How to get cited on AI search engines: A guide by Madhav Mistry (Linkedin, 2025)

This diagram by Madhav Mistry (2025), is a great guide for anyone trying to get their content noticed by the new wave of search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. It's a roadmap that goes beyond traditional SEO to show you how to become a trusted source that AIs will actually cite.

Be found in AI Answers

This is the first step, and it's all about making sure your content shows up when someone asks a question to an AI.

The idea is that instead of trying to rank in Google, you are creating content that directly answers prompts and questions that people would ask in AI. You are doing AI keyword research to find out what people are asking, and prompt monitoring to see what answers AIs are giving.

Prove your Authority

It's not enough to just show up in an AI answer to see your brand as the expert , so it chooses to cite your content over others. You are tracking where your brand is mentioned across the web, analyzing your domains ranking, and monitoring what people are saying about you to build your reputation.

Fix Gaps, Win Citations

This is the continuous improvement step . It's about finding what is holding you back and fixing it to earn more citations. You are constantly checking for weak spots in your content and strategy. You are running GEO audits to find holes in your content , making sure that your on page content is perfect , and prioritzing which links you need to build to show the AI that you are a reliable source.

The AI Visibility Framework

The list at the bottom of the diagram demonstrates that this isn't just a bunch of few tactics , but a full-fleged strategy that builds on itself . It starts with traditional SEO and moves all the way up to advanced techniques to sure your content is visible everywhere, not just regular search.