AI engines build answers from sources they trust: review sites, comparison articles, documentation, forums and brand websites. If you know which sources are cited for your topics, you know exactly where to show up.
Last updated: October 17, 2026. Menus and button names can change, so if something looks different, look for the closest matching option.
Best for: Marketers planning digital PR and content for AI search
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Step-by-step: map the cited sources
Step 1: Track your key prompts
Set up a monitor with 20–50 unbranded prompts. See how to choose prompts.
Step 2: Open the citation data
For each prompt, review which URLs and domains are cited across runs. Running prompts multiple times gives more citation variants than a single check.
Step 3: Export and group by domain
Group cited URLs by domain and type: review sites, media, forums, competitors, documentation, your own site.
Step 4: Rank the sources
Prioritise domains cited for many prompts and across several engines. These have the biggest influence.
Step 5: Check if you are mentioned there
Open each top source. Are you listed, described correctly and up to date?
Step 6: Choose an action per source
Review site: claim and update your profile. Listicle: contact the author with accurate information. Forum: answer helpfully as a disclosed brand representative. Competitor page: create your own better comparison.
Never post fake reviews or undisclosed promotional comments. It breaks platform rules and damages trust.
Step 7: Re-check in 4–8 weeks
Sources change slowly. Re-run your prompts and see whether citations and visibility moved.
Source action plan template
| Source | Type | Prompts cited | Are we there? | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| example-reviews.com | Review site | 12 | Outdated profile | Update profile and pricing |
| blog.example.com/best-tools | Listicle | 8 | No | Pitch the author with facts |
More AI search visibility guides
- How to Track Your Brand in ChatGPT and AI Search (Step-by-Step)
- How to Choose the Right Prompts for AI Visibility Tracking
- How to Compare Your Competitors in AI Search Results
- How to Check If Your Brand Appears in Google AI Overviews and AI Mode
- How to Run a GEO Audit in 60 Minutes
- How to Build an AI Visibility Report in Looker Studio
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Frequently asked questions
Do AI engines cite the same sources?
Often not. Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Gemini can rely on different sources, so check per engine.
Is my own website enough?
Your site matters, but AI engines also weigh what others say about you. Combine on-site content with mentions on trusted third-party sources.
Wrap-up
Track prompts, collect cited sources, group and rank them, check your presence on each and act on the top ones first.
This guide is independent and is not sponsored by Mangools. Some links may be affiliate links, which never change our recommendations. See our Affiliate Disclosure.