California: A recent analysis of 8,000 AI citations highlights the crucial role source selection plays in SEO success. Different AI engines—such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews—show distinct preferences for the types of sources they cite. Understanding these preferences helps brands create content that AI is more likely to reference, improving online visibility.
AI Engines and Their Citation Styles
ChatGPT favors authoritative, established sources like Wikipedia, major news sites, and trusted blogs. It rarely cites user-generated content (forums, social media) or vendor/product pages. Brands should focus on building neutral, reference-style content and a strong presence on authoritative platforms.
Google Gemini blends authoritative blogs and news with community content such as YouTube and user reviews, especially for consumer topics. It values broad content coverage and high-quality media presence.
Perplexity AI emphasizes expert sources and specialized review sites, selectively including quality forums. To get cited here, brands should build authority on niche expert sites and engage in relevant forums.
Google AI Overviews uses the widest range of sources, including blogs, news, forums (Reddit, Quora), social media articles, and product/vendor blogs. It prefers detailed, specific content pages and a diversified web presence with quality blogs, forums, Q&A sites, and strong on-site content.
Impact of Query Intent
Citation patterns vary by query type. For B2C queries (e.g., best smartphones), AI cites consumer-focused sites like YouTube, review sites, and Wikipedia. For B2B queries (e.g., top CRM software), sources are more industry-specific, including company blogs, analyst reports, and LinkedIn. Mixed queries (e.g., top pharmaceutical companies) rely on neutral, factual references like research reports and industry news.
SEO Foundations and Product Blogs
Strong SEO—quality content, backlinks, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness)—greatly increases AI citation chances. AI engines prioritize credibility over just top-ranking pages.
Vendor product blogs can also earn citations, especially for “best” or “top” lists, if they are objective, thorough, and helpful rather than overly promotional.
Brand Visibility
AI engines differ in how many brands they cite: ChatGPT and AI Overviews cite fewer (3-4), Gemini cites more (~8), and Perplexity cites the most (~13), giving niche brands better chances to appear. Top-cited brands usually reflect real market leaders.
Disclaimer: The news articles published on Growing Pro Technologies are based on reports from reputable third-party sources and are not original reporting by Growing Pro Technologies. While we strive to ensure accuracy and integrity, we cannot guarantee the completeness or timeliness of the information provided.
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