Where AI Puts Links (and How to Earn Them): Engine-by-Engine Patterns + Copy-Paste Snippets

AI engines surface sources in predictable places. Publish a 40–60 word answer box, a small data table, and FAQ/HowTo schema at the top of target pages—then pitch editors already cited. Nobori tracks the citations you gain, your share of voice (SOV), and recency across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.

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Why this matters

 
• Google AI Overviews continues to test link layouts (right-rail cards, inline anchors). Placement affects visibility and clicks. The Verge
• Large-panel studies show AIO can reduce organic CTR—being the cited source matters more than ever. Ahrefs Search Engine Land
• UGC (e.g., Reddit) appears often in AI answers, but editorial/tool pages still anchor many explanations—use both wisely. Axios Business Insider

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How engines display sources (at a glance)

Google AI Overviews
Right-rail source cards; occasional inline anchors.
Definitions, small tables, step lists.
Layouts vary by locale/device; quality/safety gating applies.‍

ChatGPT
Inline citations or reference panels (mode-dependent).
Clear explanations, canonical glossaries, FAQs.
Rewards concise, unambiguous definitions with sources.‍

Perplexity
‍Dense in-answer citation lists.
Answer-first intros + tables with labeled columns.
High link density; mixes editorial + UGC frequently.

Source

‍Copy-paste snippets that get quoted

1) 60-word Answer Box (top of page)

Paste this at the very top of your target page; replace bracketed terms.

[Term]: [Short, plain-English definition in one sentence.] In AI search, track [2–3 specific metrics] to measure visibility: [Metric A], [Metric B], [Metric C]. Update this section monthly and cite neutral sources when definitions change.

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2) Mini Table (reusable by editors and AI)

Cited Domains — Distinct root domains cited in AI answers in a time window.
‍Formula: countDistinct(eTLD+1)‍

Cited Pages — Distinct normalized URLs cited.
Formula: countDistinct(URL_norm)‍

SOV (AI) — Position-weighted share across engines/queries.
Formula: Σ(w_pos × w_eng) / Σ(all)

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3) FAQ block (short answers AI can lift)

• How do you get cited by AI? Publish a 60-word answer, a small verifiable table, and add FAQ/HowTo schema. Then pitch editors of pages already cited.
• Which pages get cited most? Clear explainers, listicles with criteria tables, and canonical product/definition pages.

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How Nobori tracks and proves it

 
• Citations Explorer: See which domains and pages AI engines cite for your queries. Filter by engine and timeframe. Export “Cited Domains/Pages.”
• AI Search Visibility Dashboard: Monitor SOV (position-weighted), Engine Coverage, and Recency. Spot weekly lifts and new/lost citations.‍
• Get Cited (Outreach): For pages AI already cites but omit your brand, generate a respectful “addition” email with a 3‑row proof table attached.

AEO checklist (7 steps)

1. Pick 3 target pages: one explainer, one listicle, one product/definition page.
2. Add the 60‑word answer box and the 3‑row table to all three.
3. Insert the HowTo + FAQ schema blocks.
4. Link internally from your /features and /resources pages.
5. Identify already‑cited listicles via Nobori’s Citations Explorer.
6. Send 3 editor pitches using the template above; follow up once.
7. Track “New/Lost citations,” SOV, and Recency for 30 days in Nobori.

References (neutral)

• Google AI Overviews link layouts and tests. The Verge
• Measured CTR effects when AIO appears. Ahrefs Search Engine Land
• UGC prominence across AI surfaces (market context). Axios Business Insider
 

Resources

• Nobori Features
• FAQ
• Contact

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