We analyzed 680 million+ AI citations. The results challenged everything we thought we knew.
The top cited sources overall:
| Source | Citation % | Dominant On |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 23.3% | Nearly every industry |
| Wikipedia | 18.4% | ChatGPT especially |
| Google.com | 16.4% | Support/dev content |
But platform-specific patterns differ dramatically:
The insight:
Only 11% of domains are cited by BOTH ChatGPT and Perplexity. Cross-platform optimization is essential.
Questions:
The platform divergence is real. Here’s how we approach it.
ChatGPT optimization (Wikipedia-heavy):
| Strategy | Impact |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia entry maintenance | High |
| Consistent entity information | High |
| Authoritative domain presence | Medium |
| Training data relevance | Medium |
Perplexity optimization (Reddit-heavy):
| Strategy | Impact |
|---|---|
| Authentic Reddit engagement | Very High |
| Real-time content freshness | High |
| Community presence | High |
| Clear source citations | Medium |
The 11% overlap problem:
We’ve found that brands need BOTH strategies running in parallel. Focusing on one platform leaves you invisible on the other.
Our allocation:
Wikipedia strategy details that worked for us:
What we did:
The result:
ChatGPT mentions went from 0 to regular citations within 3 months.
Key learning:
Wikipedia isn’t just about having an entry. It’s about:
Warning:
Don’t try to promote on Wikipedia. Editors catch it immediately. Keep it factual and let the authority build naturally.
The 6.6% Reddit citation rate for Perplexity is massive.
How we approach Reddit for AI visibility:
| Approach | Works | Doesn’t Work |
|---|---|---|
| Genuine problem-solving | Yes | Self-promotion |
| Sharing real experience | Yes | Generic advice |
| Data-backed insights | Yes | Vague claims |
| Engaging authentically | Yes | One-time posts |
Our Reddit presence strategy:
The timeline:
Month 1-3: Build karma and reputation Month 4-6: Occasional brand mentions when genuinely relevant Month 6+: AI citations start appearing
Warning:
Reddit communities detect and reject promotional content instantly. Authenticity isn’t optional.
YouTube at 23.3% surprised me. Here’s what we learned.
Why YouTube dominates:
Industry breakdown:
| Industry | YouTube Citation % |
|---|---|
| E-commerce | 32.4% |
| SEO | 39.1% |
| Finance | 23% |
| General | 23.3% |
Our YouTube strategy:
The result:
YouTube videos started appearing in AI citations within 6 weeks of publishing. Faster than any other content type.
Citation patterns vary dramatically by industry.
Health queries:
| Source | Citation % |
|---|---|
| NIH | 39% |
| Healthline | 15% |
| Mayo Clinic | 14.8% |
| Cleveland Clinic | 13.8% |
Finance queries:
| Source | Citation % |
|---|---|
| YouTube | 23% |
| Wikipedia | 7.3% |
| 6.8% | |
| Investopedia | 5.7% |
The pattern:
Implication:
Know your industry’s citation hierarchy. Optimize for the sources AI trusts in your specific vertical.
The domain type data is fascinating.
TLD citation breakdown:
| TLD | Citation % |
|---|---|
| .com | 80.41% |
| .org | 11.29% |
| .uk | ~1% |
| .io | 1.67% |
| .ai | 1.13% |
What this means:
Commercial domains (.com) still dominate AI citations massively. But .io and .ai domains are punching above their weight in tech verticals.
Our observations:
Recommendation:
Don’t switch domains for AI visibility. Focus on content quality and authority signals instead.
Excellent insights. Here’s my strategic framework.
The Multi-Platform Citation Strategy:
Tier 1 (Must have):
Tier 2 (High value):
Tier 3 (Supporting):
Platform-specific focus:
| Platform | Primary Strategy |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Wikipedia + authority signals |
| Perplexity | Reddit + content freshness |
| Google AI | YouTube + traditional SEO |
Content format recommendations:
| Content Type | Best Platform | Citation Likelihood |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorial video | YouTube | Very High |
| Comparison table | Your site | High |
| Expert opinion | Industry publication | High |
| Community discussion | Medium-High | |
| Definition page | Your site | Medium |
Monitor with Am I Cited to see which platforms cite you most.
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