Glossary · Measurement
Citation Depth
The number of distinct sources an AI answer cites for a given topic, and how many of those citations point to a brand's own domain.
How it differs from citation rate
Citation rate is typically a yes/no or percentage measure — did an answer cite the brand's domain at all. Citation depth goes further and counts volume: how many separate times, and among how many total sources, the brand's domain shows up as supporting evidence for a single answer.
Why it matters
An answer built on one citation is more fragile — and easier to shift — than one built on five converging sources. Depth is a rough proxy for how entrenched a given answer is, and therefore how much content effort it would take to change it.
See more terms in the full glossary, or read the AI Visibility 101 guide for the full picture.