AEO strategies must move beyond Reddit and Quora; Shubham Kumar Agrawal stresses on evolution of AI search citation

As artificial intelligence reshapes how people search for information online marketers are increasingly focusing on Answer Engine Optimization AEO a practice aimed at improving a brands visibility in AIgenerated answers However changing citation patterns are raising questions about whether strategies built around a handful of popular platforms can remain effective in the long termShubham Kumar Agrawal leading AI brand growth expert and founder of Taptwice Media argues that AEO strategies need to move beyond simply targeting websites such as Reddit and Quora because their visibility in AIgenerated responses can change over timeThe issue has similarities with earlier developments in search engine optimization SEO where tactics that initially provided an advantage eventually became widely adopted and in some cases lost effectiveness after being used at scaleReddit citation share shows volatilityRecent data cited in the discussion highlights how quickly AI search citation patterns can change An analysis by Promptwatch found that Reddit accounted for an average 383 per cent of citations returned by ChatGPT Search between July 18 and August 7 2026Between August 14 and August 17 the figure averaged 052 per cent representing an 864 per cent relative decline Promptwatch also cautioned that a datacollection issue could not be completely ruled outHighlighting about the figures and data Shubham Kumar Agrawal said that the figures do not necessarily indicate that Reddit has lost its value as an information source Instead they highlight the difficulty of treating the visibility of any individual platform as a permanent feature of AI searchShubham further said that simply identifying a frequently cited platform may not provide a lasting competitive advantage if thousands of marketers begin pursuing the same opportunityLessons from traditional SEOThe development echoes earlier changes in SEO Backlinks remain an important part of search visibility but several methods of acquiring links became less effective after widespread manipulation and largescale adoptionThe broader lesson for AEO is that an easily replicated tactic can lose its strategic value when it becomes a standard industry practiceShubham while further citing some examples said that if marketers identify Reddit as a source frequently cited by AI systems large numbers may attempt to create or promote content there The same process could occur with Quora or other platforms if their citation frequency increasesRather than focusing solely on where AI systems are currently finding information AEO practitioners may need to examine why particular sources are being selected and whether their relevance is likely to persistMeasuring AI search resultsAEO strategies are increasingly being built around monitoring the answers generated for questions relevant to a particular industryThis can involve tracking hundreds of prompts covering products competitors services and consumer questions across AI systems including ChatGPT Gemini Claude Perplexity Microsoft Copilot and Googles AI search experiencesThe objective is to identify which companies appear in responses which sources are repeatedly cited and how those patterns change over timeSuch analysis can then inform decisions about where a company should seek visibility Depending on the findings opportunities could include specialist publications news organisations industry websites research reports or expertled platforms rather than only large public discussion forumsOriginal information could gain importanceAnother emerging consideration is the growing volume of AIgenerated content available onlineShedding light on the use of AI Shubham said ldquoAs businesses and publishers increasingly use generative AI to create or rewrite material similar information can appear across multiple websitesrdquoldquoThis creates a potential challenge for AI search systems distinguishing between genuinely useful information and repeated versions of existing materialrdquo he further addedOriginal research proprietary data expert analysis technical documentation product testing and specialist reporting can provide information that is harder to reproduce through automated content generationThis does not mean community platforms such as Reddit will become irrelevantDiscussions on such platforms can remain useful for questions involving personal experiences opinions and community knowledge However their importance may vary depending on the nature of the query and how AI systems select sourcesAEO moves beyond platform checklistsThe changing landscape could push AEO agencies towards more researchdriven strategies rather than fixed lists of websitesA platformfocused approach might begin with the assumption that a particular website is important and then attempt to secure visibility there A broader strategy would first examine the questions users are asking the sources influencing AIgenerated answers and the information gaps within a particular marketThat could lead to opportunities in niche industry publications research organisations specialist websites technical resources or established media outletsThe central challenge for AEO is therefore shifting from simply identifying where AI systems cite information to creating or placing information that is sufficiently relevant credible and distinctive to be citedHighlighting the evolving artificial intelligence Shubham said ldquoAs AI search systems continue to evolve citation patterns are likely to change alongside them For marketers this could make adaptability and original expertise more important than relying on any single platform or repeatable visibility tacticrdquo