How to Write a Page That AI Engines Quote Verbatim

A 5-step editorial formula for writing pages LLMs choose to quote. Based on analysis of hundreds of ChatGPT and Perplexity citations in 2025-2026.

1. Step 1

   Start with the question, verbatim

   Your H1 should be the exact question users ask, not a clever headline. 'What is Answer Engine Optimization?' beats 'The Future of Search Is Here'.

2. Step 2

   Answer in 40-80 words, no fluff

   The first paragraph is a self-contained, quotable definition or answer. No 'in this article', no throat-clearing. Start with the noun phrase.

3. Step 3

   Use scannable subheads that are also questions

   H2s and H3s should be questions or claim statements. This lets LLMs extract a specific passage without needing to read the whole page.

4. Step 4

   Include numbers, dates, and named entities

   'In 2026, 43% of B2B searches include an AI Overview' outranks 'AI search is growing fast'. Specific = quotable.

5. Step 5

   Cite your sources with links + dates

   LLMs favor pages that themselves cite authoritative sources. Link out to primary research, include the publication date, and update your own dateModified when facts change.