How to Rank in Google AI Mode: What the Data Actually Says
We ran a 20-factor rubric on Google AI Mode citations. It rewards good content more than any AI engine we track. Here's what to fix first.
Paulina Kaleta
Jul 15
2026
AI Overviews Research: What Actually Gets You Cited?
84% of AI Overviews citations already rank in the top 3 SERP results. Here's what separates cited pages from ranked-but-ignored ones.
Paulina Kaleta
Jul 15
2026
How to Rank in ChatGPT: What the Data Actually Says
ChatGPT ditched sourcing as its top ranking factor. After scoring 650,000+ AI citations, we found your first paragraph now decides most of it. See what else to do to optimize for ChatGPT.
Paulina Kaleta
Jul 15
2026
How to Improve Visibility in Perplexity: What the Data Actually Says
We scored 650,000+ real AI-generated answers against a 20-factor content rubric. For Perplexity, one thing beat every other factor combined: how fast your first paragraph gets to the point. Here's what the data says to fix.
Paulina Kaleta
Jul 14
2026
Why Almost 40% of AI Citations Come from Your First 100 Words
We analyzed 100,000 AI citation placements across 10,000 AI Overviews responses and found 38% come from a page's first 100 words. Here's why position beats quality.
Paulina Kaleta
Jul 14
2026
We Analyzed 5 Million AI Citations. Domain Authority Didn't Predict Any of Them.
We analyzed 5 million AI citations and found domain authority barely predicts which sources AI search engines cite. Here is what matters instead.
Joshua Hardwick
Jun 19
2026
9 Ways to Improve Your AI Visibility in 2026
Learn 9 proven strategies to increase your visibility in AI search engines like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews in 2026.
Petar Marinkovic
May 8
2026
Profound Review: Features, Pricing and Alternative
Surfer and Profound both track AI visibility, but they approach it from opposite directions. Compare features, workflows, pricing, and find out which one fits your team.
Satya D
Mar 23
2026
How to Get Cited by AI: 9 Ways to Earn LLM Citations in 2026
How ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Perplexity choose which sources to cite, what 2026 research says, and 9 ways to get your content cited by AI.
Michał Suski
Feb 13
2026
Does AI More Strongly Recommend a Brand When More Cited Sources Mention It? (289,105 URLs Studied)
Does AI recommend brands more often when they’re cited in AI-results? We analyzed 289,105 URLs to understand how brand mentions influence AI recommendations.
Joshua Hardwick
Feb 6
2026
14 Best AI Visibility Tools in 2026: AI Search and LLM Trackers Compared
The 14 best AI visibility tools (AI search and LLM trackers) compared on price, AI engines, prompts and features, with a pick for every use case. Prices checked 25 Oct 2026.
Jawad Mustafa
Jan 30
2026
How To Rank in Perplexity: 7 Strategies To Follow
Learn how to rank in Perplexity by optimizing content for AI answers, citations, topical authority, and prompt-driven search behavior.
Petar Marinkovic
Dec 12
2025
Query Fan-Out: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Optimize for It
Query fan-out explained with 2026 data: how AI Mode, ChatGPT and Perplexity split prompts into sub-queries, what it means for citations, and how to optimize.
Michał Suski
Dec 26
2025
Why You Cannot Track AI Visibility Through an API: 2026 Data From ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, AI Mode, and AI Overviews
The differences between API data and scraped UI data are huge. We analyzed 1000 prompts and found that the overlap is just 30%... at best.
Paulina Kaleta
Sep 24
2026
The 2026 AI SEO Workflow, Backed by Surfer’s Top Performers
See the exact 3-step process Surfer’s top users used to grow clicks and get cited in AI answers in 2025. Copy it to find quick wins faster, write pages that rank and get mentioned, and track what AI is saying about you in 2026.
Joshua Hardwick
Dec 3
2025
67.82% of AIO Citations Don’t Rank In Google's Top 10. So Where Do They Come From?
Most AI Overview citations don’t come from top-ranking pages. Discover the surprising sources Google’s AI relies on and what that means for your content strategy.
Joshua Hardwick
Nov 28
2025
Do Pages With More Key Facts Get Cited in AI Overviews? 57,000+ URLs Analyzed
We analyzed 57,000 URLs to explore whether pages with stronger fact coverage get cited more often in Google’s AI Overviews.
Kristavja Caci
Nov 26
2025
AI Citation Report 2025: Which Sources AI Overviews Trust Most Across Industries
Discover which sources AI Overviews cite most. Our study of 57,000+ URLs reveals the top trusted domains across industries.
Danni Roseman
Oct 22
2025
4 Methods to Track and Measure AI Traffic in Google Analytics 4
Discover 4 simple ways that you can monitor clicks from AI search platfroms like ChatGPT and Perplexity
Satya D
Sep 23
2025
AI Search Study: Sources in Google AI Overviews
Study these 6 characteristics of Google's AI Overview sources to improve your chances of appearing in them
Jakub Sadowski
Jul 23
2025
LLM Optimization (LLMO): 8 Strategies to Get Your Brand Into AI Answers in 2026
What LLM optimization (LLMO) is, how LLMs decide which brands to mention, and 8 strategies backed by 2026 data to get your brand into ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity answers.
Michał Suski
May 7
2025
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): What It Is and 10 Strategies That Work in 2026
What generative engine optimization (GEO) is, how it differs from SEO and AEO, what the original GEO research found, and 10 GEO strategies backed by 2026 data.
Michał Suski
Oct 9
2025
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): Your 2026 Guide and Strategy
What answer engine optimization (AEO) is, how answer engines like AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity choose sources, and 10 AEO strategies backed by 2026 data.
Michał Suski
Oct 9
2025
8 Steps To Rank in Google AI Overviews
Learn 8 proven steps to rank in Google AI Overviews. Discover how to structure content, improve authority, and optimize pages to get cited in AI-powered search results.
Petar Marinkovic
Mar 4
2026
Google AI Overviews Study: 25+ Statistics from 405,576 searches
What you need to know about AI overviews based on 405,576 searches
Kristavja Caci
Oct 4
2024
AI SEO in 2026: How to Rank in Google and Get Cited by AI Search
AI SEO explained with 2026 data: how to get cited by Google AI Mode, ChatGPT and Perplexity, how to use AI for SEO, and a 30-day plan to start.
Tomasz Niezgoda
Dec 1
2025