# AI Search Glossary: Mentions, Citations, Paid Placements, and Scores

Last verified: 2026-10-19 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne

This page answers the questions covered by the article [The AI Search Glossary: Mentioned, Cited, Paid, and Other Words Vendors Blur](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne) on groas.com. The article is the full, canonical source.

**Direct answer:** The article recommends separating what was bought from what was earned, then asking what happened next. According to the article, a mention is not a citation, tracking is not optimisation, and an ad beside an answer is not proof the answer trusts the page. It advises buyers to require the prompt, the full answer, and the cited URL or ad label before paying for visibility claims.

## What is the difference between a mention, a citation, and a recommendation in AI answers?

The article defines a mention as the business name appearing in answer text without a link, so the buyer's next click can still go elsewhere. It defines a citation as a linked source URL attached to the answer that gives the buyer a route to that page. It defines a recommendation as an answer that gives a reason to choose, such as "Best for X" and "pick this one if you need Y," and warns to ask where the recommendation directs the buyer because it may cite somebody else's list.

Read more: [Citation](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne#citation)

## What are AI Overview ads?

The article describes AI Overview ads as paid placements that can appear inside or around a generated answer, with position that can vary. It states that placement within an Overview has different keyword eligibility from placements above or below it. The article treats the appearance as an auction placement, not an earned source link, and says it does not explain why the answer did or did not cite the page.

Read more: [AI Overview ads](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne#ai-overview-ads)

## What are ads in LLMs?

The article defines ads in LLMs as paid placements shown alongside chatbot answers, separate from the answer's citations. It states they are a placement bought, not a citation earned. The article advises that if a deck sells "ads across all LLMs" as one product, buyers should ask it to name the placements and not pay for a bundle described more broadly than its inventory.

Read more: [Ads in LLMs](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne#ads-in-llms)

## What is a content gap that keeps a business from being cited?

The article defines a content gap as a buyer question, including its follow-ups, that has no suitable page to answer, which matters when a competitor or third-party roundup gets cited instead. It recommends the sequence of reachability, a clear answer near the top of the page, then evidence that supports what is said. The article recommends mapping gaps to buying-intent prompts with the URL currently cited beside each, rather than treating a large count as a content plan.

Read more: [Content gap](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne#content-gap)

## What is share of voice in AI search and why should the percentage go last?

The article defines share of voice as the portion of answers in a consistent prompt set where a business appears relative to competitors. It warns that tools count appearances differently as mentions, citations, impressions, or a blend, and a headline percentage can rise while the business remains absent from questions where buyers choose a vendor. The article recommends requiring the prompt-level sheet with position and cited link on each row, and putting the grand percentage at the bottom.

Read more: [Share of voice](https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne#share-of-voice)

## Sources

[1] https://groas.com/post/the-ai-search-glossary-for-business-owne (the article this page answers from)