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llms.txt GeneratorWhat is the most important metric in the decay study?
Mostly, the combination of one-and-done rate and brand half-life is the clearest operating pair. Together they show how weak URL persistence can still translate into a slower but real brand-level decay curve.
The key numbers.
- One-and-done citations
- Citations that appear once and vanish.
- 73.5%
- Brand half-life
- Average time for brand presence to halve from peak.
- 31 days
- Median citation lifespan
- Most citations disappear immediately.
- 0 days
Teams need both URL-level and brand-level retention metrics to understand whether visibility is real or fleeting, especially since the median citation lifespan is 0 days.
The evidence.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| One-and-done citations Citations that appear once and vanish. | 73.5% |
| Brand half-life Average time for brand presence to halve from peak. | 31 days |
| Median citation lifespan Most citations disappear immediately. | 0 days |
Population and method
Built from 857,138 reports, 108,650 citations, 10,991 brands, and 8 tracked models across a 10-month observation window.
Where the evidence stops
Decay describes observed persistence, not the full causal mechanism behind why a citation disappears.
Brand- and domain-level averages can hide very different retention patterns by query class or model.
Some of the stickiest or most volatile domains come from niche query pockets and should be read as examples, not universal leaders.
What to do with this
- Measure visibility as a moving system rather than a one-time citation snapshot.
- Refresh and monitor citation-driving pages on the cadence your models actually decay.
- Separate durable wins from temporary spikes to avoid overreacting to short-lived mentions.
Tracking these specific decay rates allows operators to distinguish between temporary visibility spikes and durable brand presence, directly informing content refresh schedules and resource allocation.
Questions about this answer.
Cite this answer.
Source study: Citation Decay“Mostly, the combination of one-and-done rate and brand half-life is the clearest operating pair. Together they show how weak URL persistence can still translate into a slower but real brand-level decay curve.”
Mack Grenfell · What is the most important metric in the decay study?
The Half-Life of AI Citations · Trakkr Research · Updated 30 March 2026