AI models are fundamentally reshaping how brands build authority online. While backlinks still hold significance for traditional search rankings, a new paradigm is emerging—one where LLM citations are becoming crucial for brand visibility in the age of AI-powered search.
Our hosts Malhar Barai & Parth Suba converse about this and more on Ep. 117 of SEOTalk Twitter Spaces.
Traffic from large language models may still be small, often less than 1% for most brands. However, the quality tells a different story entirely. Buffer reported a remarkable 185% higher conversion rate from AI-driven visitors compared to organic search traffic, as shared by Parth Suba while initiating the conversation.
Understanding LLM Citations vs. Traditional Backlinks
LLM citations occur when AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot, or Claude reference your content as a source when generating answers. Unlike traditional backlinks that directly boost URL rankings through PageRank signals, citations function more as trust indicators.
Deepak highlighted that citations are particularly valuable for brand building rather than functioning as traditional backlinks. The exception exists with Perplexity’s published pages, which get indexed by Google and may carry backlink weight.
The Sweet Spot: Mentions Plus Citations
According to Parth Suba, there’s a critical distinction between mentions and citations. A mention happens when an LLM names your brand (for example, “Asana” for project management tools) without linking to you. Citations include the actual links that users can click to visit your site.
The ideal scenario combines both elements. When users search for terms like “best project management tools” and your brand gets mentioned AND cited across multiple LLMs—Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity enabling your credibility to multiply significantly.
Some Real-world Insights On LLM Citations
Vijay, who is part of Allevents (ranked 91st globally in top 100 websites cited by Google AI Overview according to Ahrefs study), shared groundbreaking observations from his reverse engineering efforts. Google appears to prioritize local authority for citations—sites with high-quality local backlinks perform better in AI citations.
He discovered that websites hit by core updates lose citation opportunities. If your site was affected by Google’s August spam update or previous core updates, you likely won’t rank for primary keywords in AI Overviews, regardless of past performance.
How Citations Behave Like Traditional Sandbox Testing
Vijay also revealed a fascinating parallel to traditional SEO.
When Google AI Overview first cites a landing page, it tests performance over 2-3 days. If the page receives good click-through rates, has excellent page response times and maintains strong dwell time, the citation survives and appears consistently.
This mirrors how Google historically tested pages in top positions during sandbox periods. Good engagement signals mean staying power in citation results.
Tracking Your Citation Performance
A practical method for tracking AI Overview rankings using Google Search Console was shared by Vijay.
Filter for queries where your page ranks at position 2 or lower—these often indicate AI Overview citations since Google positions these below traditional position 1.
For more sophisticated tracking, Vijay uses Google Sheets Analytics with custom regex patterns to identify long-tail queries that nobody would typically search manually. These unusual queries often indicate AI-generated searches.
The Playbook For Citation-Worthy Content
Proma emphasized that FAQ sections have become essential for citation success. LLMs prioritize content that provides quick, specific answers rather than lengthy 1500-word blog posts.
Your content should address highly specific buyer intent. As Proma discovered while searching for hair straighteners, LLMs surface pages from the third, fourth, or fifth page of Google results when those pages contain specific features or details that match user queries perfectly.
Vijay’s recommendation: Create dedicated landing pages that deliver 100% intent-driven answers. If someone searches “things to do in Chicago,” your Chicago page should comprehensively answer that specific query without random, unrelated content.
Multi-Platform Signals Matter
For brands like Allevents, citation success stems from satisfying signals across multiple channels.
Beyond traditional SEO, they’ve invested in offline meetups, UGC content, creator partnerships, and influencer marketing campaigns.
These diverse signals contribute to topical authority that LLMs recognize and reward.
The Challenge of Attribution
Proma raised an important consideration that deserves deeper exploration: attribution remains challenging when measuring how citations tie into revenue.
While conversion rates prove higher, tracking the full customer journey from citation to conversion needs more sophisticated measurement frameworks.
The Way Forward: AI Visibility As A KPI
When asked whether AI visibility has become a reportable KPI, Vijay confirmed yes. He’s already incorporating citation metrics into client reports, similar to how featured snippet appearances were tracked before 2023.
Parth suggested the transition mirrors featured snippets—currently supplementary reporting that will inevitably become standard as AI search grows. The key is correlating citations with actual business revenue to justify their strategic importance.
Conclusion
As Malhar mentioned, LLM citations represent a trust rank rather than PageRank.
They signal credibility in ways that traditional backlinks cannot. While traffic volumes remain small today, the superior conversion rates and brand authority benefits make citations a critical focus for forward-thinking SEO strategies.
The brands succeeding in this new landscape are those creating highly specific, intent-driven content with strong technical performance, diverse authoritative signals, and presence across multiple LLM platforms.
Citations may not replace backlinks entirely, but they’re certainly carving out their own essential role in modern SEO.
Your thoughts?
Recap of Ep. 117 below: