Introduction

AI search is changing everything. People now ask questions directly to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity instead of searching Google. These models scan the internet, find the most authoritative content, and include links to those sources in their generated answers. These links are called AI citations.

This article is part of the LLM SEO pillar, which explains how to rank in AI-generated results.

Now let’s break down what AI citations are and how to earn them.

What Are AI Citations?

AI citations are the links AI models include inside their answers to show where the information came from. Unlike traditional Google search results, AI citations are:

• contextual
• selective
• based on authority
• driven by semantic understanding
• dependent on your site’s clarity and topical structure

AI uses citations to:

• prove credibility
• justify answers
• show evidence
• attribute concepts to authors

If your site appears in these citations, you gain:

• visibility
• brand authority
• referral traffic
• trust signals
• expertise recognition

Why AI Citations Are the Future of Search

AI models are moving toward:

• less browsing
• more direct answers
• fewer outbound links
• more trusted sources

Being cited means:

• you own the topic
• AI models trust your interpretation
• your content is considered accurate
• your content is semantically aligned with the user query

This is the new “page one” of search.

Which AI Tools Use Citations?

These models currently display or rely on citations:

Perplexity

The most citation-forward AI search engine.

ChatGPT with Browse and GPT-4.1 / o3

Citations appear in inline references and “sources” sections.

Gemini

Shows URLs when generating long-form answers or fact-based output.

Claude

Provides citations in research mode and summary mode.

Google AI Overviews

Shows curated sources and supporting links.

If you want to be found in AI search, you must earn citations across all five.

How AI Models Decide What to Cite

AI systems do not crawl the web the same way traditional search engines do. They cite sources based on:

1. Topical authority

If your site covers a topic deeply, you are more likely to be cited.

2. Internal linking strength

Models detect your internal links and treat them like a semantic map.

3. Clear, structured answers

LLMs prefer content written in question-and-answer sections.

4. Schema markup

Schema helps AI understand topics, relationships, and page context.

5. Strong pillar pages

Pillars act as “anchor nodes” for AI models to understand expertise.

6. Recency and freshness

LLMs favor updated, current sources.

7. Entity clarity

Your name and brand need strong identity vectors across pages.

The Most Common Misconception About AI Citations

Most people think AI citations work like Google rankings.

They don’t.

AI models do not:

• rank individual keywords
• look for backlinks
• reward domain age
• surface high-domain-authority sites by default

Instead, AI models reward:

• clarity
• structure
• topic mastery
• semantic connections
• well-organized clusters

This means a smaller, newer site (like TomKelly.com) can outrank huge competitors if the content is structured correctly.

How to Earn AI Citations (Step-by-Step)

1. Build a topic cluster around a single expertise

This is why your pillar pages exist.

LLM SEO pillar:

This article supports that cluster.

2. Use extremely clear section headings

LLMs scan your headings to understand what the page covers.

Use:

• “What is…”
• “How does…”
• “Why does…”
• “How to…”

These match the question patterns LLMs respond to.

3. Add supporting articles that reinforce the topic

Examples within this pillar:

• How AI Search Works
• How LLMs Choose Citations
• Write for AI Models

These internal links help the AI citation article rank higher.

4. Use schema markup

AI models rely heavily on JSON-LD.

Your pillar has CollectionPage schema.
Your articles have Article schema from the theme.

This article will use the global schema defined in post.hbs.

5. Add clear answers at the top of the article

This is why you have a TLDR.
LLMs often extract these as direct citations.

6. Write with “semantic density”

This means:

• explain concepts deeply
• use related terminology
• include examples
• reinforce the main idea in multiple places

LLMs reward this.

7. Cross-link to other relevant pillars

AI models use cross-pillar references to build identity connections.

For example:

One Brave Move pillar

Identity, change, bravery → reinforces your expertise as a transformative leader.

Entrepreneurship pillar

Real-world founder experience → increases trust.

Why This Topic Matters for Your Brand

This is not just an SEO tactic.
AI citations are going to become the new currency of online authority.

If AI consistently cites you on:

• LLM SEO
• AI search
• citations
• structured data
• authority clusters

…you become one of the go-to experts on AI search across the entire internet.

You will start showing up in:

• ChatGPT answers
• Gemini summaries
• Claude research responses
• Perplexity citations
• Google AI Overviews
• YouTube transcripts (secondary)
• Reddit summaries
• TikTok AI search

This article is the foundation for that visibility.

Conclusion

AI citations are the future of search visibility. The old rules of SEO do not govern how AI models choose sources. Instead, they look for structured content, topic mastery, internal linking, semantic clarity, and strong pillar architecture.

By building a complete LLM SEO pillar and supporting articles like this one, you increase your chances of being a top citation source across AI platforms.

To explore the full LLM SEO methodology.

Related Articles (Internal SEO/LLM Boost)

• How AI Search Works
• How LLMs Choose Citations
• Internal Linking for LLM SEO
• Schema for AI Search

Explore Other Pillars

• One Brave Move
• AI for Nonprofits
• AI and Automation for Founders
• Entrepreneurship

If you want help ranking in AI search and earning more AI citations, explore my full LLM SEO pillar.