Perplexity is a search platform founded in 2022 and positioned as an AI-powered “answer engine.” Instead of showing a list of blue links like traditional search engines, it generates a direct answer to the user’s question and supports each claim within the answer with sources.
Perplexity’s standout features:
- Numbered source references in every answer (academic citation style)
- Detailed source list in the “Sources” panel
- Follow-up question suggestions
- In-depth research with Pro Search
- Spaces (private research areas)
To appear as a source in Perplexity:
- Keep your site open to the PerplexityBot user-agent (robots.txt)
- Write content in a data-rich and verifiable way
- Add statistics, research findings, and expert opinions
- Use Structured Data and a clear topical structure
- Maintain high page speed and mobile friendliness
Perplexity’s place in the SEO ecosystem:
- The easiest platform to measure for Generative SEO — sources are clearly visible
- Growing as an alternative to Google for niche and expert-level queries
- For content creators, “being cited” is a new KPI
Tip: Regularly test your important brand and industry queries in Perplexity. See which competitors appear as sources; increase your chances of being cited by producing similar content strategies and data-driven pages.