SEO
The CITE Framework: How to Get AI Assistants to Recommend Your Business
1 November 2026 · 11 min read · By Media Strategy Lab
When a buyer asks an AI assistant for the best agency, dentist or law firm, it names a few businesses. Those names come from what the model can find, trust and quote. A business that is vague, inconsistent or only described by itself is easy to leave out.
We use a four-part checklist called CITE to audit that. CITE stands for Consistent entity, Information gain, Third-party proof and Extractable answers. Each part can be checked, and you can fix each one without guessing how a model works inside.
C: Consistent entity
AI systems combine facts from many sources. If your name, services, location and description differ from one profile to the next, the model has less confidence about who you are and what you do.
- Write one 40 to 60 word description of the business and use it word for word on your site, LinkedIn, directories and press bios.
- Use the same business name, address and email everywhere. Small differences such as an old suite number still count as conflicts.
- Add Organization structured data with sameAs links to every profile you control.
- Publish a plain-language llms.txt summary that states what you do, who it is for and what you do not do.
Test: ask three AI assistants to describe your business in one sentence. If the answers disagree with each other, fix consistency before anything else.
Book a callI: Information gain
Models favour sources that add something the rest of the web does not. If a page rewrites the top ten results, there is nothing in it worth citing. Original frameworks, real price ranges, documented processes and clear definitions are much easier to cite.
- Publish real price ranges and what changes them, instead of 'contact us for pricing'.
- Give your methods names and document them step by step, like this framework.
- Share figures from your own work only when you can back them up. Leave out anything you cannot verify.
- Date your pages and update them when the facts change.
T: Third-party proof
What a business says about itself carries less weight than what independent sources say. Assistants that browse the web often draw on directories, review sites, roundups and industry publications when building a recommendation list.
- Complete and verify profiles on relevant directories such as Clutch, Sortlist, GoodFirms and Google Business Profile where eligible.
- Collect genuine reviews that mention the specific service and the type of client.
- Earn editorial mentions through guest articles, podcasts and partner pages. Do not buy followed links.
- Make sure each listing uses the same entity description from step C.
E: Extractable answers
A model can only quote what it can lift cleanly. Answers buried in long intros, behind tabs or written as teasers are hard to extract.
- Start each section with a one to two sentence direct answer, then explain.
- Use question-style headings that match how buyers ask.
- Put comparisons in tables and processes in numbered lists.
- Write FAQ answers that are complete on their own.
CITE audit scorecard
Score each line 0 (missing), 1 (partial) or 2 (done). Start with the lowest-scoring letter.
| Letter | Check | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| C | Identical description, name, address and email on every profile | Website footer, LinkedIn, directories |
| C | Organization schema with sameAs links | Site structured data |
| I | At least one original framework or documented process | Blog and service pages |
| I | Published price ranges or cost drivers | Pricing page |
| T | Verified directory profiles with reviews | Clutch, Sortlist, Google Business Profile |
| T | Independent editorial mentions | Guest posts, podcasts, partner pages |
| E | Direct answers at the top of key sections | Service pages and guides |
| E | Comparison tables and complete FAQs | Comparison and 'best for' pages |
No one can guarantee an AI recommendation. CITE improves the inputs models rely on. Measure progress with a monthly prompt check and by asking new leads how they found you.
Book a callFrequently asked questions
- What is the CITE framework?
- CITE is a four-part checklist for AI search visibility: Consistent entity, Information gain, Third-party proof and Extractable answers. Media Strategy Lab uses it to audit how likely AI assistants are to find, trust and quote a business.
- Can you guarantee ChatGPT will recommend my business?
- No. Nobody controls what AI models say. CITE improves the signals models rely on, which makes a recommendation more likely, and progress is tracked through monthly prompt checks and lead source data.
- Which part of CITE should I start with?
- Consistent entity. Matching your description and contact details across every profile is the cheapest fix and makes all the other steps more effective.
- How long does it take to see results?
- Entity fixes can show up in browsing-based assistants within weeks once pages are recrawled. Third-party proof usually takes several months to build.
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