Data Shows Perplexity Cites Sources 2.5x More Than ChatGPT

AI Search Engine Citation Analysis: Key Insights

A recent report by xfunnel.ai reveals new insights into how major AI search engines reference web content. The study, which analyzed 40,000 responses containing 250,000 citations, highlights key differences in citation frequency, content types, and source quality. Here are the main findings:

Citation Frequency Varies by Platform

Researchers tested AI search engines across different buyer journey stages and observed variations in how frequently each platform cites external content:

Perplexity: 6.61 citations per response
Google Gemini: 6.1 citations per response
ChatGPT: 2.62 citations per response

ChatGPT's lower citation frequency is attributed to its standard mode testing, which did not utilize search-enhanced features.

Third-Party Content Dominates Citations

Citations were classified into four categories:

Owned Content: Company domains
Competitor Content: Rival company domains
Earned Content: Third-party and affiliate sites
User-Generated Content (UGC): Reviews and forum posts

Earned content constitutes the largest share of citations across all platforms, with UGC increasing in prominence. Affiliate sites and independent blogs also play a significant role in AI-generated responses.

Citation Patterns Shift Along the Customer Journey

The study found that citation patterns evolve based on the query stage:

Problem Exploration & Education: Higher citation rates from third-party editorial content
Comparison Stage: Increased UGC citations from review platforms and forums
Final Research & Evaluation: More direct citations from brand and competitor websites

Source Quality Distribution

AI search engines prioritize higher-quality sources but still reference a range of content levels:

High-quality: ~31.5%
Upper-mid quality: ~15.3%
Mid-quality: ~26.3%
Lower-mid quality: ~22.1%
Low-quality: ~4.8%

UGC Source Preferences by Platform

Different AI platforms show distinct preferences for UGC sources:

Perplexity: Favors YouTube and PeerSpot
Google Gemini: Frequently cites Medium, Reddit, and YouTube
ChatGPT: Often references LinkedIn, G2, and Gartner Peer Reviews

Leveraging Third-Party Citations for SEO

The findings highlight an underutilized opportunity for SEO professionals. While optimizing owned content remains important, the dominance of earned media citations suggests a broader strategy:

Foster relationships with industry publications
Create compelling content others want to reference
Contribute guest articles to reputable sites
Engage with preferred UGC platforms for each AI engine

By focusing on creating valuable, shareable content, brands can increase their chances of being cited across AI search engines.

Why It Matters

As AI search engines continue to shape how users find information, understanding citation patterns is crucial for maintaining visibility. Diversifying content strategies across owned, earned, and UGC platforms can enhance your presence while preserving SEO best practices.