Ahrefs data on 75k brands: mentions beat backlinks ~3x for AI search citations
nikvassev · x · 2026-09-05
Ahrefs' analysis of 75,000 brands finds that mentions beat backlinks by roughly 3x when it comes to AI search citations, with YouTube mentions scoring especially high. The takeaway for anyone early in their category: earning coverage across your niche is currently the most effective AI search optimization play.
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