Glossary · AI search
Citation (AI)
Definition. In AI search, a citation is the source link an engine attaches to a claim in its answer. Being cited is the closest equivalent to ranking: it puts your name in front of the user and can send a click, though at far lower volume than a classic first-position ranking.
Citation is decided at passage level. The engine picks the specific text that supports a claim, so the unit of optimization is the paragraph, not the page.
Citation sources skew toward pages that are already discoverable and well structured. Semrush's analysis of ChatGPT citations found business and service sites accounted for around half of them.
Not all citations are equal. Being cited as evidence for a competitor's superiority is worse than not being cited.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Citation (AI) mean?
In AI search, a citation is the source link an engine attaches to a claim in its answer. Being cited is the closest equivalent to ranking: it puts your name in front of the user and can send a click, though at far lower volume than a classic first-position ranking.
Why does Citation (AI) matter for AI SEO?
Citation is decided at passage level. The engine picks the specific text that supports a claim, so the unit of optimization is the paragraph, not the page.
What is the most common mistake with citation (ai)?
Not all citations are equal. Being cited as evidence for a competitor's superiority is worse than not being cited.
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