# The 8 Citation Signals That Get You Cited

> Eight measurable, weighted signals drive whether an AI answer engine cites a page — a synthesized field model, ranked from FAQ schema down to author attribution, with each weight to be verified against a primary source at build.

## The eight weighted citation signals

Eight signals, in descending weight, drive whether an AI answer engine cites a page: FAQ schema (20%), answer-first structure (19%), statistical density (16%), heading structure (16%), freshness (8%), crawler access (8%), schema coverage (7%) and author attribution (6%). Each one is a concrete, measurable change you can make to a single page.

**Source discipline:** these weights are a *synthesized field model* assembled from public GEO/AEO research, not a measured law. Treat the percentages as a relative ranking, not exact constants — each weight carries a *verify against primary at build* note, and the published page binds every figure to a primary source before it ships. The ordering is the durable signal; the exact decimals are not.

| Rank | Signal | Weight (model) | How to implement | Maps to readiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAQ schema | 20% | Add FAQPage JSON-LD to genuine Q&A blocks | /agent-readiness/content |
| 2 | Answer-first structure | 19% | Open each section with the liftable answer | /agent-readiness/content |
| 3 | Statistical density | 16% | Use named numbers, dates and figures | /agent-readiness/content |
| 4 | Heading structure | 16% | Most-important-noun-first hierarchy | /agent-readiness/content |
| 5 | Freshness | 8% | Show a dated, last-verified timestamp | /agent-readiness/quality |
| 6 | Crawler access | 8% | Let AI crawlers read the page | /agent-readiness/access-control |
| 7 | Schema coverage | 7% | Add Article/Person/Breadcrumb data | /agent-readiness/discoverability |
| 8 | Author attribution | 6% | Name a credentialed author (Person schema) | /agent-readiness/quality |

## What each signal does, and how to build it

**FAQ schema (20%)** is the highest-weighted signal because it hands the engine a pre-structured Q&A pair it can lift verbatim. This page implements it — self-demonstrating.

**Answer-first structure (19%)** lets the engine quote the opening sentence without rewriting it. Lead with the answer, then explain.

**Statistical density (16%)** supplies the named numbers and dates a generated answer needs to substantiate a claim.

**Heading structure (16%)** — a most-important-noun-first hierarchy lets the engine map the page to a query.

**Freshness (8%)** — a visible last-verified date favors the page for fast-moving topics.

**Crawler access (8%)** is a precondition: an engine cannot cite a page its crawler cannot read.

**Schema coverage (7%)** adds Article/Person/BreadcrumbList so authorship, recency and hierarchy resolve in one parse.

**Author attribution (6%)** — a named, credentialed author is a verifiable E-E-A-T signal.

## The signals are agent-readiness signals

Every citation signal is also an agent-readiness signal, so the same investment pays off in both channels. FAQ schema, answer-first and schema coverage are content/discoverability readiness; crawler access is access-control; freshness and author attribution are quality. The cheapest way to do GEO is to make your site agent-ready and let the audit confirm it.

Related: [the GEO pillar](/geo) · [getting cited by ChatGPT](/geo/chatgpt) · [getting cited by Perplexity](/geo/perplexity) · [getting cited by Claude](/geo/claude) · [build the signals as content readiness](/agent-readiness/content) · [declare citable content with llms.txt](/protocols/discovery/llms-txt) · [audit whether your site ships these signals](/services) · [GEO defined](/glossary/geo)