“Co-citations” in academia seek advice from a single analysis doc that cites two or extra sources. But net pages comprise co-citations, too. Search engine optimizers have lengthy suspected that Google depends on co-citations to establish comparable websites.
We see proof of co-citations on Google’s entity-based search outcomes, comparable to lists of distributors and repair suppliers.
Co-Quotation and AI
With the launch of AI solutions, co-citation is essential as a result of all AI platforms — AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, others — closely on lists for model and product suggestions. For the search “greatest CRM options,” for instance, AI Overviews cite 5 sources. All are lists.

AI platforms depend on exterior lists for model and product suggestions, comparable to this instance of “prime CRM options” in Google’s AI Overviews.
The sources shouldn’t have to hyperlink to their suggestions for giant language fashions to quote them. Therefore for AI optimization, co-occurrences (i.e., unlinked mentions) are as necessary as co-citations (e.g., linked mentions).
The much less your model seems on exterior web sites, the decrease its visibility in AI solutions (and search). And the manufacturers mostly listed alongside yours — linked or not — outline its relevance and visibility.
Search engines like google and LLMs might supply completely different websites. Gauge your web site’s visibility by discovering, say, 20 listicles that reference your opponents. Test:
- Natural search outcomes,
- Sources in AI Mode and AI Overviews,
- References in ChatGPT.
Many of those might overlap. However analyzing 20 lists will reveal your small business’s relative visibility.
A number of instruments may also help establish co-citation alternatives.
InTheMix.ai
InTheMix.ai runs associated prompts in Gemini primarily based on an preliminary user-generated question, analyzes the solutions, and lists the sources in them. The software, which is free, shows the variety of solutions for every URL (to establish the most well-liked).
Otterly.ai
Otterly.ai is a premium software (with a free trial) that pulls citations for any immediate from Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. It additionally gives weekly monitoring of these citations to find alternatives.
Reddit, a top-cited supply in Google and ChatGPT, is useful for researching citations of your small business or opponents to know which subreddits point out your model and opponents in the identical threads.
Use AI Model Rank’s Reddit part to research citations of well-established opponents.

AI Model Rank shows citations on a number of platforms, together with Reddit, proven right here for mentions of “Udemy.”
Gauge Visibility
Entry prime platforms to match mentions of your small business or product with these of opponents. This can present perception into your model’s visibility in AI coaching information.