If your company wants to stay relevant in 2025 and beyond, being cited by AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity is no longer optional — it’s essential.

These systems don’t “search” the internet like Google. Instead, they generate answers using their internal knowledge bases, which are trained and updated based on trustworthy, high-quality content. To be cited, your content must become one of those trusted sources.

"AI won’t link to you. It will quote you — or forget you." — Dorota Burzec, AI GP Expert

What Does It Mean to Be Cited by ChatGPT or Perplexity?

Being cited means that your brand, website, name or content appears:

• directly in the answer of a user query,
• as a referenced source (e.g. in a footnote or citation),
• or as a linked domain in Perplexity’s sidebars or notes.

“Citations in AI answers are the new backlinks.” — AI Visibility Report, Q2 2025

This visibility creates massive brand authority and long-term trust — far beyond what traditional SEO can offer.

Step-by-Step: How to Get Cited

1. Create ‘Citation-Worthy’ Content

Focus on:

• Directly answering specific questions in your niche.
• Using clear structure: headers, bullet points, summaries.
• Showing expertise: include author name, credentials, date.

“AI systems prefer citing content that sounds final and authoritative.” — GEO Methodology Guide, AI-GP Protocol

2. Build Semantic Relevance