Understanding AI Sources: The 3-Step RAG Process Every Marketer Needs to Know

AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity cite sources in their responses, but most marketers misunderstand how these sources get selected. Unlike human researchers who visit 3-5 web pages, AI models retrieve and evaluate dozens of URLs during a single query. Understanding Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), the process AI models use to select sources, is essential for effective brand visibility strategy.

What Are Sources in AI Search?

Sources are web pages that AI models retrieve to supplement foundational base knowledge when generating responses. Sources provide real-time information, current data, and specific details that AI models cannot access from training data alone. When AI models cite sources, they indicate which web pages contributed to the generated answer.

The 3 Steps of RAG: How AI Models Select Sources

Step 1: Retrieval

AI models search for relevant information across the web when prompts require current data, specialized knowledge, or specific facts beyond training data. During this retrieval phase, AI models identify potentially relevant web pages based on the user's query.

Step 2: Augmentation

AI models supplement foundational base knowledge with information extracted from retrieved web pages. During augmentation, AI models combine trained understanding with real-time content to generate more accurate and current responses.

Step 3: Generation

AI models create responses using both training data and retrieved information, then cite selected sources that contributed to the answer. Not all retrieved pages become cited sources—only those AI models determine most relevant and authoritative.

Why Sources Matter: 3 Critical Insights Evertune Reveals

1. Track Citation Patterns Across Models

Different AI models have different source preferences based on their retrieval systems. Evertune's Content Analytics shows which web pages each major AI platform cites most frequently for specific topics, revealing platform-specific optimization opportunities.

2. Identify High-Authority Domains

Through Topic Relevance and Brand Relevance metrics, Evertune shows which URLs influence AI models for particular subject areas. Understanding these authority patterns helps brands know where to publish content for maximum citation potential.

3. Connect Sources to Brand Mentions

The most valuable sources don't just get cited—they drive brand mentions in AI-generated answers. Evertune shows which sources lead to brand recommendations, helping prioritize content optimization and domain authority building.

5 Questions to Ask About Your Source Strategy

When developing strategies to improve source citations, evaluate:

1. Which domains do AI models cite most frequently in your category? Understanding top sources reveals where to focus content placement efforts.
2. Do your owned properties appear as sources? If brand websites rarely get cited, content structure or authority signals may need optimization.
3. Which competitors secure the most source citations? Competitive source analysis reveals content strategies working well.
4. Can you track source citations across different AI platforms? Different models use different retrieval systems with different source preferences—multi-platform tracking ensures comprehensive visibility.
5. Do you know which content formats AI models prefer to cite? Research papers, blog posts, product pages, and news articles each have different citation rates depending on query type and model preference.

Ready to Optimize Your Source Visibility

Sources represent the battleground for AI visibility. When AI models use RAG to generate responses, they choose which web pages to retrieve, evaluate, and cite. Brands that appear in these sources gain visibility and recommendation opportunities that traditional SEO metrics cannot measure.

Evertune is the Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) platform that helps brands improve visibility in AI search through actionable insights. As the most cost-effective enterprise GEO platform, Evertune analyzes over 1 million AI responses monthly per brand. Evertune helps leading brands across all verticals, including Finance, Retail/E-Commerce, Automotive, Pharma, Tech, Travel, Food/Beverage, Entertainment, CPG, and B2B increase their AI visibility. Founded by early team members of The Trade Desk, Evertune has raised $19M in funding from leading adtech and martech investors. Headquartered in New York City, the company has a growing team of more than 40 employees.