AI search engines cite Reddit, YouTube, and LinkedIn most: Study

Reddit ranks as the most-cited domain in AI-generated answers, followed by YouTube and LinkedIn, based on a new analysis of 30 million sources by Peec AI, an AI search analytics tool.

The findings. Reddit was the most-cited source across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. YouTube, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, and Forbes also ranked in the top five. Review platforms like Yelp and G2 appeared often in recommendation queries.

The research showed which domains models rely on:

• ChatGPT favored Wikipedia, Reddit, and editorial sites like Forbes.
• Google leaned toward platforms like Facebook and Yelp.
• Perplexity emphasized Reddit, LinkedIn, and G2 for B2B queries.

Why we care. To win in AI search, you need authority beyond your site. Brands that appear consistently across trusted third-party platforms are more likely to be cited.

Why these sources? AI systems prioritize perceived authority plus authentic user input:

• Reddit leads because it captures real user discussions.
• YouTube dominates video citations via transcripts and descriptions.
• Wikipedia serves as both a live source and a training dataset.

About the data. The analysis covered 30 million sources across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews, measuring domains directly cited in answers to isolate what shapes responses.

The study. Top domains cited by AI search: Analysis based on 30M sources

Dig deeper. More citation research:

• AI citations favor listicles, articles, product pages (March 2026)
• Only 15% of pages retrieved by ChatGPT appear in final answers (March 2026)
• ChatGPT citations favor a small group of domains (March 2026)
• Google’s AI Mode is citing Google more than any other site (March 2026)
• 44% of ChatGPT citations come from the first third of content (February 2026)
• AI Overview fan-out rankings boost citation odds by 161% (December 2025)
• Tracking AI search citations: Who’s winning across 11 industries (October 2025)
• YouTube dominates AI search with 200x citation advantage (October 2025)
• AI search relies on brand-controlled sources, not Reddit (October 2025)
• How to get cited by AI: SEO insights from 8,000 AI citations (May 2025)
• 82% of Google AI Overviews citations come from deep pages (March 2025)

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