AI citations are references that appear alongside (or inside) AI-generated answers, pointing to sources the system used to construct the response.
You can't "force" citations, but you can make your content significantly easier to cite by improving structure, clarity, and credibility.
What AI citations are (and aren't)
AI citations are…
- attribution links that help users verify claims
- signals of which sources contributed to an answer
AI citations aren't…
- a guarantee of traffic (but they can drive it)
- the same thing as ranking #1 in Google
- something you can hack with keywords alone
Why some pages get cited more often
Citations often go to pages that are:
1) Directly answer-shaped
Short, precise answers under headings that match the question.
2) Structured and extractable
Clear H2/H3 hierarchy, lists, and tables.
3) Comprehensive in the "fan-out"
They cover not just the head question but the common follow-ups.
4) Credible and consistent
Author/date signals, grounded claims, examples, and internal consistency.
How to write cite-worthy sections (template)
Use this pattern for every key section:
1) Heading = question
Example: "How is GEO different from SEO?"
2) Short answer (2–4 sentences)
Be direct and definitional.
3) Support block
Use one of:
- steps (1–6)
- checklist
- comparison table
- "common mistakes" bullets
4) Optional example
A mini snippet makes it real.
Example: cite-worthy block you can copy
What is GEO in one sentence?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the process of structuring and writing content so AI search engines can understand it, trust it, and use it as a referenced source when generating answers.
What to do next:
- Write question-like headings (H2s)
- Add checklists and tables
- Cover fan-out sub-questions
- Link related pages into a cluster
Measurement: how to know if citations are improving
You want a simple, repeatable routine:
Weekly
- Check the top pages you published or updated
- Ask a few target prompts in your AI tools and note:
- whether your domain appears
- whether citations show up
- what sections seem "extractable"
Monthly
- Refresh pages with impressions but weak engagement
- Expand sections that are thin or vague
Practical tracking
- Use your analytics to track referral sources + time on page
- Watch Search Console for growing impressions on question-like pages
What to optimize first (highest ROI)
If you're starting from scratch:
- "What is…" definition pages (clear and quotable)
- "How to…" workflows
- "Best practices" checklists
- Comparison pages (later)
Start with:
Common mistakes
- Writing vague intros that never define anything
- Headings like "Overview" that don't match questions
- No templates/checklists (nothing to cite)
- Thin content at scale (hurts trust)
Next steps
- Learn GEO fundamentals: /resources/learn/what-is-geo
- Build better content structure: /resources/guides/optimizing-for-chatgpt
- Launch your first campaign: /resources/learn/first-campaign