What AI answer engines actually cite

Across 120 product prompts, four engines cited a median of 6.2 unique domains per answer. Retailer product pages appeared in 34% of answers. Review roundups appeared in 51%.

Brand-owned pages were cited when they carried extractable specification data: a table, a clear list, consistent units. Marketing copy was almost never quoted.

The practical implication: write the spec block before you write the story.