How to Get Cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity
By Silicon Valley SEO · Last updated
How do you get cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity?
To get cited, let their crawlers reach your site, publish pages that answer specific questions directly, and earn mentions on sites they already trust. Nobody can guarantee a citation, but these steps make you a much easier source to pick.
How do ChatGPT and Perplexity find sources?
Both run search crawlers separate from their AI training crawlers. Blocking the search crawler keeps you out of their answers.
| Assistant | Search crawler to allow | What it does | Separate bots |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | OAI-SearchBot | Finds pages for ChatGPT search; sites that block it won’t appear in ChatGPT search answers | GPTBot (model training), ChatGPT-User (fetches a page when a user asks) |
| Perplexity | PerplexityBot | Finds and links sites in Perplexity results; not used for model training | Perplexity-User (fetches a page for a user’s question) |
Sources: OpenAI crawler docs, Perplexity crawler docs. Both companies say robots.txt changes can take about 24 hours to take effect.
You can block GPTBot (training) while still allowing OAI-SearchBot (search). That lets you appear in answers without contributing to model training.
What are the steps to earn AI citations?
Work through these seven steps in order. The first two are quick technical fixes; the rest build over months.
- Allow the search crawlers. In robots.txt, allow OAI-SearchBot and PerplexityBot. If you use a firewall or CDN bot protection, also allow their published IP ranges, or they may be blocked even when robots.txt says yes.
- Make content readable without JavaScript. Key text should be in the page’s HTML when it loads, not injected later by scripts.
- Pick the questions you want to own. List the real questions buyers ask, like “best X for Y,” “X vs Y,” “how much does X cost.” Give each one a single page.
- Answer first. Start each page with a one- or two-sentence direct answer. Assistants tend to quote clear, self-contained statements.
- Back it with specifics. Add numbers, comparison tables, named experts, and dates. Specific, verifiable details are easier to cite than marketing claims.
- Earn mentions on trusted sites. Get included in review sites, industry publications, “best of” lists, and community discussions in your category. Assistants often cite these third-party sources, and your brand should appear in them.
- Keep pages current. Update facts, prices, and screenshots, and show a visible “last updated” date. Stale pages lose ground to fresher answers.
Steps 3 to 5 also help you rank in traditional search engines, a bonus, since both assistants find sources through web search.
How can you tell if you’re being cited?
Test a fixed list of buyer questions in each assistant every month, and check your analytics for AI referral traffic. AI answers vary between runs, so look for patterns over several runs rather than trusting one result.
- Manual prompt checks: Ask 10 to 20 real buyer questions in ChatGPT (with search on) and Perplexity. Run each a few times. Note whether you are named, whether your page is linked, and who appears instead.
- Referral traffic: In GA4, filter sessions by source for chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai.
- Server logs: Look for visits from OAI-SearchBot and PerplexityBot to confirm they can reach your pages.
- Tracking tools: Several paid tools now automate prompt tracking across assistants. They are useful at scale, but check a sample by hand.
Our free AI visibility audit runs this check for your top buyer questions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay to be cited by ChatGPT?
No. There is no paid placement in ChatGPT or Perplexity organic answers. Be wary of anyone selling guaranteed citations.
If I block GPTBot, will I disappear from ChatGPT?
Not from ChatGPT search. OpenAI says GPTBot is for training and OAI-SearchBot is for search, so you can block one and allow the other.
How long does it take to start getting cited?
Crawler access changes take about a day. New or rewritten content can take weeks to months to show up, depending on how often your site is crawled and how competitive the question is.
Do I need different content for each assistant?
No. Clear, answer-first, well-sourced pages work across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.
Why does my competitor get cited instead of me?
Usually because they answer the exact question more directly, or because third-party sites mention them more often. An audit can show which applies.
Want to know which questions you’re winning and losing? Get a free AI visibility audit or see our AEO service.
About Silicon Valley SEO
Silicon Valley SEO is a Bay Area consultancy that helps tech companies rank in Google and get cited by AI assistants, using the CITED Method. Questions? Email support@siliconvalleyseo.ai.
Sources
- Overview of OpenAI crawlers, OpenAI
- Perplexity crawlers, Perplexity