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AI platform
Perplexity SEO
Perplexity runs its own crawler and shows numbered citations on almost every answer, which makes it one of the clearest platforms to measure and improve.
How it works
Where Perplexity gets its sources
PerplexityBot
Perplexity's own crawler, which respects robots.txt.
Live retrieval
Sources are retrieved per question and shown as numbered citations.
Freshness and sourcing
Clear, recently updated and well-sourced pages are cited more often.
Common issues
What we usually find on Perplexity
Issues
- PerplexityBot blocked by default bot-protection settings
- Key content rendered only by JavaScript
- Pages without dates, sources or specific figures
- Competitor comparison posts cited instead of the brand's own pages
What we optimise
- Allow PerplexityBot through robots.txt and CDN rules
- Move key content into the initial HTML
- Add dates, sources and specific figures to citable pages
- Track which domains Perplexity cites for each prompt
Proof
Related client work
Paylists
Peppol e-invoicing SaaS7European markets in one AI citation programmeHover or tapPaylists
- Challenge
- Seven markets, each with its own questions and sources.
- Result
- An ongoing programme prioritised by prompt impact.
Fill
E-signature SaaS+88.9%revenue, with organic traffic +153%Hover or tapFill
- Challenge
- Technical, keyword and AI work needed joining up.
- Result
- Revenue +88.9% and organic traffic +153%.
SALTO Systems
Access control technology1 in 44smart-access answers recommended SALTOHover or tapSALTO Systems
- Challenge
- Competitors named more often on buying prompts.
- Result
- A category page plan to turn mentions into recommendations.
eLogii
Route optimisation SaaS+51%US organic clicks month on monthHover or tapeLogii
- Challenge
- Organic clicks fell sharply after a Google core update.
- Result
- US clicks +51% and demo requests at a 2026 high.
FAQ
Perplexity questions
How does a brand rank in Perplexity?
Perplexity retrieves sources live for each question and cites them with numbered links. Brands are cited when their pages are crawlable by PerplexityBot, answer the question directly, and show clear sources, figures and dates.
How is a website optimised for Perplexity?
Allow PerplexityBot through robots.txt and CDN rules, make sure key content appears in the initial HTML, keep pages updated with visible dates, cite sources, and write answer-first passages that name the product.
How do brands get traffic from Perplexity?
From the numbered citation links in each answer. Being cited on buying prompts, and being the most useful source on the follow-up questions, drives the clicks.
How are Perplexity visibility and referral traffic tracked?
Visibility is tracked by re-running a fixed prompt set and logging which domains Perplexity cites. Referral traffic appears in GA4 under the Perplexity source and can be grouped with other AI platforms.
Does Perplexity use Google or Bing?
Perplexity runs its own crawler, PerplexityBot, and builds answers from live retrieval. Allowing PerplexityBot is the first requirement.
Why does Perplexity cite sites with weaker SEO?
It often favours direct answers, clear sources and fresh dates over stronger link profiles.
Other platforms: ChatGPT · AI Overviews · Gemini · Copilot
See how the brand performs on Perplexity.
The AI Visibility Audit tests Perplexity alongside four other AI platforms. £1,500.