> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trymeridian.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Citations

> See which domains and URLs AI uses, and what drives citations for you vs everyone else.

## What this is

A citation dashboard showing:

* Your citations breakdown (Owned / Off-page / Competitor / Social)

* The ecosystem’s top citation drivers

* Domain and URL-level source tables

## Why it matters

* Citations are one of the strongest “trust” signals in AI answers.

* Citation gaps explain rank losses even when your content is good.

* It directly powers Opportunities and Off-page recommendations.

## Where to find it

**Analytics → Prompt Analytics → Citations**

## How it works

* Meridian extracts citations from responses.

* It classifies sources as:

  * **Owned** (your site)

  * **Off-page** (third-party editorial)

  * **Competitor** (competitor sites)

  * **Social** (forums/social platforms)

* You can toggle **Domains / URLs**.

<img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/meridian-25fd9b88/analytics/prompt-analytics/SCREENSHOT_CITATIONS_DOMAINS" alt="Citations dashboard showing breakdown, drivers, and domains vs URLs" />

Caption: Citations shows both “your citations” and “top drivers” with domain/URL views.

## How to use it

1. Set timeframe and click **Filters** if needed.

2. Read the breakdown bars (your citations vs top citation drivers).

3. In **Domains** view, scan the top sources and shares.

4. Click a source to expand and see cited URLs.

5. Switch to **URLs** view to identify the exact pages models cite.

6. Use **Export** to download citations for outreach or content planning.

## How to interpret results

* If your citations are mostly Off-page → protect those sources and build more; you’re winning on third-party authority.

* If competitor citations dominate → you’re losing the “trust” layer → prioritize off-page and better owned sources.

* If Social is high → community narratives matter → use **Off-page → Engage** to participate.

* If your owned citations are low → your site lacks citeable pages → improve **Website → Pages** and add FAQ/schema.

* If top drivers include domains you can’t influence → focus on adjacent sources the model also cites.

## Common questions / troubleshooting

* “Why do I see [reddit.com](http://reddit.com) a lot?” → models often cite high-engagement forums; treat as a distribution surface.

* “Why don’t I see my domain?” → you may not have citeable pages; check Website Pages issues and content structure.

* “Why do citations change when I filter platform?” → different platforms favor different sources.

## Related docs

* [Website Pages](/analytics/website/pages)

* [Off-page](/action/off-page)

* [Opportunities](/action/opportunities)

* [Content](/action/content)