What sources do AI assistants cite most?

Every AI recommendation traces back to sources. If you want to be named, the fastest path isn't writing more blog posts — it's being referenced on the handful of sources the models already trust for your category. Those sources are surprisingly consistent, and surprisingly winnable.

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FAQ

Which sources come up over and over?Across categories, the recurring pattern is: your own site (if models can crawl and resolve it), the dominant review platform for your vertical, a small set of directories and industry associations, editorial 'best of [category] in [city]' roundups, community discussion (Reddit and forums), and news or trade press. The mix shifts by vertical — RealSelf matters for a med spa, Avvo for a lawyer, G2 for B2B software — but the shape is the same.

Why do the same few sources keep winning?Because models weight consistency and corroboration. A business referenced the same way across several independent trusted sources is one a model can name with confidence. A business that appears once, or inconsistently, gets left out of the answer even if it's genuinely the best option.

How do I find the sources that matter for MY category?That's exactly what a scan does. Run a free Cited scan — it checks the AI-search readiness signals on your website (crawler access, llms.txt, structured data and answer-ready content) and lists the fixes to make first.

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