67% of ChatGPT’s Top 1,000 Citations Are Off-Limits to Marketers (+ More Findings)

10/28/25
Source: Data & Studies – SEO Blog by Ahrefs by Louise Linehan. Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of Analyzing ChatGPT’s Top 1,000 Cited Pages with Ahrefs Brand Radar

ChatGPT’s citations predominantly reference Wikipedia and other structured, authoritative sources, with a notable bias toward recently published or updated content. About two-thirds of cited pages are “dead” citations like homepages or encyclopedic entries that are difficult to influence via outreach. However, approximately one-third of citations point to influenceable content such as blogs and reviews, offering SEO opportunities. Freshness, niche specificity, and domain authority strongly shape which pages ChatGPT cites.

Optimixed’s Overview: Key Insights into How ChatGPT Selects and Cites Web Content

Understanding ChatGPT’s Citation Patterns and SEO Implications

By analyzing the top 1,000 pages cited by ChatGPT through Ahrefs Brand Radar data, several important trends emerge about the types of web content that AI assistants prioritize and cite:

  • Dominance of Reference Sites: Wikipedia stands out as the most-cited content type, highlighting ChatGPT’s preference for well-structured, comprehensive, and predictable sources.
  • Content Type Breakdown: Besides encyclopedic pages, citations include educational content, homepages, app listings, and blogs. However, only about 32.3% of these are “pitch-worthy” or influenceable through outreach tactics.
  • Recency Bias: Roughly 43% of cited pages were updated within the past 30 days, and the median age of dated pages is under two months. This reflects a strong preference for fresh content, consistent with research showing improved AI ranking via publication date updates.
  • Visibility and Authority Insights: While many cited pages come from domains with very high domain rating (DR 81+), the specific pages often have low URL rating (UR), indicating ChatGPT values authoritative domains but not necessarily the most linked pages. Additionally, many cited pages rank highly for relevant keywords and have strong backlink profiles.
  • Niche and Discovery Factors: Nearly one-third of cited pages have no traditional search visibility, likely due to freshness, niche relevance, or alternative discovery methods favoring accuracy and relevance over popularity signals.

SEO Takeaways for Increasing ChatGPT Citation Potential

Given these findings, SEO and content marketers aiming to increase visibility in AI-driven citations should consider the following strategies:

  • Focus on Fresh, Well-Structured Content: Creating and regularly updating authoritative content increases chances of being cited.
  • Target Influenceable Content Types: Aim for blogs, reviews, and publications rather than homepages or encyclopedic pages that are difficult to influence.
  • Leverage Brand Radar for Outreach: Use tools like Ahrefs Brand Radar to identify top cited pages in your niche and find outreach opportunities.
  • Optimize for Niche and Long-Tail Topics: Addressing specific, less competitive queries can increase citation likelihood despite low search volume.

Overall, while ChatGPT’s citation habits favor authoritative and fresh content, there remain meaningful opportunities for savvy marketers to gain AI visibility through targeted content and outreach efforts.