The competitors cited by AI are not necessarily the ones ahead of you on Google. To identify them, query ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, then note who is named and which pages are cited.
According to an Ahrefs study of 863,000 keywords, published in March 2026, 38% of pages cited by AI Overviews are also in Google's top 10. A year earlier, the same study gave 76%.
In other words, your first Google page is no longer enough to know your rivals. Here is the GEO competitor audit, in 5 steps.
of pages cited by AI Overviews are in Google's top 10 (Ahrefs, March 2026)
of domains are cited by both ChatGPT and Perplexity (5W Research, May 2026)
Why your "AI" competitors differ from your Google competitors
Each AI relies on its own sources, so each one cites different companies.
- 38% — only this share of pages cited by AI Overviews appears in Google's top 10 for the same query (Ahrefs, March 2026).
- 11% — this is the share of domains cited by both ChatGPT and Perplexity (5W Research, May 2026).
- AI Overviews live in Belgium since 26 March 2025 — your customers have already been seeing these answers for over a year and a half.
Practical conclusion: you need to audit each AI separately, not infer the results from your Google ranking.
This changes the nature of competitive monitoring: it is no longer just about comparing positions, but about comparing answers. A competitor who is discreet on Google can dominate Perplexity's answers because they are mentioned on the right sources. Conversely, a well-ranked competitor can be completely absent from ChatGPT's answers. Only a real check, question by question, gives you the true picture.
Steps 1 and 2: identify who is cited, and by which source
Ask your 6 business and local questions to 3 AIs, then record everything in a table.
- The names cited — recommended companies, in order of appearance.
- The sources — web pages, directories, forums or media behind each citation.
- The recurrence — a name that comes back on 2 or 3 AIs is a true GEO competitor.
The questions to ask are detailed in the free 10-minute test. Here, we focus on what the cited companies are doing.
Steps 3 and 4: dissect their pages and their mentions
Open the cited pages and compare them point by point with yours.
| Criterion | What you are looking for | Your gap |
|---|---|---|
| Direct answer | 1 to 3 sentences at the top of the page | Do you have it? |
| Structure | Lists, tables, FAQ | Same level? |
| Data | Dated figures with a link to the source | More or less sourced? |
| Schema.org | Article, FAQPage, LocalBusiness | Markup in place? |
| Third-party mentions | Reviews, directories, press, partners | How many reliable sources talk about them and about you? |
Don't copy their content: spot what you are missing, then do better and be more precise. The trust criteria are detailed in our E-E-A-T guide.
Step 5: turn the gap into an action plan
Rank the gaps by effort and impact, and tackle first the pages that answer the most commercial questions.
- Priority 1 — add a direct answer and an FAQ to your service pages.
- Priority 2 — source your figures and add schema.org.
- Priority 3 — obtain mentions on the sources AI already cites for your competitors.
- Monitoring — repeat the audit every month: the sources cited change quickly. See also the real timelines by engine.
Your questions about the competitor audit
How do I find out which competitors AI cites instead of me?
Ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity your business and local questions, then record in a table every company named and every source cited. The names that come back from one AI to another are your real competitors in generative answers.
Are my Google competitors the same as my competitors in AI?
Not always. According to Ahrefs, only 38% of pages cited by AI Overviews appear in Google's top 10 for the same query. Players missing from your first page can therefore be cited before you.
How many competitors should you analyse?
Three to five is enough: the two or three most often cited by AI, plus a direct competitor you already know. Beyond that, the analysis becomes a collecting exercise with no action plan.
What should you look at on the cited competitors' pages?
Five points: a direct answer at the top of the page, lists and tables, sourced figures, schema.org markup and mentions on third-party sites. Note what they do that you don't.
How often should you repeat the competitor audit?
Every month for the 6 key questions, because the sources cited change quickly. Monthly monitoring measures a trend, not an isolated result.
Know who is cited instead of you.
We carry out the GEO competitor audit for you: competitors cited, sources, content gaps and a prioritised action plan.