> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# What gets a brand recommended in AI answers?
- URL: https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/takes/what-gets-brands-recommended-by-ai/
- Published: 2026-11-09T14:53:21.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-12T12:50:31.000Z
- Description: 4 expert takes. Updated Nov 12, 2026.
- Author: SaaS Marketing Experts
- Tags: #take

**Short answer:** The 4 experts here each point somewhere different. Andy Crestodina and Ross Hudgens point to the homepage: brands that state specific facts there, like reviews, case studies and named customers, get recommended more often. Chris Long focuses on page format, with key takeaways up top, tables and verified stats, while Maja Voje says about 85% of AEO is won on sites you don't own.

## What the experts say

### [85% of AEO is won offsite](https://knowledge.gtmstrategist.com/p/offsite-aeo-playbook?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

[**Maja Voje**](https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/experts/maja-voje/) (GTM Strategist) · Nov 6, 2026  
Citing AirOps research, Maja and Josh Grant, Webflow's former VP of Growth, say only about 13% of AEO is influenced by your own site. So they'd spend less on publishing to your site and more on winning citations on third-party sites, YouTube, creators' content and communities.  
[**→ Read Maja's newsletter**](https://knowledge.gtmstrategist.com/p/offsite-aeo-playbook?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

### [LLMs are more likely to cite verified stats](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chris-long-marketing%5Fnew-claude-skill-this-workflow-optimizes-activity-7524115293577744384-ZkdD?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

[**Chris Long**](https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/experts/chris-long/) (Nectiv) · Nov 5, 2026  
Chris built a Claude skill from AEO studies. It puts key takeaways at the top, since Kevin Indig found 44.2% of ChatGPT citations come from the first 30% of a page, and adds tables, verified statistics and definitive language. He says to adopt only what fits how you write.  
[**→ Read Chris's post**](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chris-long-marketing%5Fnew-claude-skill-this-workflow-optimizes-activity-7524115293577744384-ZkdD?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

### [Facts on the homepage get brands recommended](https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/homepage-facts-ai-recommendations/?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

[**Andy Crestodina**](https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/experts/andy-crestodina/) (Orbit Media) · Nov 4, 2026  
Orbit Media's study of 704 websites and 8,771 AI recommendations found that as homepages went from 15 to 60 specific, checkable facts, the chance of being recommended rose from 5% to 30%. Word count made no difference, and Andy notes it's a correlation study.  
[**→ Read Andy's study**](https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/homepage-facts-ai-recommendations/?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

### [Credibility statements bring 62% more AI visibility](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rosshudgens%5Fmid-authority-brands-with-five-or-more-credibility-activity-7520563353321164800-tDRP?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)

[**Ross Hudgens**](https://www.saasmarketingexperts.com/experts/ross-hudgens/) (Siege Media) · Oct 26, 2026  
In Siege's study of 520 tracked companies, mid-authority brands with 5 or more "credibility statements" on their homepage, like review ratings, case studies and analyst placements, had 62% more AI visibility than similar brands with none. The effect flattened out for high-authority brands.  
[**→ Read Ross's post**](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rosshudgens%5Fmid-authority-brands-with-five-or-more-credibility-activity-7520563353321164800-tDRP?ref=saasmarketingexperts.com)