Glossary
Source Authority
How much weight an AI engine gives a particular source when generating answers: analogous to traditional domain authority but specific to LLM trust signals.
Definition
AI engines don't cite sources at random: they prefer sources they were trained to trust, which often correlates with traditional SEO authority but isn't identical. Wikipedia, government sites, established publications, and topical specialists tend to have high source authority. Knowing which sources AI trusts in your category tells you where to invest in earned media and partnerships.
Example
In healthcare queries, AI engines disproportionately cite Mayo Clinic, NIH, and WebMD. In finance, NerdWallet, Bankrate, and SEC filings dominate.
Related terms
Citation
A specific URL or source that an AI engine links to when supporting a claim in its answer.
Citation Share
Your share of the links to you and your tracked competitors, counting each answer once per brand.
Entity SEO
Optimization that helps search engines and LLMs recognize your brand as a distinct, well-defined entity rather than just a string of keywords.
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