How to Measure GEO Success: Citation Tracking Metrics

Citation Frequency measures how often your brand appears in AI-generated answers across platforms. Track citations manually by querying ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI for your brand and industry keywords. Count how many times you're cited per 100 queries. Citation Share compares your citations to competitors. Aim for increasing citation frequency month-over-month as your entity clarity and content quality improve.

Share of Voice measures your visibility relative to competitors in AI answers. For a given query set, calculate what percentage of citations go to you versus competitors. If 10 brands are cited across 100 AI responses and you appear 15 times, your Share of Voice is 15%. This metric shows whether you're gaining or losing ground in your category. Track it monthly to see competitive movement.

Not all citations are equal. High-quality citations include your brand name and a clickable link. Medium citations include your brand name but no link. Low citations reference your content generically ('according to industry experts'). Attribution Quality measures the percentage of your citations that include your name. Aim for high attribution—being mentioned by name builds brand even without clicks.

Different AI engines serve different audiences. Cross-Platform Coverage tracks your presence across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude, and Copilot. You might be strong in Perplexity but absent from ChatGPT. Identify gaps and prioritize platform-specific optimization. This metric ensures you're not over-indexed on one platform at the expense of others.

AI citations drive brand searches even without clicks. When someone sees your brand in an AI answer, they may search for you directly. Track branded search volume in Google Search Console. An increase after AI citation activity indicates your GEO efforts are working. This is often the first measurable signal that AI citations are building awareness.

Being cited is good. Being cited favorably is better. Sentiment Analysis tracks whether AI responses position your brand positively, neutrally, or negatively. Context Analysis examines how you're mentioned—as a leader, as an option, or as a cautionary example. Monitor both to ensure your citations enhance rather than hurt your brand.

Ultimately, GEO must drive business results. Track assisted conversions—users who search for your brand after seeing an AI citation. Monitor conversion rates from branded search traffic. Calculate citation-influenced revenue. If 10,000 people see your brand in AI answers and 0.1% convert at $100 each, that's $10,000 in revenue—even if zero people clicked through. This is the ROI of GEO.