Glossary · AI citation
What is AI citation?
An AI citation is a mention of a brand, product, or page inside an answer generated by an AI engine such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity, either as a named recommendation or as a linked source the answer draws on.
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Citations come in two forms. A named mention is the engine writing your brand into the answer: "for small agencies, [brand] is well-suited". A source citation is the engine linking to your page as where it got a fact, which Perplexity shows on every answer and ChatGPT shows when it browses.
Both count, but they behave differently. A named mention is what a buyer acts on. A source citation is what tells you the engine can read and trust your page. A brand with source citations and no named mentions has content the engines use but do not recommend; that is the gap a comparison page usually closes.
Citations are not stable. The same prompt on the same engine returns different brands on different days, so a single check proves little. Tracking on a schedule and counting over time is the only way to see a real change.
Example
Perplexity answers "alternatives to [incumbent]" with four brands and six numbered sources. Being brand two is a named mention; being source four is a source citation. helloAISearch records both and shows the sentence.
See what the engines say about your brand.
Ten of your prompts on ChatGPT and Gemini, twice, with the actual answers and your brand highlighted.
In the product
- GPT
“For boutique agencies, Your Brand is well-suited…”
ChatGPT · 04:02 UTC · best agency software
- GM
“Popular options include Competitor A and Your Brand.”
Gemini · 04:02 UTC · best agency software
- CL
“Competitor B is the usual pick; Competitor A for teams…”
Claude · 04:03 UTC · best tool for boutique agencies
Write a comparison page for “alternatives to Competitor A”
This prompt came up 4× this week and Competitor A took every mention. A direct comparison page closes a 9-point Share of Voice gap. About an hour.
Questions people ask next
How do I find out if AI engines cite my brand?
Ask them the questions your customers ask, on a schedule, and record whether you or a competitor is named. Do it by hand for a few prompts, or use a tool: helloAISearch's free 3-day trial runs 10 prompts on ChatGPT and Gemini twice with no credit card.
Why does ChatGPT cite my competitor and not me?
Usually because the competitor has a page that answers the exact prompt and you do not, or because facts about your product are inconsistent across the web. Write the missing page first; it is the fastest fix.
Do AI citations send traffic?
Source citations can, especially from Perplexity and from ChatGPT's browsing mode. Named mentions mostly send branded searches and direct visits. Both are worth tracking; only the second shows in analytics as a referral.