1. Perplexity is the Brand Champion
   
   • Cites manufacturer sites (Apple, Samsung) 5× more often than Claude/GPT
   • 31.6% of citations go to brand websites vs just 6% for others
2. YouTube & Social Dominate on Perplexity
   
   • 15% of citations are social (vs 0.3% on Claude)
   • YouTube is a top source—no other AI includes it
3. Claude & GPT Love Traditional Reviews
   
   • Both cite techradar.com, tomsguide.com heavily (93% earned media)
   • Almost no brand or social links
4. Wikipedia is GPT’s Secret Weapon
   
   • Appears in GPT’s top 5 (but not others)

We ran thousands of consumer electronics product searches (think “best wireless earbuds 2024”) through Claude 3, GPT-4, and Perplexity, recording:

• Which domains they cited
• How they classified them:
  
  • Brand (manufacturer sites like apple.com)
  • Earned (reviews, media—techradar.com, CNET)‍
  • Social (YouTube, LinkedIn)

1. Perplexity Plays a Different Game

While Claude and GPT stick to safe, review-heavy citations, Perplexity breaks the mold:

•  Brands win big: BestBuy, Samsung, and Apple appear in top citations
•  YouTube dominates: The only AI pushing video results (15% of citations)
•  Fewer traditional reviews: Just 53% earned media vs 93% for others

Why this matters:

• If you’re a brand, Perplexity is your best shot at organic visibility.
• If you’re a creator, optimizing for YouTube could pay off.

2. Claude & GPT Stick to the Classics

Both heavily favor established review sites:

• techradar.com, tomsguide.com, and rtings.com dominate
• Almost no brand or social links (<2% combined)

Why this matters:

• SEO for review sites? These AIs reward authority domains.
• Brands may struggle—unless they get media coverage.

3. Wikipedia is GPT’s Wildcard

Only GPT cited wikipedia.org in top results.

• Suggests GPT leans more on encyclopedic knowledge vs product-specific reviews.

If you want your content cited by AI, here’s how to adapt:

✔ For Brands

• Perplexity is your best friend—optimize product pages for structured data.
• Get on YouTube—Perplexity pulls video results aggressively.
• Push for review coverage—Claude/GPT ignore brand sites.

✔ For Publishers & Review Sites

• Double down on authority—Claude/GPT reward trusted domains.
• Long-form, detailed reviews win (techradar, tomsguide dominate).

✔ For SEOs & Marketers

• Diversify for AI—Perplexity’s algorithm is fundamentally different.
• Monitor AI citations—they’re the new backlinks.

Based on the analysis, the implications for brands are clear: a one-size-fits-all approach to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is ineffective, and strategy must be tailored to the specific AI a brand aims to target. For brands seeking direct visibility, Perplexity is the undisputed champion, actively citing manufacturer sites and YouTube content. To capitalize on this, brands must prioritize optimizing their product pages with structured data and develop a robust YouTube SEO strategy to become a primary source for video results. Conversely, Claude and GPT’s overwhelming reliance on traditional earned media from authoritative review sites means that brands must continue to invest in public relations and secure coverage from publishers like TechRadar and Tom's Guide to be visible on those platforms. Ultimately, a winning GEO strategy requires audience awareness—knowing which AI your customers use—and a diversified tactical plan that includes both direct website optimization for Perplexity and a strong media relations game for Claude and GPT.

•  Perplexity = Best for brands & video
•  Claude/GPT = Best for publishers & reviews

The big takeaway? AI citation trends aren’t one-size-fits-all—optimize based on which AI drives your audience.

💬 What do you think?

• Are you surprised Perplexity cites YouTube so much?
• Should brands focus more on AI visibility?

👇 Drop your thoughts below! (And share this if you found it useful!)

The Future of Generative & Answer Engine Optimization‍

Ktau.ai is the leading Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) & AI Optimization (AIO) platform, helping businesses automatically track, optimize, and dominate AI-powered search results on ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and more. is the leading Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) & AI Optimization (AIO) platform, helping businesses automatically track, optimize, and dominate AI-powered search results on ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and more.