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How do you write content that AI quotes? — 7 practical techniques

2026-07-09 · Martin Nymann · 8 min reading

7 specific content techniques based on research from Princeton KDD ’24: definition-first, BLUF, fact density, external sources, lists/tables, expert quotes and regular updates. Get your company featured on ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini.

AI crawlers don’t index your website because it looks nice — they index it because the content is written in a format they can use. Research from Princeton University (KDD ’24) shows that pages with certain structural characteristics receive up to 115 per cent more citations. Here are seven specific techniques you can use today to make your content citable by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini.

Why does the AI cite your competitor — and not your company?

AI citation (also known as AI citation bait) is the practice of writing content optimised to be cited by generative AI models. In 2026, more and more Danes are actively using AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini to search for local services, products and recommendations. AI citation differs from traditional SEO in that it focuses on factual accuracy, definition-based answers and structured data — rather than keyword optimisation and backlinks. At Geoa, we use AI citation as a central part of our GEO optimisation to ensure that Danish SMV'er are recommended by AI models.

Princeton University’s KDD ’24 study revealed something surprising: AI models cite pages outside Google’s top 10 more frequently than those that rank highly. This means that even a small SMV website can be cited — provided the content is structured correctly. According to the GEO SFE ’26 report, structural changes alone — better headings, shorter paragraphs and visual highlighting — result in a +17.3% increase in AI citations.

Technique 1: Always start with a definition

AI models love clear definitions. When ChatGPT or Perplexity need to explain a topic, they look for a paragraph that begins with “[Topic] is [short definition]”. This is the easiest way to be cited.

How to do it: Every page on your website should have a 25–50-word definition paragraph at the top of the main text. Write as if you’re answering the question “What is X?” — because that’s exactly what the AI does.

Example (good): GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is a method for optimising your business’s visibility in AI-driven search engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini. GEO differs from traditional SEO in that it optimises for AI responses rather than search results pages.”

Princeton KDD ’24 found that ‘definition-first’ content receives 15 per cent more citations than content that begins with background or context. And GEO -SFE ’26 confirmed that definitions are the most cited single content type across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude.

Technique 2: Write fact-rich content — 3 facts per 1,000 words

AI models value quantitative data over qualitative statements. The Princeton research showed that adding statistics results in a 41 per cent increase in AI citations — the highest single effect in the study.

Every time you make a claim, ask yourself: “Can I put a figure on it?” Instead of “Our software improves visibility”, write “Our software increased AI visibility by 171% for Revisor in 4 weeks — from 14% to 38%”.

Minimum requirement: At least 3 facts per 1,000 words. Facts can be percentages, prices, dates, measurements or references to external sources. GEO -SFE ’26 data shows that pages with high fact density are twice as likely to be cited in Perplexity -answers.

Technique 3: Use BLUF — Bottom Line Up Front

AI crawlers do not read the entire article before deciding whether to cite it. They scan the first 60 words. If the answer isn’t there, they move on to the next source.

The BLUF rule: The first 60 words on your page must contain a complete answer to the question: who is this for, what is the problem, and what is the solution? An AI must be able to extract a two-sentence answer from your first 60 words.

Bad example: “In this article, we’ll go through some of the most important aspects of GEO optimisation and look at how your business can benefit from the new opportunities...”

Good example: GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) optimises your business’s visibility on ChatGPT and Perplexity. Danish SMV'ers that implement GEO typically see a 30 per cent increase in AI citations within four weeks.”

According to GEO -SFE ’26, the BLUF is the most effective single change you can make — and it takes 5 minutes to implement.

Technique 4: Link to external sources — this provides a +115% citation lift

The biggest surprise from Princeton KDD ’24 was that external source references provide a +115% citation lift for low-ranking pages. AI models place greater trust in content that references authoritative sources — and they cite pages more frequently if those pages themselves cite others.

