AI Platform Citation Patterns: What Law Firms Must Know About ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity in 2025
New research from 680 million AI citations reveals drastically different sourcing behaviors—and how your firm can adapt to get cited more often
📑 Table of Contents
If you’ve been optimizing your law firm’s website the same way for ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity, you’re likely wasting significant effort. New research from analytics platform Profound, analyzing 680 million AI citations from August 2024 to June 2025, reveals that each major AI platform sources information in fundamentally different ways.
This isn’t just academic curiosity—it’s a critical strategic insight for law firms investing in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Understanding which sources each AI platform trusts determines whether potential clients find your firm when asking AI assistants questions like “Who are the best personal injury lawyers near me?” or “What should I look for in a divorce attorney?”
The implications are significant. ChatGPT heavily favors Wikipedia and traditional news sources. Google AI Overviews pulls extensively from Reddit and YouTube. Perplexity relies almost exclusively on community-generated content. For law firms trying to appear in AI search results, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work anymore.
📊 Key Stat:
Reddit is now the #1 most cited domain across all AI models combined, cited twice as often as Wikipedia in the top 10 most-cited domains for Q2 2025. (Source: Profound, Reddit Q2 2025 Shareholder Letter)
Google AI Overviews: Balanced Social-Professional Mix
Google AI Overviews demonstrates a more balanced approach to citation sources, drawing from social platforms, professional networks, and traditional media. This reflects Google’s integration of its broader ecosystem—YouTube, LinkedIn content, and Quora discussions all play significant roles.
Google’s Ecosystem Advantage
The strong presence of YouTube (18.8% of top 10 citations) reveals Google’s integration of its own ecosystem into AI Overviews. For law firms, this means YouTube video content isn’t just for brand awareness—it’s now a direct pathway to AI search visibility.
LinkedIn’s prominence (13% of top 10) is particularly relevant for professional services like law firms. Thoughtful, educational content on LinkedIn—especially from individual attorneys rather than firm pages—can influence how Google AI Overviews presents information about legal topics and firm recommendations.
⚠️ Important Consideration:
Wikipedia appears much lower in Google AI Overviews (5.7%) compared to ChatGPT (47.9%). This means strategies that work for ChatGPT visibility may underperform for Google AI Overviews. Platform-specific Google Gemini optimization is essential.
Perplexity AI: Community-Driven Information
Perplexity AI shows the most dramatic concentration of any platform, with Reddit accounting for nearly half of its top 10 citations. This “research assistant” positioning has made Perplexity increasingly popular among users seeking in-depth answers—including those researching legal options.
The Yelp Factor for Local Law Firms
Notably, Yelp appears in Perplexity’s top 10 (5.8%) but doesn’t appear in the top sources for ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews. This has significant implications for law firms with strong local practices. Your Yelp presence—reviews, photos, and business information—directly influences whether Perplexity cites your firm when users ask about attorneys in your area.
Perplexity’s emphasis on community content (Reddit, Yelp, YouTube) over traditional authority sources suggests it’s optimized for conversational, experiential information. Users asking Perplexity “What should I know before hiring a personal injury lawyer?” will likely receive responses heavily influenced by Reddit discussions and real client reviews—not just authoritative legal content. This makes Perplexity AI optimization a unique challenge requiring different tactics than other platforms.
💡 Key Insight:
Perplexity’s vector-based semantic approach rewards comprehensive, multi-angle content rather than keyword-optimized writing. Law firms should create content that thoroughly explores legal topics from multiple perspectives—client experience, legal process, costs, outcomes—rather than focusing narrowly on search terms.
Strategic Implications for Law Firm Marketing
The fundamental takeaway from this research is clear: a one-size-fits-all approach to AI visibility cannot succeed. Each platform demonstrates distinct philosophies that require tailored strategies.
Platform Philosophy Breakdown
🤖 ChatGPT: Authority-First
Favors encyclopedic knowledge bases and established media. Traditional authority signals (Wikipedia presence, mainstream press coverage, established publication citations) drive visibility.
Priority: Wikipedia accuracy, PR/media relations, authoritative content structure
🔍 Google AI Overviews: Balanced Ecosystem
Balances professional content with social platforms. Google-owned properties (YouTube) and professional networks (LinkedIn) matter more than traditional authority sources.
Priority: YouTube content, LinkedIn engagement, Quora participation, Google Business Profile optimization
🔬 Perplexity: Community-Driven
Prioritizes peer-to-peer information and community discussions. Reddit presence and review platform profiles matter significantly more than traditional authority.
Priority: Reddit engagement, Yelp profile optimization, semantically rich content, client review cultivation
The Reddit Reality Check
Reddit’s emergence as the #1 most cited domain across all AI models (cited twice as often as Wikipedia in Q2 2025) represents a fundamental shift in how AI platforms source information. For law firms, this creates both opportunity and risk.
The opportunity: authentic engagement in legal advice subreddits (r/legaladvice, r/personalinjury, r/divorce, etc.) can directly influence AI citations. The risk: negative Reddit discussions about your firm or practice area can equally influence AI responses.
This is why comprehensive law firm reputation management must now include monitoring and thoughtful participation in Reddit communities—not as advertising, but as genuine professional contribution.
Key Findings from 680 Million AI Citations
The Profound research analyzed citation patterns across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity from August 2024 to June 2025. The findings reveal three distinctly different approaches to information sourcing that every law firm needs to understand for effective Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
What does this mean for your law firm? If you’re only optimizing for traditional search engines, you’re missing the platforms where an increasing number of potential clients are now beginning their search for legal help. Understanding these citation patterns is the foundation of effective GEO services.
Understanding Overall Citation Volume vs. Top Source Share
The Profound research presents two critical metrics that law firms need to understand:
- Overall Citation Volume: The percentage of total citations across the entire dataset—this represents absolute market share
- Top Source Share: The relative distribution within each platform’s top 10 most-cited sources—this shows concentration patterns
For example, Wikipedia accounts for 7.8% of ChatGPT’s overall citations (massive in absolute terms), but represents 47.9% of its top 10 sources. This concentration reveals ChatGPT’s strong preference for encyclopedic authority—a preference that has significant implications for how law firms should structure their technical SEO and content strategy.
ChatGPT Citation Patterns: Wikipedia Dominance
ChatGPT shows a clear preference for authoritative, encyclopedic content. Within its top 10 most-cited sources, Wikipedia commands nearly half of all citations—a striking concentration that reveals OpenAI’s approach to information sourcing.
What This Means for Law Firms
ChatGPT’s preference for authoritative sources presents both challenges and opportunities for law firms seeking visibility in ChatGPT search results:
✅ Strategic Opportunities:
- Wikipedia presence matters—ensure your firm and attorneys have accurate, well-sourced Wikipedia entries
- Traditional media coverage drives AI citations—pursue PR opportunities with Forbes, Business Insider, and Reuters
- Review platforms like G2 influence professional service citations
- Authoritative, encyclopedic content on your website aligns with ChatGPT’s sourcing preferences
A separate study from Muck Rack found that ChatGPT is more likely to cite mainstream publications like Reuters, AP, Financial Times, Time, and Axios compared to other AI platforms. This reinforces the importance of traditional media relations and online reputation management for law firms targeting ChatGPT visibility.