ChatGPT Checks Our Site But Cites Competitors. Why?
You asked ChatGPT "what's the best [tool] for [your use case]." You watched it search. You saw your site URL flash by in the sources. And then... it recommended your competitors. Not you.
This is one of the most frustrating experiences in AI visibility. ChatGPT visited your site. It read your content. And it still didn't cite you. What's going on?
TL;DR
- ChatGPT visiting your site ≠ ChatGPT trusting your site. It checks many sources but only cites ones it considers authoritative.
- The 5 main reasons: entity authority gap, content not extractable, lack of third-party validation, competitor content more citable, wrong positioning for query.
- Being crawled is just the first step. You need entity recognition + extractable content + correct positioning.
- The fix requires authority building first, then content optimization. Most companies do this backwards.
How ChatGPT Actually Decides What to Cite
When you use ChatGPT with web browsing enabled, it goes through a specific process. Understanding where you lose is the first step to fixing it.
The key insight: being crawled and being cited are two completely different things. ChatGPT checks many sources. It only cites the ones that pass its evaluation criteria for that specific query.
The 5 Reasons You're Not Getting Cited
ChatGPT doesn't recognize you as an authoritative source in your category. You have limited third-party mentions (press, podcasts, analyst coverage).
Fix: Build authority signals: PR, podcast appearances, industry publication mentions. This is 70% of the problem.
Your content doesn't have clear, quotable statements that ChatGPT can extract. It's buried in long paragraphs with no structured formats.
Fix: Restructure with answer-first format. Add quotable statements in first 100 words.
Query asks "best for startups" but your content targets enterprise. You're not positioned for the specific query type being asked.
Fix: Create content that explicitly claims your positioning with supporting evidence.
Competitor pages have clearer structure, more comparison content, and directly answer common queries.
Fix: Audit competitor content. Identify what makes it more citable. Create equally extractable content.
Content loads via JavaScript after page load. Robots.txt blocking AI crawlers. Content behind paywalls.
Fix: Ensure content is server-rendered. Check crawler access. Audit technical accessibility.
The Authority Gap Explained
This is the #1 reason companies get checked but not cited. Your content quality might be identical or even better than competitors. But ChatGPT uses external signals to determine who to trust.
Your Site
Result: Checked, not cited
Competitor Site
Result: Cited as recommendation
The Fix: A Prioritized Action Plan
Most companies jump straight to content optimization. That's the wrong order. Here's the right sequence:
Phase 1: Entity Foundation (Weeks 1-4)
Establish clear, consistent entity definition across the web.
- • Update Wikipedia if eligible (or get listed in relevant directories)
- • Ensure consistent naming and descriptions across all platforms
- • Create comprehensive "About" and positioning pages
Phase 2: Authority Building (Weeks 4-12)
Get mentioned by sources ChatGPT already trusts.
- • Podcast appearances in your category
- • Industry publication features and quotes
- • Analyst briefings and coverage
- • Customer case studies on third-party sites
Phase 3: Content Optimization (Weeks 8-16)
Now optimize content structure for AI extraction.
- • Restructure key pages with answer-first format
- • Add quotable statements in first 100 words
- • Create comparison and "best for" content
- • Implement llms.txt for AI crawler guidance
Why this order matters: Content optimization without authority is like optimizing a website nobody trusts. ChatGPT will still check your site and still not cite you. Build trust first.
Track Your Progress
Citation Progress Metrics
Weekly Test
Run 10-20 key queries. Track: Checked? Cited? Position?
Citation Rate
Cited queries ÷ Total tested. Target: 30%+ for category queries.
Authority Signals
Track new mentions, podcast appearances, PR placements monthly.
Timeline: Authority building takes 2-4 months to affect citation rates. Content optimization shows faster (2-4 weeks) but only if authority foundation exists.
The Bottom Line
ChatGPT checking your site but not citing you is an authority problem, not a content problem. Your content may be excellent. But ChatGPT uses external signals to decide who to trust.
The fix is sequential: Build entity foundation → Generate authority signals → Then optimize content.
This takes time. Expect 3-6 months for meaningful improvements. Start now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yuval Halevi
Helping SaaS companies and developer tools get cited in AI answers since before it was called "GEO." 10+ years in B2B SEO, 50+ cybersecurity and SaaS tools clients.
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