Introduction

AI answer engines like ChatGPT now shape buying decisions. Getting cited in their answers can be your biggest new growth channel.

What's the problem it solves?

Most buyers no longer search manually - they ask AI tools what to buy. If your product isn’t mentioned, you may not exist in their decision set. Brands need a strategy to appear in AI-generated answers.

Quick Summary

With AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews taking over search behavior, brands must shift from ranking in Google to being cited in AI answers. This new discipline, called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), focuses on getting your brand mentioned in AI outputs that buyers trust.

To succeed, you must first pick the prompts you want to own - queries that are core to your brand, competitive “knife-fights,” and experimental opportunities. Different AI platforms behave differently, so focus on the one your audience uses most before expanding. Winning citations requires hyper-specific, niche-focused content, structured comparisons, and lists that AI can easily parse.

Surround sound from trusted external sources is essential. Reddit, LinkedIn, YouTube, and niche blogs are top citation sources, with Reddit being the most influential. Getting mentioned there, even indirectly, can massively boost citations. Use tables over images since AI reads structured data better. Measure brand influence (share-of-voice, mentions) instead of just clicks, because most AI searches are zero-click. Finally, watch for “citation drift” - AI sources change quickly - so refresh your monitoring weekly.

Key Takeaways

• AI answer engines are becoming the new product discovery channel.
• Pick key prompts you want to dominate: core, competitive, and experimental.
• Different platforms have different citation patterns; tailor your strategy.
• Hyper-specific, structured content wins over generic posts.
• Build “surround sound” via Reddit, LinkedIn, YouTube, and niche blogs.
• Reddit is the top-cited domain - get mentioned there often.
• Use structured tables and lists over images.
• Measure brand mentions and share-of-voice, not just clicks.
• Refresh prompt and citation tracking regularly to counter drift.

What to do

• Identify and prioritize the prompts most valuable to your brand.
• Focus on your primary AI platform before expanding to others.
• Create hyper-specific, structured, and comparison-rich content.
• Build external citations from trusted platforms and niche creators.
• Actively engage in relevant Reddit threads (brand or anonymously).
• Replace key images with tables and add detailed alt text where needed.
• Track brand share-of-voice in AI answers, not just web traffic.
• Review and update your AEO strategy weekly to keep up with citation changes.

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