> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trymeridian.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Citation Rate

Citation Rate is **how often your content is cited** in AI answers.

In other words: when an AI assistant includes citations, Citation Rate measures the share of runs where **at least one of those citations points to your owned domain(s)**.

**Calculation**

$Citation\ Rate = \frac{\#\ responses\ where\ your\ content\ was\ cited}{\#\ total\ responses} \times 100$

### **Example**

If Meridian captured 200 runs in the selected period and 35 of those runs cited your site at least once:

* Citation Rate = 35 / 200 = **17.5%**

## **How to interpret it**

* A **higher citation rate** usually means AI assistants are relying on your content as a source more often. This typically improves trust and can support better rankings over time.
* A **drop in citation rate** often means the assistant is choosing other sources instead of your site for those prompts (competitors, editorial sites, or social/community sources).
* If your citation rate is low, the next step is usually:
  * improving your “source pages” so they are more citeable (\*\*Website → Pages\*\*),
  * earning more third-party mentions that lead to citations (\*\*Off-page\*\*),
  * and publishing content aligned to what AI is already citing (\*\*Opportunities / Content\*\*).