- What content quality most strongly correlates with AI citations? Clarity and summarization show the strongest correlation, as LLMs prefer direct answers that immediately address user questions before diving into deeper explanations, similar to how users want quick information without reading multiple paragraphs.
- How do E-A-T signals help earn AI citations? Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness signals like industry awards, certifications, expert quotes, and author bios demonstrate credibility to LLMs, which prefer citing authoritative sources just as they matter in traditional SEO.
- Why does Q&A format increase citation chances? FAQ sections with short, direct responses provide the clarity and concise answers that LLMs favor, but questions should be strategically chosen to be contextually relevant and genuinely helpful rather than added arbitrarily.
- What role does section structure play in AI optimization? Proper formatting with headings (H2s, H3s, H4s), bulleted lists, and graphics makes content more readable and skimmable, which increases user engagement time and signals content value to both users and LLMs.
- Does structured data impact AI citations? While some LLMs claim structured data has no impact, the study found a positive correlation between having schema markup like local business or item list schema and earning citations, as it helps define page content and supports overall SEO.
Content qualities that get cited by AI according to study:
Semrush recently released a study that looked at the qualities of content that most strongly correlate with getting AI citations. The study found five qualities of content that tend to have a strong positive correlation with earning citations in LLMs.
This overview explains what those five qualities are, why they matter, and how you can optimize your content for them.
Before diving in, it’s important to remember that correlation does not equal causation. Just because there is a strong positive correlation does not mean these qualities are directly causing businesses to get cited in LLMs.
It simply means there is a strong relationship between content having these qualities and appearing in AI citations.
These five factors aren’t a guarantee, but they can dramatically increase your chances of being cited.
1. Clarity and summarization
The first quality with the strongest positive correlation was clarity and summarization, which is not surprising because LLMs are very direct. They want direct answers and give direct responses.
Users are similar—they want answers immediately without reading through multiple paragraphs.
Having clear summarizations is important for increasing your chances of getting cited. If your content has multiple sections, provide the answer first, then dive more in-depth in the following paragraph.
This way, you answer the question immediately while still providing additional helpful information.
2. E-E-A-T signals
The second quality is E-E-A-T signals. These have long been important in traditional search for boosting authority and search placement, and this carries over to LLMs.
LLMs want to cite websites and businesses that are authoritative and good resources for information. Strong E-E-A-T signals include anything that shows you are an expert, have experience, are trustworthy, and are authoritative within your industry.
Examples include:
- Adding awards your business has won within your industry
- Adding certifications or specific licenses
- Having experts at your company share information, quotes in a blog post, or video interviews
- Creating author bios to add validity to the information on your blog
These strategies help boost both authority and trustworthiness and support both traditional SEO and AI SEO.
3. Q&A format
The third quality is Q&A format. FAQs provide clarity and summarization by offering direct, concise answers. Many business websites have FAQ sections with short, direct responses, which is a good signal for LLMs.
When adding Q&As to your website, be strategic:
- Don’t add questions just to add questions
- Make sure questions are contextually relevant and helpful to your audience
This ensures your FAQs are useful for users and increase your chances of being cited.
4. Section structure
The fourth quality is section structure. Readability impacts user engagement, which influences search performance. Users spending more time on your page signals that the content is valuable. Section structure includes headings, bulleted lists, graphics, and other formatting that makes content digestible and easier to follow.
Use H2s, H3s, H4s, and cascade down through headings. Use bulleted or numbered lists when sharing multiple items. This helps make your content skimmable and easy to navigate, which benefits both users and LLMs.
5. Structured data elements
The fifth quality is structured data. While some LLMs claim structured data has no impact, there is buzz that it does. Structured data can include local business schema, item list schema, and the like.
Even if bots don’t read it directly, structured data helps define what your page is about and supports overall SEO. The study showed a correlation between having structured data and earning citations.
Negative correlation: Non-promotional tone
The study also found one quality with a negative correlation: non-promotional tone. A non-promotional tone is factual, direct, and plain. This doesn’t mean LLMs prefer promotional content, but creating content that is polished, professional, and neat can benefit your chances of being cited.
What’s next?
Overall, the study highlights actionable strategies to increase your chances of being cited in AI search results. While it’s not foolproof and research is ongoing, optimizing for these qualities can improve both traditional SEO and AI citation performance.
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