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Monitor LLM citations and track how AI models reference your content
Large language models (LLMs), as opposed to search engines, are increasingly a go-to option for people seeking answers to their queries.
Search engines remain dominant, but LLMs have eaten significantly into their market share. Optimizing your site for LLMs is just as important as optimizing for search engines.
Tracking how search engines reference your site is straightforward, but it isn’t the same for LLMs. The latter requires more specialized approaches, which I’ve created this guide to explore.
1. Use the LLMs directly
Querying LLMs yourself is the simplest way to monitor LLM citations. You have many options like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, and they all have free tiers.
Choose any option, make a query relevant to your website, and see whether your website gets cited. In many cases, your website won’t be cited alone, but it’ll be one of several cited sources.
Suppose you run a tech blog filled with smartphone reviews. You can query ChatGPT about smartphone specifications to see if your blog gets cited as a source. You can do the same on Google (AI has been highly integrated into its search engine).
There’s no guarantee of getting cited on the first, second, or third attempt. You can always tweak your query to get more detailed answers, for example, “What are the iPhone 17 Pro specs? What chip does it use, how many pixels is the camera, and what are the display dimensions?”
If your website isn’t cited after many attempts, it signals the need to optimize it further to capture LLM-sourced traffic.
2. Analyze your traffic stats
When chatbots retrieve data from your website, each query will show up in your traffic statistics. You can monitor these queries from Google Analytics or other traffic analysis tools.
Look for unexplained traffic spikes on specific pages– this is a common sign of LLMs fetching data from your website.
Check which sources the traffic originates from: in many cases, the traffic appears as Direct, but in some cases, you’ll see the AI chatbot’s name as the referrer.
If this unexplained traffic is hitting a specific page, it signals valuable content that resonates with LLMs. Publishing similar content will generate more LLM citations.
3. Search for unique phrases on LLMs
AI models might not cite your website for generic queries, but will readily cite unique phrases and data points. You can pick any unique phrase on your website and search for it on ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity AI, and other chatbots.
If your website is cited as the source, it implies the site is in the right state for future citations. Otherwise, you’ll need to tweak your site to enable proper LLM indexing.
4. Update your sitemap
Always keep your sitemap up to date to ensure crawlers can find information efficiently. This advice is usually given for search engine optimization, but it also applies to LLMs.
A sitemap is a document listing all pages on your website. It tells web crawlers which content is on your site and where to find it. It’s like giving an accurate map to someone who visits a new neighborhood– they wouldn’t waste much time (crawl budget in this case) looking for random addresses. The crawler will get exactly what it needs and use its crawl budget efficiently.
5. Use xSeek
Just like you have Semrush and Ahrefs for search engine optimization, you have access to several LLM optimization tools. xSeek is one of the best options.
When you enter your domain, xSeek will analyze it for flaws that could be preventing LLMs from indexing your site properly.
During my test, xSeek said my website needed more optimized meta descriptions and H1 headings, and that I should add FAQ schema markups to help AI models find content reliably.
The full analysis report showed other flaws to be corrected for better LLM indexing. I also analyzed competitors’ websites and compared their LLM optimization results side-by-side.
You can analyze your site for free with xSeek. However, a subscription is required to unlock its full feature set, like tracking LLM pings on your website, receiving real-time ranking updates, and getting AI-powered content recommendations.
The Basic plan costs $30 per month, and the Pro plan costs $60 per month, with a 7-day free trial to test the features.
6. Use Semrush
Wait a minute? I earlier mentioned Semrush as a go-to search engine optimization tool, along with Ahrefs.
You’re probably wondering why it’s now listed as an LLM optimization tool. You’ll be happy to know it functions as both, so if you already use Semrush, there’s no need to pay for an extra LLM optimization platform.
In March 2025, Semrush officially launched its AI Optimization (AIO) platform for businesses. This platform lets you proactively manage how your content appears in AI-driven search results or direct LLM queries.
With Semrush AIO, you can monitor which LLM prompts generate the most citations for your website, then create similar content to get even more citations.
You can monitor your position for specific prompts and compare it to competitors. You’ll receive regular tips to optimize your site for higher citations. If you’ve used an SEO platform, Semrush AIO feels exactly that way, but for LLMs.
Why is monitoring LLM citations important for websites?
1. Social proof
Getting cited by LLMs generates credibility for your website, arguably more than a search engine citation.
There’s a more personalized feeling when LLMs cite your website in response to a user’s detailed query, compared to a search engine responding to a generic query.
The citation establishes your website as a trusted source, and the user can follow the link to get more information. That single visit can convert the LLM user into a loyal website reader.
2. Competitiveness
Search engines were already intensely competitive, and then came LLMs, opening up another frontier to battle with rivals for citations.
You’ll gain a competitive edge by appearing in LLM citations, even those without links. These citations generate serious brand recognition that sets you apart from competitors, so monitoring them is critical.
LLMs aren’t as widely understood as search engines, but publishers are learning more as time goes on. As an early mover, you can capture a new audience before most competitors figure out the strategies for high LLM citations.
How to optimize content for LLM citations
1. Structure your content properly
Writing in-depth content helps, but it isn’t enough to get cited for LLMs. The content should be structured properly, with headings, subheadings, and a hierarchical page structure to make it easy for LLM bots to understand.
Have a single H1 heading with the main title, then use multiple H2, H3, and H4 (etc.) headings to make your content easy to follow.
For example, if I’m writing about the iPhone 17 Pro’s specifications, I can structure my content this way:
H1 - The iPhone 17 Pro: What you should know about it
H2 - What’s new in the iPhone 17 Pro
H3 - Camera specifications
H3 - Chipset
H3 - Storage
H4 - Comparing iPhone 17 storage capacity with previous models
H2 - Should I buy the iPhone 17 Pro?
…
The content is structured in a way that a human reader can easily follow, and so can an LLM bot. When a user asks for the iPhone 17 Pro’s specs, the bot can quickly find the relevant bit of information to cite.
Along with organized content, you can also add Schema markup code to help LLMs understand your content.
If your article has a frequently asked questions (FAQs) section, use schema code to indicate it clearly– this enables LLM bots to understand that it’s a FAQ section, and they can cite your website when someone asks a relevant question.
2. Get third-party validation
Seek backlinks from top sites in your niche. Mentions from top industry blogs, news sites, and trade publications provide third-party validation.
LLMs consider this validation when seeking sources to cite– these bots wouldn’t want to cite any random site after all.
You can publish guest posts on other websites to gain backlinks. You can also participate in backlink exchange programs, where you link to a relevant website, and they’ll link to yours.
3. Post high-quality content
Above all advice, publishing high-quality content helps you get cited by LLMs. You could follow all other recommendations, but a lack of high-quality content will negate your chances.
Publish valuable information that directly answers readers’ queries. For example, in an article about the iPhone 17 Pro’s specs, describe all its technical characteristics, its price, when the phone was released, and how the reader can get one.
Post images and videos to illustrate technical specifications– a block of text with no image breaks quickly bores readers. Write in a conversational tone similar to speaking to someone in person.
