Three different events
A citation is a link observed in one answer. A ranking is an ordered result in a search interface. A brand mention is a name appearing without a linked source. Teams often report all three as “AI visibility,” which makes the underlying change impossible to diagnose.
Measure the event you can see
Record what the interface actually exposes: the question, the answer, the linked URL and the observation time. If the product does not expose a stable rank, do not invent one.
- Separate linked citations from unlinked mentions.
- Record the exact question before the result changes.
- Keep the source URL and the date attached to the observation.
Inspect the supporting evidence
Read the observation method before combining examples into a broader conclusion.
Read the method