Artificial intelligence is changing the way users search for information and search engines display results. With the advent of experiences such as Google Search Generative Experience (SGE), Bing Chat or ChatGPT integrated into search engines, AI-generated responses not only include links, but also mentions or citations to websites as references.
For those working in SEO, learning how to measure AI citations for SEO has become key to understanding a brand's true reach and visibility in this new ecosystem.
What are citations in AI-generated results?
In the context of AI search, a citation is a direct mention of a website or brand within the generated response, accompanied - or not - by a clickable link. Although they do not always generate direct traffic, these citations have value for:
- Brand recognition.
- Trust and authority in the niche.
- Possible improvements in indirect organic visibility.
Why it is important to measure them
Unlike traditional Google rankings, AI answers show fewer links, and often the user finds the information they need without leaving the search engine. This means that being cited in these answers can be more valuable than appearing in the third or fourth position of a classic SERP.
Measuring dating helps:
- Identify opportunities to optimize content that the AI is already using as a reference.
- Understand the type of questions or topics where the brand is considered relevant.
- Compare your brand's presence with that of competitors in this new format.
How to measure AI citations for SEO
- Periodic manual monitoring
Perform searches with relevant prompts or keywords and record the number of times the brand is cited. - Use of specialized tools
Solutions that track visibility on AI-generated results, similar to traditional ranking trackers, are starting to emerge. - Integration into custom dashboards
A Digital Marketing Reporting Dashboard can include a specific module to record and analyze these mentions, cross-referencing data with traffic, CTR and conversion metrics. - Correlation analysis with traffic
Although citations do not always generate clicks, it is useful to check if there is a relationship between traffic peaks and IA mentions, especially in informational searches.
