How to get cited by AI
Why citations are the goal
When an answer engine writes a response, it pulls from sources it trusts and often names them. A citation — being named, quoted, or linked — is how you get discovered when the AI gives one answer instead of a page of links. Getting cited is the whole game of AEO and GEO.
The five steps
Publish genuinely citable content
Create the thing worth quoting: clear definitions, original data, direct answers, how-tos. Vague marketing copy doesn't get cited; specific, verifiable content does.
Structure it for extraction
Lead with the answer, use descriptive headings, lists and tables, and add schema markup so a model can lift the exact passage it needs.
Get onto the sources engines already cite
Answer engines lean on directories, review sites, roundups, Reddit and Q&A sites. Earn a real presence in the ones for your category — that's where citations are minted.
Make your identity unambiguous
Consistent naming, an About/Contact that ties everything together, and structured data — so the engine is confident about who it's citing.
Track your citation share
Measure how often the engines cite you versus competitors for your key questions, and double down on what earns mentions.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to be cited by AI?
It means an AI answer engine references your business or content when it generates an answer — naming you, quoting you, or linking to you. Citations are how you get discovered when the AI gives one answer instead of ten links.
Can I pay to be cited by AI?
No. There's no paid citation slot. You earn citations by being citable — clear, structured, trusted content, and presence in the sources the engines already draw on.
What kind of content gets cited most?
Specific, verifiable, well-structured content: definitions, original data, direct answers to real questions, and comparison tables. Content that states a clear fact up front is easiest for a model to lift.
How do I know if AI is citing me?
Measure your citation share — how often the engines name or cite you versus competitors for a set of questions — sampled on a regular cadence.
See who AI cites instead of you
Run a free scan across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude — no credit card.