includes the raw data ChatGPT is using—often including metadata, links, summaries, and more.

Video Tutorial

Why This Matters for SEO

This method lets you uncover structured data that can help with:

• Understanding how ChatGPT processes external search data
• Seeing references and links that don’t appear in the visible response
• Exploring metadata and summary formatting behind the scenes
• Improving your own prompt engineering or SEO tool workflows

If you’re working on AI-assisted content strategies or technical SEO at scale, this kind of access is incredibly valuable. Enjoy!

At Norzer, we help small businesses dominate local search with smart, data-driven SEO strategies—powered by real-world testing, not fluff. Whether you’re building tools with AI or just trying to rank higher, we can help. Let’s make your site unskippable!