# How to increase your website's visibility in AI search engines

Strategies to earn more citations from ChatGPT and other AI tools by 2026

- **Source:** [Latest news](https://brifing.si/source/77d15218-219f-472d-bf40-31b5646d2942)
- **Published:** 2026-07-20
- **Topic:** [Marketing](https://brifing.si/c/marketing)
- **Original article:** <https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-check-if-chatgpt-ai-tools-cite-website-improve-chances/>
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/5b46bbe9-770b-4778-b57c-e02d7afe235e

## The rise of AI traffic

AI-driven web traffic grew 66% in 2025 but still represents just 0.15% of total visits. As traditional SEO impact declines, AI platforms became both starting points and destinations. Users now get answers directly within AI interfaces without clicking through.

## Citations gain importance

AI tools may cite websites even with low domain authority. However, this means users get information without visiting your site. Being cited has become more critical for brand awareness than direct traffic in the AI era.

## Visibility measurement tools

Test 10-15 queries on ChatGPT or Perplexity to analyze citations. Free tools like HubSpot's AEO Grader or premium solutions like Semrush One help track AI presence. Filter AI referral traffic in Google Analytics for deeper insights.

## Remove AI crawler blocks

Ensure robots.txt doesn't block GPTBot or ClaudeBot. Princeton research shows this simple step could increase citation rates by 40%. Many CMS platforms block these bots by default, hurting visibility.

## Content structuring techniques

AI models extract passages, not full pages. Start sections with clear standalone sentences. Content with cited numbers and sources ranks higher during verification. Vague statements get deprioritized in AI search results.

## The LLM.txt experiment

Adding an llms.txt file to your root directory is Answer.AI's low-cost proposal. While not yet proven, it may increase citation chances by providing AI-specific directives. This file offers additional metadata for AI crawlers.

## Preparing for the future

As AI search dominance grows by 2026, balance traditional SEO with AI optimization. Regularly monitor citation rates and adapt content strategy to AI extraction patterns. This has become critical for maintaining brand visibility in AI interfaces.

## Sources covering this story

- https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-check-if-chatgpt-ai-tools-cite-website-improve-chances/ — 

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_Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._