Introduction

Fresh "best X" lists show up everywhere in ChatGPT’s answers. This study shows why they matter and what you should actually do about it.

What's the problem it solves?

Most companies guess how to get mentioned in ChatGPT. This study shows which pages ChatGPT cites most, why self-made “best” lists often work, and what really moves the needle.

Quick Summary

ChatGPT now sends far more traffic than other AI platforms, so getting cited in its answers matters. After checking over 26,000 URLs used as sources, one page type dominated: “best X” lists. These lists made up almost half of everything ChatGPT cited. It did not matter whether the list came from a brand itself or from a third-party review site. If the list was fresh and updated in 2025, it showed up more often.

The data shows that brands ranking higher inside these lists were more likely to be recommended by ChatGPT. This was true even if the list was written by the brand itself and even when the brand put itself in the top spot. Meanwhile, many cited lists came from very low authority sites, which means ChatGPT does not always pick the “best” websites but simply pulls from what exists and is updated.

Across Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT, “best X” lists are everywhere. For software and agencies, ChatGPT often links to landing pages as well. For products, it links mostly to product pages. But for all categories, fresh comparison lists still dominate.

So should brands make their own “best X” lists and rank themselves number one? The data says yes: they appear often, there is no ranking penalty, and big brands do it already. The only risk is making lists that feel fake or unhelpful, which can hurt trust over time.

Key Takeaways

• “Best X” lists make up 43.8 percent of all content ChatGPT cites.
• Freshness wins: almost 80 percent of cited lists were updated in 2025.
• Ranking high on third-party lists correlates with more ChatGPT mentions.
• Low authority sites still get cited, showing ChatGPT does not filter well for quality.
• All major AI platforms rely heavily on comparison lists for answers.
• For software and agency searches, landing pages still matter a lot.
• Creating your own “best” lists works, but make them useful and honest.
• Linking to competitor options helps trust and may help citations too.

What to do

• Publish a “best X” list in your category and update it several times per year.
• Put your product or service in the top spot if it truly fits, but justify it.
• Link out to every other option on the list to build trust and help models crawl.
• Keep the list simple, scannable, and clear about who the author is.
• Update all key landing pages and add clear value for each target keyword.
• Track where you appear on third-party lists and work to rank higher.
• Celebrate wins, awards, and product updates to give AI more positive context.
• Do not spam these lists. Make a few high-quality ones that cover real markets.

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