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Last updated: December 2025

Top Source Types Cited In AI Answers: B2B Tech

Discover which source types get cited most in AI search answers across 15 B2B tech categories. See how different domains perform at each buyer intent stage.

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Source link type
All
Search Queries%no. of links
Awareness
Search Queries%no. of links
Consideration
Search Queries%no. of links
Decision
Search Queries%no. of links

*This study was conducted using On Target AI and is focused on the Unites States market.

Research foundation

Behind the numbers: uncovering real AI search queries.

1. What types of search queries did we run?

We reverse-engineered actual user queries instead of guessing what people search for.

  • Awareness search queries: relate to users who are problem aware, but not aware of the solution (e.g. "How can I streamline my invoicing process?")
  • Consideration search queries: describe searches where the user is comparing potential solutions (e.g. "What's the difference between cloud-based and on-premise CRM systems?")
  • Decision search queries: relate to specific searches where the user knows the solution they want to pick, but they are still investigating specific details before choosing a vendor/brand (e.g. "Which project management tool is best for remote teams under 50 people?")

We ran hundreds of queries daily across 15 B2B tech categories, to capture AI answers and source links included in the AI answer at each intent stage.

Awareness stage
Consideration stage
Decision stage
Research illustration

2. Where did we find these queries?

We used On Target AI to identify common ways people ask questions or describe pain points, and tied them back to search intent:

1.
Reddit & Quora mining:
We analyzed the most engaged posts and comments to extract authentic user queries.
2.
Social Media & Review sites:
We looked at real product reviews and active social media communities to find common ways people describe their issues, or ask questions.
3.
Audience research:
We reviewed survey responses, interview transcripts, and customer support logs from leading B2B tech brands to uncover additional queries buyers actually use.

The result?

A dataset grounded in real-world conversations and customer intent - not assumptions or keyword tools.

3. What B2B Tech categories were included in the research?

Ecommerce Low Code ToolEcommerce Payment ProcessorEmail Marketing AutomationInternational Ecommerce Shipping ServicesInvoicing SoftwarePassword ManagerPre Employment Assessment ToolProject Management SolutionSales CRMSocial Media Management ToolTax Filling SoftwareTime Tracking SolutionWebsite Error MonitoringWebsite Heatmaps SolutionWebsite Survey Solution

Key findings based on user intent

Our biggest takeaways from this study

What makes B2B tech brands show up in early-stage ("problem-aware") queries

Top 3 most cited website types

At the awareness stage, the most cited include Business (75%), Niche Publisher (8%), and Knowledge source (5%).

Most cited type of page

How-to guide is the most cited page type, making up 80% of all awareness stage citations.

Awareness stage search results
Awareness stage

What makes B2B tech brands visible in mid-funnel ("solution comparison") queries

Top 3 most cited website types

At the consideration stage, the most cited include Business (75%), Niche Publisher (9%), and Knowledge source (4%).

Most cited type of page

Article is the most cited page type, making up 80% of all consideration stage citations.

Consideration stage search results
Consideration stage

What makes B2B tech brands surface in purchase-ready ("brand vs. brand") queries

Top 3 most cited website types

At the decision stage, the most cited include Business (69%), Niche Publisher (15%), and Publisher (5%).

Most cited type of page

Listicle is the most cited page type, making up 93% of all decision stage citations.

Decision stage search results
Decision stage

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