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How To Get Cited In AI Models In 2026

By Chelsea Light | Founder, Maisona | 4 min read

A practical guide to using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity for modern SEO

PHASE 1: Discover What AI and Users Actually Ask 

Using the best AI models for competitor analysis and keyword research

Step 1: Brainstorm with LLMs

Choose Your LLM:

ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini 

Prompts to Use: 

  • I run a [type of business/website]. What are 20 high-intent keywords people might search for when looking for [product/service]? 
  • What questions do people commonly ask about [topic]?  Give me 15 question based keywords. 
  • Analyse this topic: [topic]. What are semantic variations and related subtopics I should cover for comprehensive SEO? 

Action Items:

  • Create a spreadsheet with all keyword suggestions 
  • Categorise by: informational, transactional, navigational intent 
  • Note long-tail vs. short-tail keywords 

Step 2: Validate with Perplexity

What to Check:

  1. Search your target keywords in Perplexity
  2. Look at which sources Perplexity cites in its answers 
  3. Note the format of answers (lists, paragraphs, comparisons) 

Key Questions:

  1. Which websites are being cited most frequently? 
  2. What content format does Perplexity prefer for this topic? 
  3. Are there gaps your content could fill? 

PHASE 2: Conduct a Competitive Analysis

Step 3: Competitor Content Analysis with LLMs

Prompt Template:  

  • Analyse these top ranking pages for [keyword]: 
    • [URL 1] 
    • [URL 2] 
    • [URL 3] 
  • What content patterns do they share? 
  • What topics do they cover? 
  • What’s missing that I could add?

Advanced Prompt:

I want to rank for [keyword]. My competitors cover: [list topics]. What unique angles or subtopics could I cover to differentiate and provide more value?” 

Step 4: Cross-Reference with Perplexity

Action:

  • Search the same keywords in Perplexity 
  • Compare, are the same sites cited by Perplexity? 
  • Identify, which cited sources have content elements your competitors lack? 

Strategic Insight:

If a site appears in Perplexity citations but NOT in your LLM competitor analysis, that’s a GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) winner you should study. 

PHASE 3: Build Content AI Wants to Cite

Create content strategy and structure using AI models

Step 5: Content Structure with LLMs

For New Content:

Create a human engaging, SEO optimised outline for an article about [keyword]. Include: 

  • H2 and H3 headings 
  • Key points to cover under each section 
  • Suggested word count 
  •  LSI keywords to include 

For Existing Content:

Review this content: [paste your content]. Optimise it for SEO by suggesting: 

  • Better heading structure 
  • Missing semantic keywords 
  • Internal linking opportunities 
  • Meta title and description” 

Step 6: Validate Content Strategy with Perplexity

Test Your Content Approach:

  1. Ask Perplexity the questions your content answers 
  2. Analyse the structure of Perplexity’s response 
  3. Check: Does your content format match what AI prefers? 

Example: 

  • If Perplexity gives a numbered list… Structure your content with clear numbered points 
  • If Perplexity cites comparison tables… Include comparison tables 
  • If Perplexity emphasises specific data points… Ensure you include those stats 

PHASE 4: Make Your Content Structured and Machine-Readable

Step 7: Meta Data & Schema with LLMs

Test Your Content Approach:

  • Write 5 variations of meta titles (50-60 characters) and meta descriptions (150-160 characters) for this content: [topic/URL] 
  • What schema markup should I use for [content type]? Provide the JSON-LD code. 
  • Suggest 10 internal linking opportunities for an article about [topic] on a website covering [your niche] 

Step 8: Check Citation Worthiness in Perplexity

The Citation Test:

  • After implementing your content, search related queries in Perplexity 
  • See if your content gets cited (may take days/weeks) 
  • If not cited, analyse what formats/sources ARE cited 

Optimisation Loop:

  • Update your content to match citation-worthy patterns 
  • Add statistics, data, or unique insights 
  • Improve structure and clarity 

PHASE 5: Build Content Ideas & Topic Clusters

Step 9: Topic Cluster Development with LLMs

Prompt:

I want to build topical authority for [main topic]. 

Create a content cluster strategy with: 

  • 1 pillar page topic
  • 10 cluster content topics
  • How they should link together 

User Intent Mapping:

For the keyword [keyword], map out the user journey: 

  • Top of funnel content (awareness)
  • Middle of funnel content (consideration)
  • Bottom of funnel content (decision)

Give me 3 content ideas for each stage. 

Step 10: Trend Validation with Perplexity

Action:

  • Search trending questions in your niche on Perplexity 
  • Note emerging topics Perplexity answers frequently 
  • Identify content gaps in current AI answers 

Strategic Questions:

  • What are the latest developments in [your industry]? 
  • What are people asking about [topic] in 2026? 

WEEKLY WORKFLOW (2-3 hours/week)

Optimise your weekly workflow with AI models

Monday (45 min)

  1. LLM Session: Brainstorm 10 new keyword ideas 
  2. Perplexity Check: Validate top 5 keywords for citation patterns 

Wednesday (45 min)

  1. LLM Session: Create content outline for 1 article 
  2. Perplexity Check: Analyse answer format for target keyword 

Friday (60 min)

  1. LLM Session: Optimize 1 existing article 
  2. Perplexity Check: Test content citations 
  3. Review: Track which content gets AI citations 

PRO TIPS FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY

LLM Best Practices: 

  1. Be Specific: Instead of “give me keywords,” say “give me 10 long-tail keywords with buying intent for [specific product] 
  2. Iterate: If the first response isn’t great, refine with: Make these more specific to [niche] or focus on question-based keywords 
  3. Chain Prompts: Use one LLM’s output as input for another 
    1. Claude for analysis 
    2. ChatGPT for creative angles 
    3. Gemini for Google-specific optimisation
  4. Save Effective Prompts: Build a personal prompt library for repeatable tasks 

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