Key facts
- A citation is a link to your page as a source in an AI answer.
- Perplexity and Google AI features cite sources on most answers.
- Original data and precise facts are cited more often than general advice.
- Pages must be found by search before they can be cited.
Mentions vs citations
A mention is when the answer names your brand. A citation is when it links to your page as a source. You can be mentioned without being cited, when the AI draws on other pages that talk about you, and cited without being mentioned, when your page explains a topic but recommends no brand. Both matter. Citations bring visits and show your site is trusted.
Make your pages citable
- 1Allow AI search crawlers to fetch your pages.
- 2Match each page to one clear question.
- 3Put a direct answer in the first paragraph.
- 4Make every section stand on its own, with a clear heading.
- 5Add original data, examples, prices and specifications.
- 6Cite your own sources so claims can be checked.
- 7Update important pages regularly and show the date.
Content types AI likes to cite
- Original research and statistics.
- Clear definitions and explainers.
- Comparison tables and buying guides.
- Step by step how to guides.
- Pricing and specification pages.
- Documentation and help articles.
Track your citations
Record which of your pages each engine cites, for which questions, and how often. Pages that are read but rarely cited are your best candidates for improvement. Pages cited for competitors' questions show topics where you already have authority.
Put this into practice with Variask Content studio, Variask AI visibility and the free AI citation readiness checker. See Variask pricing or read the Variask FAQ.