Citation index
How we calculate the citation index
We calculate the citation rate based on all responses in the scan, not just those in which the brand was mentioned. Sample data.
Where can you see this in Aelo?
Questions about the citation index
What is a citation index?
This is the portion of the responses in the scan where the model cites your domain as a source. We count this across all responses, not just those where the brand is mentioned.
How does it differ from visibility?
Visibility indicates whether a brand is well-known by name. The citation index indicates whether a model is used on your website. These two figures can vary considerably. See the entry for more details reference.
I have high visibility and a low rating. What does that mean?
That the model learns about the brand from other websites, rather than from yours. There’s usually a lack of content from which a ready-made answer can be extracted. We explain this in the article What is an AEO?.
Do citations translate into traffic?
Sometimes, yes, because some models provide a link to the source. Not always, though, because the user might simply settle for the answer. That is why we measure them separately from traffic.
