Citation share
Your slice of the sources AI answers cite for a set of queries, the AI-era equivalent of ranking share.
In depth
What it really means
Citation share measures how often your site is among the sources AI answers cite, across a set of queries, compared to everyone else. Where share of voice tracks search visibility, citation share tracks who the AI actually credits.
It is one of the clearest AI-visibility metrics, because a citation usually comes with a link or a named source, so it maps to real referral potential.
Citation share = your citations across a query set ÷ total citations × 100
Track it per query set over time; the trend matters more than any single reading.
Best practices
- Define the query set that matters to your buyers.
- Prompt the major assistants and log which sources they cite.
- Grow the content and mentions that earn citations.
- Benchmark against competitors, not the whole web.
- Watch the trend over time.
FAQs
What is citation share?
Your slice of the sources AI answers cite across a set of queries, compared to competitors. It is the AI version of ranking share.
How do I measure citation share?
Prompt the major assistants with your query set and record which sources they cite, then compare your share to rivals over time.
How is it different from share of model?
Share of model tracks brand mentions; citation share tracks being cited as a source, which usually maps more directly to referral traffic.
Why does citation share matter?
Citations often come with a link or named source, so they map to real visibility and referral potential in AI answers.
What is a good citation share?
It is relative to competitors, and the trend is what counts. Rising means you are earning more of the AI’s trust.
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