Improving your Visibility using the Citations Tab
Last updated: April 2, 2026
The Citations tab is not only a reporting view, it is a practical tool for improving your brand's visibility in AI search results. By analyzing which domains, URLs, and content categories get cited, you can build a targeted strategy to strengthen your brand's presence in AI-generated answers.
This article walks you through how to use citation data to identify opportunities and take action.
Filter by Topic, Tag, or Search Term
Before analyzing your citation data, narrow your view to the area you want to improve. Use the filter bar at the top of the Citations tab to focus on a specific topic, tag, or individual search term.
Tip: Citation patterns can vary significantly between topics. Always filter to a specific topic or tag before analyzing, so every chart and list on the page reflects only the data relevant to your focus area.
Identify Which Content Categories Matter
Check the Citation Category Distribution for your filtered topic or tag. This tells you which types of content the AI engines prefer when answering questions in that area, whether that is blogs, news media, YouTube videos, Reddit threads, comparison sites, or other formats.
If blogs dominate the citations for your topic, focus your efforts on blog content. If YouTube videos appear frequently, consider creating or improving video content. The category distribution gives you a clear signal about where to invest your time.
You can also check the Category Distribution Over Time to see whether these preferences are shifting. A content type that is growing in citation share may represent an emerging opportunity.
Tip: Filter by a specific topic and check which category dominates. That is the content format you should prioritize for that topic.
Analyze the Top Domains
The Top 20 Citations by Domain chart shows which domains the AI engines trust most for your tracked search terms. These are the sources that AI engines consistently pull from when generating answers.
Use this in two ways:
Check how top domains talk about your brand
Click on a domain in the top domains list to see which brands are mentioned within citations from that domain. If your brand is absent from a heavily cited domain, that is a gap worth addressing. Look for opportunities to get featured, referenced, or reviewed on those domains.
Compare across AI engines
Filter the chart by individual AI engine to see if certain domains carry more weight with specific engines. For example, a domain that ranks highly in Perplexity citations but not in ChatGPT may indicate different source preferences between engines.
Work with Top URLs
The Top URLs section shows the specific pages that get cited most frequently. These are high-value sources: the individual blog articles, YouTube videos, Reddit threads, or comparison pages that AI engines reference repeatedly.
This is where you can work on a granular basis:
Check your brand's presence within heavily cited URLs
If a blog article is cited 50+ times for queries relevant to your brand, find out whether your brand is mentioned in that article. If it is, check how it is presented. If it is not, consider whether you can earn a mention through outreach, guest contributions, or by providing value to the author.
Look at the content format
A heavily cited URL tells you what format works for that topic. If the top-cited source is a comparison article, that signals the AI engine values structured comparisons for those queries.
Identify different source types
The top URLs may include blog articles, YouTube videos, Reddit discussions, review sites like G2, or industry publications like Forbes or TechRepublic. Each requires a different approach to improve your brand's presence.
Use Brand Share to Benchmark Your Progress
The Brand Share charts show how your citation presence compares to competitors. Use these as a baseline before you start optimizing, and check back regularly to measure progress.
Metric | What it tells you |
Brand Share by Citation Mentions | How often your brand is cited relative to competitors overall |
Brand Share by Unique URLs | How many distinct pages reference your brand vs. competitors. A low number may mean your brand's online footprint is too narrow. |
Brand Share by Unique Domains | How broadly your brand is represented across different sources. If competitors appear on more domains, they have a wider citation base you may need to match. |
Spot Gaps with Unmentioned Domains
The top domains list includes domains where brands have not been mentioned at all, shown in brackets. These are high-authority sources that AI engines cite for your topics but that do not currently reference any tracked brand.
Tip: Unmentioned domains represent open opportunities. Getting your brand mentioned on a frequently cited domain before competitors do gives you an early advantage.
Build a Repeatable Process
Citation analysis works best as an ongoing practice rather than a one-time review. A practical approach:
Filter the Citations tab to a specific topic or tag.
Review the category distribution to understand which content formats matter.
Check the top domains and top URLs for your brand's presence.
Identify 2-3 specific sources where your brand is missing or underrepresented.
Take action: create content, reach out to publishers, or optimize existing pages.
Check back after your next tracking cycle to see whether your brand share has improved.