Beyond the Backlink: How to Earn AI Citations in 2026
Many changes are happening to the world of searching. In the past, getting to the top of Google's results pages involved link building tactics , keyword optimization , and on-page optimization . 2026, is shaping up to be the year of AI citations link building being the second option, where AI will summarize, recommend, and directly cite the most trusted sources. For those partnering with the best SEO company in Los Angeles , this change is essential. Because it will change the company’s goal from answering the question “How do I build visible citations?” to “How do I become a trusted and cited source in AI systems ?” So let;s explore what this means? Moving From Backlinks to Authoritative Signals Backlinks have been the primary means by which users have shown search engines that they have authority. The more links from reputable websites, the “better” the search engines will rank your content. In 2026, search engines and AI assistants are doing something more advanced: Extr...