Citability
2 min read · Reviewed 17 Oct 2026
In short
How likely a page is to be cited by AI when someone asks a question it answers.
In plain English
AI pulls short passages out of pages to build its answer. A page is easier to cite when a passage can be lifted out and still make sense: the question as a heading, a plain answer straight underneath, sentences that stand on their own, and specifics rather than adjectives.
Citability is about how a page is written and laid out, not how famous the site is. That is the part a small business can change this afternoon.
A real example
A guide headed "Ergonomics 101" buries its desk measurements halfway down. The same guide headed "How do I set up an ergonomic home office in a small space?", with the desk depth and chair height in the two sentences under it, gives AI a self-contained answer to quote. Same information, far more citable.
Why it matters
When AI has several pages that answer a question equally well, the one whose answer is easiest to isolate has the better chance of being used. Six checks cover most of it: question as heading, answer straight after, sentences that stand alone, specifics over vague claims, one word for one thing throughout, and a plain layout with real subheadings.
