What Is a Source?
A source is a website, article, or document that an AI reads to generate its answer. These sources work behind the scenes – the AI pulls information from them, but users don’t always see which sources were used.
For example, if someone asks “Which are the top roofing companies in Calgary?”, the AI might read:
- Company websites
- Customer review sites
- Local business directories
- Industry association pages
The AI uses these sources to create its answer, but may not show all of them to the person asking the question.
Sources vs. Citations vs. Mentions
Source – What the AI reads (you don’t always see this)
Citation – A link the AI shows in its answer (you can see and click this)
Mention – When the AI names your brand in the answer but doesn’t link to your website
Your goal: Be both a source AND get a citation. Being a source without a citation means the AI used your content but didn’t credit you with a visible link.
Why Sources Matter
Sources determine what AI knows
If your website is a source, the platform can include your information in answers.
Being a source doesn’t guarantee visibility
The platform might read your site but not cite it or mention your brand. You want all three: source + citation + mention.
Sources reveal the competition
Tracking which sites AI platforms use as sources shows you who’s effective in your industry and what content works.
Sources provide opportunities
By seeing which sources AI platforms use, you can identify potential partners or publications where you could get featured. You can also reverse engineer what makes competitor content effective.
How Gander Tracks Sources
Gander shows you:
- Which websites AI platforms use as sources for questions in your industry
- When your site is a source but doesn’t get cited
- Which competitor sites become both sources and citations
- What content gaps prevent you from becoming a source
This helps you understand where to improve your strategy to become a trusted source that earns citations.
