Perplexity
An AI answer engine that cites sources by default for every response.
Key takeaways
- Perplexity is an AI answer engine that cites sources by default for every response.
- Allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt and check your firewall doesn't block it.
- Avoid: blocking its crawler while hoping to be cited.
What is Perplexity?
Perplexity rewards freshness, clear claims, and source diversity. It cites more sources per answer than other engines, making it a strong target for AEO investment.
You can try it yourself at perplexity.ai.
Why Perplexity matters for AEO in 2026
Perplexity searches the web for nearly every answer and shows its sources prominently, so people actually click them. It's a useful channel for research-heavy and B2B audiences.
For a wider view of where this fits, see our full AEO glossary or explore the SEO and GEO service we run for clients.
How to apply Perplexity on your site
Knowing the concept is only half of it. Work through these steps in order to put Perplexity into practice on your own pages:
- Allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt and check your firewall doesn't block it.
- Keep pages current, with visible dates, because Perplexity favours fresh sources.
- Ask Perplexity your buyers' questions and study which sources it chooses.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most sites that struggle with Perplexity fall into the same traps. Check your pages against each of these before moving on:
- Blocking its crawler while hoping to be cited.
- Leaving evergreen pages untouched for years.
- Ignoring Perplexity referral traffic in analytics.
Questions about Perplexity
An AI answer engine that cites sources by default for every response.
Perplexity searches the web for nearly every answer and shows its sources prominently, so people actually click them. It's a useful channel for research-heavy and B2B audiences.
Start here: allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt and check your firewall doesn't block it. Then keep pages current, with visible dates, because Perplexity favours fresh sources.
The most common is blocking its crawler while hoping to be cited. Another is leaving evergreen pages untouched for years.