Definition
An LLM citation is when an AI model names, links or attributes your content as a source in the answer it gives a user. It is distinct from being retrieved — models use far more sources than they visibly cite.
An LLM citation is the visible attribution an AI model gives a source when it answers — a link or named reference the user can follow. It is the AI-era equivalent of an impression-plus-credit, and the central goal of AI Optimization.
Retrieved is not cited
Models read many more pages than they credit. By some analyses ChatGPT visibly cites only around 15% of the URLs it retrieves; the rest inform the answer silently. Being findable is table stakes; being quotable converts retrieval into a citation.
How to earn citations
Lead with a direct answer, use clear self-contained sections, provide specific dated statistics, and build entity authority. See what is GEO for the scoring model.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between being retrieved and being cited?
Retrieval means the model fetched and read your page; citation means it visibly credited you in the answer. Models cite only a fraction of what they retrieve, so quotability matters as much as findability.
How can I track LLM citations of my brand?
Run your top category prompts across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google AI surfaces and log which sources each names. That transcript is your AI citation baseline.