# How to get cited by AI search

> Agent-friendly Markdown of https://www.buildseo.org/guides/get-cited-by-ai-search — full index for AI agents: https://www.buildseo.org/llms.txt

_Pillar guide · AI search visibility_

AI assistants answer with a few cited sources. Getting into that shortlist takes crawl access, pages that are easy to quote, and a brand that shows up across the web. Here's the checklist.

By Anurag Pattnaik · Updated 28 Sep 2026

**Key takeaways**

- If AI crawlers can't fetch your pages, you can't be cited — check robots.txt first.
- llms.txt gives assistants a clean map of your most useful pages.
- Answer the question in the first lines; use clear headings, tables and definitions.
- Structured data and consistent facts help machines understand who you are.
- Brand mentions and links on trusted sites feed the sources assistants draw on.
- Measure it: track when and where assistants cite you.

## How AI search picks sources

Assistants with web search retrieve pages, pick passages that answer the question, and cite a handful of sources. Pages that load cleanly, state facts clearly and come from recognisable brands are easier to retrieve and quote.

Traditional SEO still matters: many assistants lean on search indexes to find candidates. AI visibility is an extension of search visibility, not a replacement.

## 1. Let AI crawlers in

Check robots.txt for the user agents that fetch pages for AI products. Blocking them is a legitimate choice — but it means those products can't read you.

| User agent | Operator | Used for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GPTBot | OpenAI | Crawling for model training |
| OAI-SearchBot | OpenAI | Search features in ChatGPT |
| ChatGPT-User | OpenAI | Fetching pages a user asks about |
| ClaudeBot | Anthropic | Crawling for Claude |
| PerplexityBot | Perplexity | Indexing for Perplexity answers |
| Google-Extended | Google | Controls use of content for Gemini; not a separate crawler and doesn't affect Google Search |

Operators update these names; confirm against each operator's documentation before changing rules.

> **Free tool:** [Robots.txt Tester](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/robots-txt-tester.md) — See which groups and rules apply to each user agent.

> **Free tool:** [Robots.txt Generator](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/robots-txt-generator.md) — Compose rules for AI crawlers without syntax errors.

## 2. Publish an llms.txt

llms.txt is a proposed standard (from Answer.AI, 2024): a Markdown file at /llms.txt that summarises your site and links to the pages an assistant should read. It's cheap to add and gives models a clean, curated map.

- H1 with your site or product name
- A one-paragraph summary in a blockquote
- Sections listing key pages as Markdown links with one-line descriptions
- Keep it short and current

> **Free tool:** [llms.txt Validator](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/llms-txt-validator.md) — Check your file's structure.

> **Free tool:** [AFDocs Checker](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/afdocs-checker.md) — Score a docs site against the Agent-Friendly Documentation spec.

## 3. Make pages easy to quote

- Answer the question in the first 1–2 sentences
- One idea per section, with descriptive H2/H3 headings
- Definitions, numbers and dates stated plainly
- Tables for comparisons, lists for steps
- Author, date and sources on every factual page
- Fast, server-rendered HTML — no key content hidden behind scripts or logins
- One canonical URL per topic

> **Free tool:** [AI Search Readiness Checker](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/ai-search-readiness-checker.md) — Score how citation-ready a page is.

> **Free tool:** [Heading Structure Extractor](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/heading-structure-extractor.md) — Catch skipped or vague headings.

## 4. Add structured data and consistent facts

Organization, Product/SoftwareApplication, Article and FAQPage markup make it explicit who you are and what a page covers. Keep your name, description, pricing and key facts identical across your site, profiles and listings.

> **Free tool:** [JSON-LD Generator](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/json-ld-generator.md) — Generate Organization, Article or FAQ schema.

> **Free tool:** [Schema Validator](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/schema-validator.md) — Validate a page's JSON-LD.

## 5. Earn mentions where assistants look

Assistants reflect the web. Being listed on relevant directories, comparison pages, review sites and industry publications makes your brand more likely to be retrieved and named. Consistent, verified listings are part of the same work as link building.

See the [directory submission guide](https://www.buildseo.org/guides/directory-submission.md) for how to choose the listings worth having.

## 6. Track citations

Pick 20–50 questions your buyers ask assistants. Check them monthly across the assistants that matter to you, and record whether you're cited, which page, and who else is. Watch referral traffic from AI products in analytics.

BuildSEO tracks AI citations in the same pipeline as your links, so you can see whether assistants start citing you as your link profile grows.

## More in AI search visibility

- llms.txt: a practical guide (coming soon)
- robots.txt for AI crawlers (coming soon)
- AI citation tracking: how to measure it (coming soon)
- Brand mentions and LLM visibility (coming soon)
- [AI Search Readiness Checker](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/ai-search-readiness-checker.md)
- [llms.txt Validator](https://www.buildseo.org/free-tools/llms-txt-validator.md)

## Other guides

- [Directory submission](https://www.buildseo.org/guides/directory-submission.md) — Guide
- [Link verification](https://www.buildseo.org/guides/verify-backlinks.md) — Guide
- [Cost per link](https://www.buildseo.org/blog/link-building-cost.md) — Guide

## Frequently asked questions

### What is generative engine optimization (GEO)?

Optimising content so AI assistants retrieve, quote and cite it. It builds on SEO: crawlability, clear answers, structured data and brand authority.

### Does llms.txt improve rankings?

It's a proposed standard, not a ranking factor. It gives assistants a clean map of your key pages, which can help them find the right content.

### Should I block GPTBot?

It's your choice. Blocking training crawlers keeps content out of training data but may reduce visibility in those products. Treat search-feature agents separately.

### How do I know if ChatGPT or Perplexity cites my site?

Test the questions your buyers ask, record citations monthly, and watch AI referral traffic. BuildSEO tracks AI citations alongside your links.

### Do backlinks help AI visibility?

Indirectly. Links and mentions on trusted, relevant sites make your brand more discoverable in the sources assistants draw on.

## Link building you can prove

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