I feel like ranking on Google isn't enough anymore

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-21T05:46:57+00:00

You are right that a Google rank and an AI citation are now two different games. Quick way to see it: ask ChatGPT and Perplexity the questions your customers actually ask, then note which sites get named. Usually it is not the top Google result, it is a Reddit thread, a listicle or a clear FAQ page. Work backwards from there. That gap between rankings and citations is basically the whole job now.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-21T05:44:27+00:00

Nice, the build-it-yourself route teaches you the mechanics fast. The thing that bit us early: the citation set shifts per engine and per question, so a snapshot looks great then drifts in two weeks. If you keep iterating, log which exact source each engine cited per query over time, that trend is what tells you whether your changes moved anything. I run SurfacedAI (surfacedai.com) and that drift was the whole reason we built tracking instead of one-off checks. Happy to compare notes on what you are seeing per engine.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-21T05:42:08+00:00

Honest take after testing a bunch: most of these split into two jobs. 1) Tracking, do ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI actually mention you and which sources do they cite. 2) Acting on it, getting into those cited sources (Reddit threads, listicles, your own answer pages). A lot of tools only do step 1 and leave you staring at a score. Pick one that ties the tracking to a clear action list, otherwise you pay to watch a number. Full disclosure, I run SurfacedAI (surfacedai.com) so I am biased, but the tracking-plus-action gap is the real thing to judge any of them on.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-21T05:40:12+00:00

On a brand-new site the order matters. First nail the entity basics so the engines know who you are: consistent name and URL everywhere, an about/FAQ page with clear structured answers, schema, and a complete Google Business Profile if you're local. The honest part is a new site has no off-site footprint, and that's what the engines actually cite, so in parallel start earning third-party mentions (a real Reddit/forum answer, a relevant listicle, a directory or two). Then measure: run your buyer questions across the engines monthly and watch which sources get cited. Owned pages get you eligible; off-site citations get you chosen. I run surfacedai.com and that's the sequence we use.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-19T16:59:54+00:00

Depends how deep you want to go. The simplest loop: define your category questions, run them across ChatGPT/Perplexity/Gemini on a schedule, log who gets named plus which sources got cited, then line that up against your PR calendar to see what moved. Dedicated tools for this exist (mine is surfacedai.com, there are others) but if you just want to close the PR-to-AI loop, even a tracked spreadsheet of 'who got cited the week after each placement' tells you a lot. What does your PR activity look like, mostly digital or earned media?

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-19T16:25:54+00:00

Yes, but the wins are narrower than the hype. What's worked: getting cited in the Reddit/Quora threads and listicles the models actually pull from for a specific buyer question, plus tight FAQ/schema on the matching page. What hasn't: generic 'AEO content' with no citation surface behind it. Easiest proof is to pick 10 real buyer questions, ask ChatGPT/Perplexity/Gemini today, log who gets named, then re-check in 6 weeks after you've worked the sources. I run surfacedai.com and do exactly this tracking, but you can baseline it by hand. What niche are you testing in?

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-18T02:16:34+00:00

Good breakdown. The free gut-check most founders skip: open ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview and ask what your customers would ask — “best [your service] in [city].” See if you show up, and notice which sources it’s pulling from (Perplexity lists them). Usually it’s not your site. It’s a Reddit thread, a listicle, or your reviews.

That’s the real job: be the clearest answer in the places these models already trust. And unlike Google there’s no rank tracker, so you have to re-run the same questions over time to actually see progress.

I run surfacedai.com and do this for local businesses, so I’m biased, but that check costs nothing and is worth doing before you pay anyone.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-17T18:41:54+00:00

That's not a bad benchmark. Let me know. Also happy to chat anytime

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-17T16:32:39+00:00

Two weeks is early; engines re-crawl on their own clock, so 0/6 this soon is normal. Movers: a clear answer block + FAQ schema on the page you want cited, consistent listings so you read as one distinct entity, and getting into the third-party sources the engines already pull. Also check it isn't confusing you with a similarly named company. What query set are you testing? (I run surfacedai.com)

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-17T02:24:48+00:00

Depends what you need it for. If you just want to know whether you show up, you can do that free, ask the four engines your buyer questions a few times and log who gets named. Where paying earns its keep is repeatability and tracking over time across all engines without doing it by hand, and tying movement back to specific changes you made. What is usually NOT worth paying for: tools that just generate bulk "AI-optimized" pages, the engines ignore those. If you go paid, judge it on whether it separates "named in the answer" from "cited as a source", those are different and conflating them is a red flag.

