Why does AI recommend your competitors – and not you?
CiteWhy asks ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode your keyword the way a real customer would – including the follow-up questions about budget, needs and size. You see who gets mentioned, which sources the answers rely on, and what you need to do to get in.
Free to use. You only pay for usage directly to Google and DataForSEO – typically a few dollars per analysis.
How CiteWhy reads an AI answer
Simplified exampleSEO tool
- 1
The AI asks
“What is your ideal monthly budget?”
free
- 2
Who gets mentioned
Screaming Frog leads
- 3
Why: the sources behind the answer
zapier.comsemrush.comreddit.com
Semrush
1 of 6 answers
Screaming Frog
6 of 6 answers
From the example: AI Mode, the search “SEO tool”
Why it matters
When your customers ask AI for advice, they don't get ten blue links. They get one answer with a few names.
The answer isn't random. It relies on specific pages – comparisons, reviews and forums – and on the questions the AI asks along the way.
CiteWhy shows you which. Then you know where your effort counts – instead of guessing.
What you get
One analysis that answers three questions
Below is a real example: Semrush on the keyword “SEO tool”, run 1 October 2026.
- 1
Who gets mentioned?
Your share of the AI answers, side by side with your competitors.
- 2
Why?
The sources and follow-up questions that decide who gets in.
- 3
What should I do?
A plan in order of priority, tagged for website or PR.
Example analysis
Semrush · “SEO tool”
Gemini · AI Mode · ChatGPT · United States · 204 answers
Who gets mentioned
87%
of the answers mention Semrush. No. 1 among 191 names.
- Semrush87%
- Ahrefs86%
- Screaming Frog37%
- SE Ranking35%
- Neil Patel26%
Why
Where Semrush drops out when the customer narrows down
free
AI Mode · 1 of 6
Screaming Frog leads
6 of 6
free
Gemini · 3 of 6
Ahrefs leads
6 of 6
Pages all the AIs and Google use
What to do
Get onto yourcreativecontent.com
yourcreativecontent.com is used in 5 AI answers and mentions Neil Patel – but not Semrush.
Get onto cmswire.com
cmswire.com is used in 3 AI answers and mentions Moz – but not Semrush.
Mentioned is not the same as recommended
“Semrush: The most versatile all-around platform. Excellent for competitive intelligence, keyword discovery, rank tracking, PPC overlap, and domain health audits.”
AI answer to “SEO tool”. The analysis shows how you are described, not just whether you are mentioned.
Plus the customer's path through the AI's questions, all sources and the comparison with Google's top 10.
Open the full example →Get started
Your first analysis in three steps
Step 1
Create a free account
No subscription. You can start right away.
Step 2
Add your Gemini key
The key lets CiteWhy ask the AI on your behalf. We show you exactly where to find it – it takes a few minutes. With a DataForSEO login, ChatGPT, AI Mode and Google are included.
Step 3
Enter your keyword and your brand
Pick the AIs to include and start the analysis. You can follow it while it runs.
Behind the scenes: Each search is asked 3 times, because AI answers vary. When the AI asks a follow-up question, we follow the answers further – just like a customer narrowing down their needs. Finally we gather names and sources in one analysis.
Run your first analysisPricing
Free
You only pay for usage directly to Google and DataForSEO. No middleman and no subscription.
The example on “SEO tool” with Gemini + AI Mode + ChatGPT
US$1.79
Good questions
What is an API key?
A personal code that lets CiteWhy ask Gemini on your behalf. You create it for free in Google AI Studio, and we guide you step by step.
Which AIs do you look at?
ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. You choose which to include in your analysis.
What do I use DataForSEO for?
The answers from ChatGPT and Google AI Mode and Google's top 10 are fetched through DataForSEO. Without it you can run with Gemini alone.
Who is behind it?
CiteWhy is built by Matti Ljungberg. Follow on LinkedIn