Citation Gap Analysis
Citation gap analysis is the process of identifying topic areas, query types, or competitive categories where a brand's content is not being cited by AI systems but should be-based on its relevance, authority, or content quality. It reveals the difference between a brand's actual AI citation rate and its potential citation rate, guiding targeted content and authority-building investments.
Why It Matters
Most brands have significant AI citation gaps-topics where they are qualified to be cited but aren't. Citation gap analysis converts AI visibility from an abstract metric into an actionable content roadmap, prioritizing content investment where citation opportunity is highest.
How It Works
Citation gap analysis compares a brand's existing content coverage and citation data against the prompt landscape-the full set of relevant queries where AI citations occur. Gaps are identified where competitors are cited but the brand is not, where content exists but isn't structured for AI retrieval, and where relevant topics have no content coverage.
Use Cases
- SaaS companies finding that competitors are cited in 'best tool for X' prompts they should win
- Publishers identifying topic clusters where they have authority but no AI citations
- E-commerce brands discovering product category queries where they aren't being retrieved
- Professional services firms finding AI gaps in their core expertise areas
- B2B companies identifying industry research queries where they should be the cited source
Best Practices
- Build a comprehensive prompt set covering all relevant category, brand, and competitor queries
- Systematically test each prompt across major AI platforms and record citation results
- Cross-reference citation gaps with existing content inventory to identify coverage vs structure issues
- Prioritize gaps by commercial impact and content creation effort required
- Track gap closure over time as new content is published and indexed
- Repeat analysis quarterly as AI platform behavior and content landscapes change
Frequently Asked Questions
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Related Terms
Find gaps where competitors are cited but you aren't
See which queries and topics cite competitors and not you so you can create content that closes the gap and earns citations.
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