--- language: en title: "Source visibility" description: "How often a URL or domain appears as a source in analyzed AI responses, based on a defined dataset, period, and counting rule." canonical: "https://tropk.ai/en/resources/glossary/source-visibility" last_modified: "2026-10-12T16:12:06.368Z" --- # Source visibility Reviewed on 2026-10-06. ## What it means Source visibility describes how often a source appears in [AI responses](/en/resources/glossary/ai-response) within an analyzed set. The unit may be a specific URL or a domain, depending on the report. One possible measure divides the number of responses that cite the domain by the total number of valid responses in the sample, counting its presence once per response. ## Why it matters for marketing A communications team can use this frequency to investigate which publications appear in responses about its industry. This helps them decide where to look into outdated information or seek editorial contacts. Before allocating budget, they need to read the cited pages: a frequently appearing domain may publish on topics far removed from the brand or repeat claims that need correction. ## Example in practice Imagine an agency analyzing 40 valid responses about photography courses, produced in Portuguese over one week. An educational portal is cited in 12 responses, although some include two of its articles. Counting by domain and response, its frequency is 30%. The agency opens those articles and prioritizes checking the guide that inaccurately describes the class format. ## How to apply or verify Keep the responses and links, recording the platform, questions, language, and period. State whether the comparison uses a URL, full domain, or registered domain, and how it handles subdomains. Separate collection failures from valid responses with no citations. To track changes, keep the same set of questions and record any change to the dataset or counting rule. ## Important distinctions Frequency per response differs from that source’s share of total citations: two pages in the same response can affect these measures in different ways. A cited source also does not mean the brand was mentioned or recommended. The metric describes the collected material; it does not measure human exposure, editorial quality, or visits received. Names and formulas used by providers should be checked separately. ## Sources and references - [Profound glossary — Citation and Citation Coverage]() — Profound - [Interpret Answer Engine Insights — Citations]() — Profound ## Continue a leitura - [Aggregation by page and domain]() - [Share of sources]() - [Citation rate]() ## About the author [Luiz Gardelin]() Luiz Gardelin is the founder of Tropk.ai and works in GEO/AEO, product vision, strategy, and growth, helping brands understand and improve their presence in AI responses. --- [All pages in Markdown]()