By Aksa | Freelance marketer, Pathanamthitta, Kerala
You rank on Google’s first page. Does that mean ChatGPT will mention your business? Not necessarily. ChatGPT citations follow different rules from Google rankings, and many small businesses don’t know it yet.
I’m a BCA graduate training in SEO and digital marketing. I’m building my own portfolio website. I haven’t measured my AI visibility yet, so I won’t pretend to have results. This post shares what recent research says, how I plan to test my site, and what I would tell a small business owner in Kerala to do first.
What Are ChatGPT Citations? (ChatGPT citations)
When ChatGPT searches the web to answer a question, it shows the sources it used. Those sources are its citations. If your page appears there, people can click through to your website.
That makes citations a new kind of visibility. It sits next to Google rankings. It is not the same thing. A website can rank well on Google. Still never appear in a ChatGPT answer.
This is why AI search visibility has become a topic every marketer should understand.
What the Research Found About – ChatGPT citations
A recent arXiv preprint examined this problem. Researchers from the National University of Singapore and Xi’an Jiaotong University recorded ChatGPT’s actions during their sessions. They saw the searches it ran and the pages it chose as sources.
Here is the setup in terms:
• They used 80 real-style questions, in English and Chinese.
• They ran each question 20 times on several ChatGPT versions.
• They compared ChatGPT’s cited pages with Google results and with OpenAI’s API results.
The main finding for me is this: Google results and the API together found about a quarter of the exact pages ChatGPT cited (26.2% for one version). They did better at the site level, finding about half of the cited sites (48.7%).
In words, a tool can often guess which websites ChatGPT will use. It is much worse at guessing which pages.
Two more details matter. ChatGPT rewrote the questions into its search terms instead of searching the exact words… Its sources changed from one run to the next.
A caution: this is a preprint, which means other researchers have not peer-reviewed it yet. Treat the numbers as a signal, not a final answer.
Why ChatGPT Citation Tracking Is Hard – ChatGPT citations
ChatGPT citation tracking is harder than checking a Google ranking for three reasons:
- Answers change. Ask the question twice, and you may see different sources.
- Questions get rewritten. ChatGPT turns your wording into its searches, so you can’t predict the exact terms.
- Models change. When the model behind ChatGPT updates, citation patterns can shift too.
The researchers suggest tracking by site as well as by page, repeating the same prompts and testing after model changes. I agree with all three. They shape my plan below.
How I Plan to Test My Website – ChatGPT citations
I’m treating this as a testing plan, not a result. Here is the process.
Step 1: Write questions
I will list questions a client might type, such as:
• Who is a good freelance digital marketer in Pathanamthitta?
• How can a small business in Kerala improve SEO?
• Which digital marketing services help a small business get customers?
Step 2: Repeat each question
One answer proves nothing. I will run each question about five times. I will also try a few wording variations.
Step 3: Record everything in a spreadsheet
A simple sheet is enough. These are the columns I’ll use:
| Column What to write
|—————–|———————————–|
| Date | The day you ran the test
| Question | The exact wording
| Run number | 1 to 5
| Mentioned? | Yes or no
| Page cited | The exact page URL
Competitors | Who else appeared
| Source URLs | The sources ChatGPT showed
Step 4: Repeat weekly or monthly
I’ll look for patterns over time, not results. One lucky or unlucky answer tells you little.
Step 5: Keep Google data separate
I’ll check Google Search Console for impressions and clicks and use analytics for visitors. Google visibility and AI visibility are different. I won’t mix them. You can start both tools; see the official Search Console page and the official Google Analytics page.
If you want to read how I think about measuring results broadly, my guide on measuring AI impact in marketing covers the baseline method.
** Mistakes Small Businesses Make**
These are the mistakes I think matter most:
• Focusing only on Google rankings and expecting ChatGPT to follow.
• Judging results from an answer. Citations change between runs.
• Chasing tricks instead of building real credibility.
• Inconsistent business details. Different names, phones, or addresses across platforms confuse both people and machines.
• Not tracking everything. Without records, you can’t tell if anything is improving.
Build AI Search Visibility Without Tricks – ChatGPT citations
My main takeaway is simple. Don’t try to get mentioned. Build a presence that makes you worth mentioning.
Here is what that means in practice:
- Answer customer questions. Write pages and posts about what your customers actually ask.
- Keep your business details consistent. Use the name, address, phone number, and service descriptions everywhere.
- Show your expertise and location clearly. Say what you do, where you work, and who you help.
- Earn reviews and links. Real reviews and relevant backlinks build trust.
- Keep your site clear and fast. An optimised, easy-to-navigate website helps everyone, including AI tools.
These steps are SEO anyway, so you lose nothing by doing them. If you want help with this, take a look at my marketing services.
What This Approach Can’t Tell You – ChatGPT citations
I want to be honest about the limits. Nobody can guarantee that ChatGPT will cite your website, and I can’t either. The research behind this post tested models in a specific period, and newer models may behave differently.
My own testing plan will also produce samples, so I’ll treat results as trends, not proof. Results may vary by industry, location, and language.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are ChatGPT citations?
They are the sources ChatGPT shows when it uses web search to answer a question. If your page is cited, people can click to visit your site.
Does ranking on Google guarantee ChatGPT citations?
No. A page can rank well on Google. It still may not be cited by ChatGPT. Different systems choose sources in different ways.
How can I track ChatGPT citations for my business?
Write a list of customer questions, run each one several times, and record the sources in a spreadsheet. Repeat. Monthly and look for trends.
How often should I test?
Start weekly or monthly and test again whenever ChatGPT’s underlying model changes.
Conclusion: Be Worth Citing – ChatGPT citations
ChatGPT citations are changing how people find businesses, and they don’t always follow Google rankings. The practical answer is not a trick. It is a testing habit and a website that deserves to be mentioned.
Here are the takeaways:
• Don’t assume Google rankings will carry over to ChatGPT.
• Test with questions and repeat each one.
• Record dates, pages, and sources in a spreadsheet.
• Judge AI visibility as a trend over time, not a result.
• Build a consistent and trustworthy online presence.
I’m at the start of this journey. I’ll share my own results once I have real data. If you want a digital marketing expert in Pathanamthitta to help you set up tracking and build a stronger online presence, and let’s talk.