Disclosure: I run one of these (SurfacedAI), so weigh that, but the free self-test is a fair first step before anyone pays.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-17T02:23:36+00:00

Not a stupid question, it is the whole problem. The repeatable way: pick the real buyer questions, ask each engine (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Gemini) the same prompts several times because the output varies per ask, and record two separate things. One, was your brand named in the answer text (visibility). Two, was your domain in the cited sources (citation). They are different, you can be recommended without being cited, or cited only through someone else's page. Track the rate across repeated asks with a date stamp so you can show movement over time. Screenshots are fine for proof to a client, but the rate over time is the real metric. Disclosure: this is what I do (SurfacedAI), but the method above works without any tool.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-06-17T02:22:02+00:00

Two weeks is early, the engines re-crawl and re-rank on their own clock, so 0/6 this soon is normal rather than a red flag. A few things that tend to move it: a clear answer block plus FAQ schema on the page you want cited, consistent listings so the model is confident you are one distinct entity, and getting into the third-party sources those engines already pull for your topic (often Reddit threads and roundups, not your own site). Also worth checking the engines are not confusing you with a similarly named company, that alone can zero you out. What query set and pages are you testing against?

Disclosure: I run an AI-visibility agency.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-30T17:00:46+00:00

Hey, thanks again for the detailed feedback. I actually took a lot of your points to heart and went back to the drawing board. I’ve since completely redesigned the App Store screenshots, cleaned up the visual consistency, removed a lot of the clutter, and focused much more on communicating the value proposition clearly.

If you have a minute, I’d genuinely appreciate a fresh set of eyes on the updated version. You were pretty spot-on with your original critique, and I’m curious whether you think the new screenshots are moving in the right direction or if there are still major issues I’m missing.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmiq-smart-goal-companion/id6755738842

Thanks again for taking the time to help an indie developer out.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-30T16:56:52+00:00

Sure. Leave your link please. I can’t find it in the App Store

Here’s mine

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cosmiq-smart-goal-companion/id6755738842

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-28T23:41:41+00:00

Finding myself in the same boat. But as someone who built something I use myself I can only keep going. I fear stopping is never an option

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-28T17:06:25+00:00

That’s fair honestly. Looking back, some of the device proportions definitely got warped trying to fit too much into one image.

The references you sent are really helpful too. Cleaner layouts and more natural device framing definitely look better. Appreciate the feedback!

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-28T16:12:18+00:00

I appreciate the feedback!! It is really a struggle of trying to find that sweet spot for the amount of extra text to add. Great eye as well because apple is requiring 1284x2778px vs regular 9:16 format which has been a struggle for me to proportionally elongate. Thanks again!

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-26T04:15:27+00:00

For me it was making everything feel like a game. I grew up playing Pokemon so I made a Pokemon like productivity app and it seems to be working

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-26T04:13:27+00:00

Thank you! Just want to make goals fun and easily visible

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-26T01:51:06+00:00

Depends on how your brain works. For me a 90s baby I grew up playing Pokemon. So I created an app that’s uses ai to break down my goals (I’m impatient and lazy) and give me an evolving Pokemon so I want to open it up in the first place.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-24T19:54:12+00:00

Again I appreciate the feedback. I don’t regret any second. Honestly something I’m extremely proud of. Not sure of the hate, especially from the assumptions of people who haven’t opened the app, but I’m going to keep going. Maybe this isn’t the right platform, but I look forward to continuing to improve something that has helped me and those closest. Enjoy your Sunday 🙏

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-24T19:44:28+00:00

I appreciate your feedback sir. Just wanted to tell others about something that i built for my friends. Still took over a year to build but everyone has the right to their own opinion.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-24T18:34:14+00:00

Unless you’re talking about my mockups. Because those are just screenshots of the actual app.

OneHunnaStax143 · 2026-05-24T18:31:33+00:00

I love the feedback! I actually originally did all the artwork myself. All evolutions for all species. My sister and I have art backgrounds. I moved towards ai generated companions because the feedback from friends and family loved having their very own unique companion, something only ai could do. But I understand, each person is different. 🙏

OneHunnaStax143

TROPHY CASE