Getting Started
What is a Citation
A citation is a source that directly influences the answer to a prompt. When AI references a website, article, or publication, that source shapes what it says.
Why citations matter
Citations show:
- Where AI gets its information: Which websites and domains AI trusts
- Your share of voice: How often you're cited compared to competitors
- Citation categories: Whether you're cited as editorial content, reviews, competitor content, or reference material
When AI mentions your brand, it often does so because it found you in a citation. Improving your presence in the right sources directly improves your visibility.
Types of citations
- Your domain: When AI cites your website
- Competitor domains: When AI cites your competitors
- Editorial sources: News, reviews, and authoritative sites
- Reference sources: Documentation, wikis, knowledge bases
Key metrics
- Citation count: How often a source is cited across your prompts. Higher counts indicate sources AI trusts.
- Share of voice: Your share of the answer space when AI responds. See Share of Voice →
- Mentioned: Whether your brand was explicitly mentioned in the citation context. Being cited is good; being mentioned is better.
What Ranketta tracks
For each citation, we track domain, URL, category (editorial, reference, competitor, etc.), and trends over time. Understanding citations helps you see which sources AI trusts and where to focus your efforts.
What is a Prompt
A prompt is a question or query that people ask AI models, the kind of thing your customers type into ChatGPT, Perplexity, or other AI tools when they're looking for recommendations.
What is Query-fanout
Query-fanout shows you what AI actually searches for when answering your prompt, the variations different platforms use.