How to Get Cited by Perplexity AI

You've probably noticed those numbered citations in Perplexity responses. [1] [2] [3]. Each one is a link to a source the AI decided was worth referencing.

That's where you want to be.

Unlike ChatGPT (which sometimes works from memory), Perplexity searches the web for every single query. Your current content matters for every response. Which means you have real influence over whether you show up.

How Perplexity decides what to cite

Every time someone asks Perplexity a question, the same process happens:

1. Perplexity searches the web in real-time
2. It identifies sources that seem relevant and trustworthy
3. It synthesizes an answer from those sources
4. It shows numbered citations linking back

The key insight: this isn't about ranking. It's about being citation-worthy. Perplexity has to believe your content is valuable enough to reference when answering that specific question.

Start by checking where you stand

Before optimizing anything, see your current reality.

Ask Perplexity the questions your customers would ask. For each one, note:

• Are you cited at all?
• What position is your citation? ([1] is better than [5])
• Which specific content of yours gets cited?
• Who else gets cited for the same queries?

You can do this manually to get a feel for things. For ongoing tracking, Mentionable automates it across Perplexity and other AI platforms.

Create content worth citing

Perplexity cites sources that directly answer questions with authority. Here's what that actually means:

Match the query exactly

If users ask "best CRM for small businesses," your content needs to:

• Actually be about CRMs (not just "business software")
• Explicitly discuss small businesses
• Provide a clear answer or recommendation

Vaguely related content doesn't get cited. Direct matches do.

Go deep, not shallow

Perplexity prefers citing comprehensive sources over thin posts.

A 500-word overview won't cut it. But a thorough guide that covers the topic from multiple angles, addresses follow-up questions, and provides real actionable information? That earns citations.

One comprehensive resource beats ten superficial ones.

Make extraction easy

Structure your content so Perplexity can easily pull out the information it needs:

Use headings that match what people ask. If people search "how to improve email deliverability," have a heading that says exactly that.

Put answers early. Don't bury the good stuff after three paragraphs of context. Lead with the answer, then explain.

Use lists and tables. For information that's naturally list-like or comparative, format it that way. Perplexity loves extracting these.

Add FAQ sections. Questions and direct answers are citation gold.

Build the authority that earns trust

Perplexity considers source credibility, similar to how Google thinks about authority.

Quality backlinks matter. Links from reputable, relevant sites signal trustworthiness.

Industry recognition helps. Reviews, awards, mentions on authoritative sites in your space.

Consistent expertise counts. If your site comprehensively covers your topic with depth and quality, you become a go-to source.

Author credibility adds weight. If your content has bylines, author credentials make a difference.

Stay current (Perplexity notices)

Since Perplexity searches in real-time, fresh content has a genuine advantage over dated material.

Review your key pages quarterly at minimum. Add publish and update dates so Perplexity can assess how current you are. Remove claims that were true last year but aren't anymore.

Keep publishing new content too. Regular activity signals a relevant, active source.

Optimize for different query types

Different questions favor different content formats:

Informational queries ("What is X?" "How does X work?") Create definition-focused content with clear explanations and process breakdowns.

Comparative queries ("X vs Y" "Best X for Y") Build direct comparison content with tables and clear recommendations.

Transactional queries ("X pricing" "X reviews") Have clear pricing pages and honest review content.

Match your content format to the type of query you want to show up for.

Technical stuff that actually matters

Some behind-the-scenes factors affect whether Perplexity can cite you:

Fast loading. Slow sites might get skipped during real-time search when Perplexity needs quick answers.

Accessible content. If your content is behind login walls or buried in heavy JavaScript that bots can't render, Perplexity won't find it.

Mobile-friendly design. Perplexity's crawlers expect modern, responsive sites.

Don't block AI bots. Check your robots.txt for PerplexityBot directives. If you've blocked it, Perplexity literally cannot cite you.

Keep watching and adjusting

Perplexity citations aren't static. You need to monitor continuously.

Track how often you're cited and for which queries. When something's working, figure out why so you can replicate it. When you lose citations, investigate what changed.

Watch competitors too. When they get cited and you don't, their content is worth studying.

Perplexity vs traditional SEO

There's overlap, but Perplexity rewards direct, authoritative answers more heavily than technical SEO factors. You can have perfect meta tags and still not get cited if your content doesn't actually answer the question well.

Common mistakes to avoid

Thin content. Brief posts don't earn citations. Depth matters.

No direct answers. If you dance around the question without actually answering it, you won't get cited.

Outdated information. Perplexity favors current content over stale.

Blocking AI crawlers. Check your robots.txt. You'd be surprised how many sites accidentally block themselves.

Poor structure. Wall-of-text content is hard for AI to extract and cite.

Your action plan

Start by checking your current Perplexity visibility. Mentionable tracks citations automatically across Perplexity and other platforms.

Then identify the queries where you should be cited but aren't. Those gaps are your optimization opportunities.

Perplexity is growing fast. The content you invest in now will compound as more people use it to make decisions.