What works: Link to HBR articles, university research (such as KDD ’24), industry reports (Bain & Company, BrightLocal), or public datasets. Avoid linking to your competitors’ websites — link to neutral, third-party sources instead.

Practical tip: Whenever you mention a statistic or a study, add a source reference as a link. This signals to the AI model that your content is research-based and credible.

Technique 5: Structure your content with lists, tables and bullet points

The Princeton research showed that structured data such as lists and tables results in 22 per cent more citations. AI models can easily extract and reproduce bulleted lists in their responses — making them ideal for citation bait.

How to do it: Actively use HTML lists (

    and
      ) and tables () in your content. Every list or table is a potential AI citation. Ensure that each point can stand alone as a meaningful response.

      Example of a list format that AI frequently quotes:

      • Statistics: +41% citation lift (Princeton KDD ’24)
      • Expert quotes: +15–25% citation lift (KDD ’24)
      • External sources: +115% citation lift for low-ranking pages
      • Structured data: +22% citation lift (lists, tables, bullet points)
      • Definition-first: +15% citation lift

      Technique 6: Include expert citations — with name, title and link

      Claude-based AI models (via Brave Search) place enormous weight on E-E-A-T signals. A quote from a named expert with a LinkedIn profile and CVR number can be the difference between being cited or ignored.

      GEO -SFE ’26 showed that pages with at least one direct quote from a named individual (not an anonymous “the company says”) receive 28% more AI citations. Claude and Perplexity are particularly good at identifying and prioritising individual experts.

      Here’s how to do it as SMV: Write as your founder or owner. Use “Martin Nymann, Founder at Geoa, says:...” instead of “At Geoa, we believe...”. Include your LinkedIn profile and CVR number — these are the signals AI models look for when assessing credibility.

      Technique 7: Update the content regularly — AI loves recent dates

      Perplexity and ChatGPT prioritises ‘datePublished’ and ‘dateModified’ in its citation algorithms. An article from 2024 is cited up to three times less frequently than one from 2026 — even if the content is identical.

      Practical workflow: Go through your most important pages every three months. Update statistics, add new sources, and update the date in the JSON-LD schema. It takes 15 minutes per page and can double your citation rate.

      GEO -SFE ’26 showed that pages with a dateModified updated within the last 30 days were 47 per cent more likely to be cited in Perplexity responses than pages with dates older than 6 months.

      How do you measure whether it’s working?

      You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Here are 3 ways to track your AI citations:

      • Free GEO-test: Get a baseline score for your current AI visibility in 60 seconds. Take the test here.
      • Weekly GEO measurement: With Geoa, you get automatic tracking across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini — including which searches mention your business.
      • Manual test: Ask ChatGPT “What is [your industry] in [your town]?” and see if you’re mentioned. Do the same on Perplexity and Gemini.

      Revisor started with a GEO-score score of 37/100 and an AI visibility of 14% (mentioned in 1 out of 7 AI searches). After four weeks of following Geoas recommendations — including the seven techniques above — these figures rose to 71/100 and 38% AI visibility. That’s an increase of 171%. See how Geoa works.

      Get started — your 5-step content plan

      You don’t need to implement all 7 techniques at once. Here’s a prioritised plan:

      1. Week 1: Add a BLUF and definitions to your 3 most important pages. Update the dates in the JSON-LD schema. (1 hour)
      2. Week 2: Review your pages for factual density. Add at least 3 facts per 1,000 words. (2 hours)
      3. Week 3: Add external source references — link to HBR, KDD ’24, or industry reports. (1 hour)
      4. Week 4: Structure the content using lists and tables. Add expert quotes, citing the author’s name. (2 hours)
      5. Going forward: Measure your GEO-score every week and repeat the process. Set a calendar reminder to update content every 3 months. (30 mins/week)

      See Geoas pricing plans — from 299 kr/month for automatic GEO measurement and prioritised recommendations.

      Get your free GEO Score — 60 seconds, no credit card required.

      Get started for free

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