Source type · Category of the cited domain
Source type is the category of the domain cited or used by an AI engine: for example brand site, editorial media, reviews, social network or forum. GEO tracking tools use it to show where citations come from and where the brand needs to be present.
Standalone definition · 45 words
What is this classification for?
It turns a list of domains into a strategic reading: what share of citations comes from brand sites, media, reviews, social networks or forums. Peec AI lets you filter its source tables by domain type and shows that type in a URL’s detail view.
What do studies show?
A study comparing AI engines with Google found a marked bias of AI engines toward third-party media (earned media) over brand content and social networks, unlike Google. Exact shares vary by engine, sector and period: they are measured on your own prompt corpus.
How do you act on the finding?
If citations come mostly from forums or media, work on digital PR, reviews and community presence rather than only the site’s pages. The classification is a reading aid: categories are specific to each tool.
Frequently asked questions
Are the categories standardized?
No. Each tool defines its own, so the classification used must be documented.
Does source type depend on the engine?
Yes. The shares of forums, media or brand sites differ from one engine to another.
Related terms
Further reading
- Profound vs Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit: which really tracks your AI visibility
- Profound vs Otterly vs Ahrefs Brand Radar: query fan-out comparison
- GEO tools comparison 2026: top 10 free and paid
- Which GEO tool to choose: the decision guide
- ← Back to the GEO glossary (114 terms)