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Purpose

Enable SEO teams to integrate AI citation monitoring into existing backlink and content strategies. As AI platforms become a major source of traffic and brand discovery, SEO teams need to track not just traditional backlinks, but also citations from AI-generated answers. Lantern helps you identify which sources AI engines rely on and optimize your content strategy accordingly.

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Best Practices

1

Export Citation Data from Lantern

Start by exporting your citation data to identify sources referenced by AI engines.How to do it:
  1. Go to the Citations page in Lantern
  2. Click Export and choose CSV or Excel
  3. Review the list of URLs cited in AI responses
This gives you a comprehensive view of which sites are shaping AI answers about your brand or industry.
2

Compare AI Citations with Backlinks

Cross-reference AI citations with your backlink profile to see which sites drive both AI visibility and SEO value.Tools to use:
  • Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz for backlink data
  • Lantern for AI citation data
  • Spreadsheet tools to merge and analyze
What to look for:
  • Sites that provide both backlinks AND AI citations (high-value targets)
  • Sites cited by AI but not linking to you (outreach opportunities)
  • Your own content that’s cited by AI (validate your SEO efforts)
3

Prioritize Content Partnerships

Focus on building relationships with high-impact sources that influence both search rankings and AI mentions.Action Steps:
  • Identify top-cited domains in your industry
  • Reach out for guest posting, quotes, or collaboration
  • Create shareable research that these sites would cite
  • Monitor which partnerships improve your AI visibility
High-authority sites cited by AI engines compound your visibility across channels.
4

Use AI Citation Trends to Inform Content Strategy

Analyze trends in AI citations to understand what content types and topics generative engines prefer.What to track:
  • Content formats most frequently cited (research, guides, data)
  • Topics with growing citation volume
  • Your content’s citation rate vs. competitors
  • Platforms that cite specific content types
Use these insights to optimize for generative engines while maintaining traditional SEO best practices.

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Key Metrics for SEO Teams

Citation Volume

Number of times your content is cited by AI platforms.

Citation Quality

Authority and relevance of citing sources.

Overlap Rate

Percentage of backlinks that are also AI citations.

Topic Coverage

Range of topics where your brand is cited.

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Integration with Existing SEO Workflow

Monthly SEO Report Enhancement:
  1. Include AI citation metrics alongside backlink data
  2. Track month-over-month changes in AI visibility
  3. Report on high-value citation sources acquired
  4. Compare competitor AI citation profiles
Content Planning:
  • Create content targeting topics with high AI citation potential
  • Optimize existing content that’s already being cited
  • Fill gaps where competitors are cited but you’re not
AI citations are becoming as important as traditional backlinks for brand visibility. Track both to stay ahead.

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