What the studies found
| Study | Review sites' share of ChatGPT citations |
|---|---|
| DerivateX (40 categories) | 1.1%, with G2 and Capterra cited zero times |
| Growfusely (128 questions, ChatGPT and Perplexity) | 7.3%, all review sites combined |
Growfusely found more review-site citations in some categories: applicant tracking, DevOps and HR at 13–16%.
What that means for spend
- Review profiles still matter to buyers who check them directly, and in some categories to AI.
- Paid review-site placements reach buyers already on that site; they don't buy you a place in AI answers.
- AI ads reach buyers before they choose where to compare.
How to split
- Keep review profiles complete and current; it's cheap.
- Pay for review-site placements if your category's buyers clearly use them.
- Test AI ads on comparison questions in parallel.
- Compare on in-profile companies and meetings.
Questions to ask before paying a review site
- How many buyers in our category and region visit each month?
- Which pages would our placement appear on?
- How do you report clicks, leads and companies?
- Can we see examples from similar vendors?
Questions
Should we stop asking customers for reviews?
No. Reviews help buyers and, in some categories, AI answers. Paid placements are a separate decision.
Do AI assistants read review sites?
They can, and in some categories more than others. Both 2026 studies found them a small share overall.
What if our competitors dominate review sites?
Compete where AI looks most: your own pages and independent articles.
How buyers use review sites now
Buyers still visit review sites, often after an AI conversation has produced a shortlist, to check what users say about the vendors on it. That makes reviews more of a confirmation step than a discovery step for many buyers. Paid placements aimed at discovery may reach fewer people at the moment of choice than they used to.
Reviews as a source for your own pages
Customer quotes from reviews, with permission and attribution, make strong proof on comparison and product pages. That proof can then be read and cited when AI looks at your site.
Start here: Display advertising vs AI ads. More articles in AI ads vs other channels.
