AI Citation: Source Links in AI-Generated Answers

Check the cited page, not only the brand name in the answer. Record whether the link resolves, which claim it is meant to support, and whether the source actually supports that claim. A source can be relevant to the topic without supporting every sentence in the answer.

A citation rate needs a defined denominator. For example, the percentage of tested answers that cite a specified domain differs from the percentage that mention a brand. State the prompt set, engine, dates, language, location settings where available, number of runs, and inclusion rules. Keep these conditions consistent when comparing periods.

Cited answers, brand mentions, referral visits, conversions, and Google rankings are separate measurements. An increase in one does not prove an increase in the others. Responses and source selection can vary between runs.

The GEO research framework examines source visibility in generated answers. Its experimental results should not be presented as guaranteed performance for a particular website.

Sources

• Aggarwal et al., GEO: Generative Engine Optimization (KDD 2024)
• Google Search Central: AI features and your website