There’s a natural assumption that AI tools work like a faster version of Google — find the top-ranked page, quote whatever’s at the top of it. Recent research on this is more interesting, and a little more useful, than that.
Position on the page barely matters
A study that analyzed thousands of URLs cited inside Google’s AI-generated answers found something that surprised even the researchers: where text sits on a page has almost no bearing on whether it gets cited. Content buried well down the page got quoted just as often as content near the top.
What mattered instead was structure. These systems appear to break a page apart by its headings, then retrieve whichever section most directly answers the question being asked — regardless of where that section physically sits. A subheading followed immediately by a clear, complete answer is the pattern that shows up again and again in cited content.
Most citations still come from pages that already rank
Here’s the part that should reassure firms who’ve already invested in SEO: research suggests roughly three-quarters of AI citations pull from pages already sitting in the top organic results. AI tools aren’t inventing a totally separate ranking system from scratch — they’re leaning on the same authority and trust signals search engines already use, then adding their own layer on top for how they select and phrase what gets quoted.
That means if your firm doesn’t currently rank reasonably well, AI visibility isn’t a shortcut around that — it’s a second reward for the same underlying work.
Original information travels further than restated information
Language models are, by nature, built on enormous amounts of restated, recycled advice. Content that introduces something new — original data, a specific local observation, a genuinely fresh angle — stands out to these systems precisely because it isn’t a duplicate of what they’ve already ingested a thousand times. Firms that publish original client-facing observations (not just a rewritten version of generic legal advice available everywhere) tend to be treated as more citation-worthy sources.
Consistency across the web functions like a trust signal
AI systems appear to cross-reference a firm’s information the way a cautious person would — checking whether the name, address, and details on your website match what’s on your Google Business Profile and legal directories. Inconsistency doesn’t just look sloppy; it actively lowers a system’s confidence in citing you at all.
What this means practically
- Structure content by clear, question-based headings with the answer immediately following.
- Keep building traditional SEO — it’s still the foundation, not a separate track.
- Write from real experience and specific detail rather than generic, interchangeable advice.
- Audit your NAP (name, address, phone) consistency across your site, GBP, and directories.
Related reading
Start with what GEO means for your firm if you haven’t yet, and see our full AI search overview for the bigger picture.