{
  "kind": "answer",
  "studySlug": "citation-sources",
  "slug": "what-should-a-brand-prioritize-after-reading-the-source-data",
  "title": "What should a brand prioritize after reading the source data?",
  "description": "A brand should prioritize the source types that actually shape answers in its category.",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-04-17",
  "lastTested": "2026-04-17",
  "sourceStudyUrl": "/trakkr-research/citation-sources",
  "sourceStudyTitle": "Where AI Gets Its Answers",
  "claimIds": [
    "citation-sources:reference-share",
    "citation-sources:social-share",
    "citation-sources:reviews-share",
    "citation-sources:brands-analyzed"
  ],
  "relatedSlugs": [
    "answer:does-raw-domain-count-matter-more-than-repeat-cited-authority",
    "answer:which-sources-dominate-ai-citations",
    "fact:reference-sites-are-the-clearest-named-source-family",
    "tracker:source-category-share-tracker"
  ],
  "methodologySummary": "Built from the live citation index backing Trakkr Research, using 8,777,687 citations across 208,567 unique domains observed between October 3, 2025 and April 17, 2026.",
  "limitations": [
    "The live citation index is broader than the original December 2025 launch study, so percentages here should be read as the current benchmark.",
    "Domain share does not mean causal influence. It measures what models cited, not the full retrieval set.",
    "Category totals are domain-level rollups and may hide differences by model or query intent."
  ],
  "keywords": [
    "AI citations",
    "citation sources",
    "AI source preferences",
    "domain authority in AI",
    "AI citation strategy",
    "AI source strategy"
  ],
  "schemaHints": {
    "pageType": "Article",
    "includeDataset": true
  },
  "question": "What should a brand prioritize after reading the source data?",
  "directAnswer": "Mostly, a brand should prioritize the source types that actually shape answers in its category. That means combining answer-first owned pages with targeted visibility across reference, review, editorial, and social sources.",
  "answerSummary": "The practical lesson from the source study is not to publish everywhere. Operators must map the citation head for their category, then build pages and mentions that fit those exact source patterns.",
  "keyFacts": [
    {
      "label": "Reference category share",
      "value": "6.75%",
      "detail": "Reference sites are the largest named category in the current index.",
      "claimId": "citation-sources:reference-share"
    },
    {
      "label": "Social category share",
      "value": "3.82%",
      "detail": "Social sources matter materially, led by YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn.",
      "claimId": "citation-sources:social-share"
    },
    {
      "label": "Review category share",
      "value": "0.89%",
      "detail": "Reviews are smaller in raw share but disproportionately commercial.",
      "claimId": "citation-sources:reviews-share"
    },
    {
      "label": "Brands analyzed",
      "value": "1,038",
      "detail": "Brand coverage in the latest live corpus.",
      "claimId": "citation-sources:brands-analyzed"
    }
  ],
  "evidenceTable": [
    {
      "label": "Reference category share",
      "value": "6.75%",
      "note": "Reference sites are the largest named category in the current index."
    },
    {
      "label": "Social category share",
      "value": "3.82%",
      "note": "Social sources matter materially, led by YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn."
    },
    {
      "label": "Review category share",
      "value": "0.89%",
      "note": "Reviews are smaller in raw share but disproportionately commercial."
    },
    {
      "label": "Brands analyzed",
      "value": "1,038",
      "note": "Brand coverage in the latest live corpus."
    }
  ],
  "whyItMatters": "This turns study findings into an operating rule teams can use when deciding what to publish, refresh, or measure next, ensuring resources are allocated to the highest-impact citation surfaces.",
  "whatToDo": [
    "Audit the domains that already dominate your category and decide which ones are realistic citation targets.",
    "Build source-worthy pages for the query shapes where AI is already citing third parties.",
    "Treat reference, review, and social sources as part of your AI visibility surface."
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "How much of the citation share comes from reference sites?",
      "answer": "Reference sites are the largest named category in the current index, accounting for a 6.75% share."
    },
    {
      "question": "Should we invest in social sources for AI visibility?",
      "answer": "Social sources matter materially with a 3.82% category share, led by YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn."
    },
    {
      "question": "Are review sites worth targeting given their lower volume?",
      "answer": "While the review category share is 0.89%, reviews are disproportionately commercial and valuable for specific queries."
    }
  ]
}