Case Study: How AEKO Reviews Gemini and Perplexity Citations

A private client review in July 2026

In July 2026, AEKO manually reviewed whether content published through AEKO Shop appeared as a source in Gemini and Perplexity answers for one client.

We are not publishing the brand, category, article count, query set, or result totals because that combination could identify the client. This is a review note about verification method, not a performance benchmark.

What counted as a citation

We counted an article only when a source link shown in an AI answer led directly to that article published through AEKO Shop. A brand mention or an answer that covered a similar topic did not count.

To make each check repeatable, we recorded the query, market, language, review time, answer link, and cited URL together. Because engine screens and answers can change, the review date was treated as part of the result.

A crawler visit is not a citation

An AI crawler visit in a server log proves only that the crawler fetched the URL. It can help establish that a page was accessible to the crawler, but it does not prove that the page appeared in an AI answer.

We therefore treated crawler activity and answer citations as separate signals. Citation status came from manually checking the source links displayed in the AI answers.

Operating rules from the review

First, do not reinterpret a crawler visit as a citation. Second, keep the query and review time with every engine result. Third, do not turn private client findings into public performance claims without evidence that readers can audit.

This review does not prove that AEKO Shop caused a citation, nor does it establish an effect on search rankings or revenue. It is not a benchmark corroborated through a public dashboard.

AI answers vary by query, market, language, model update, and review date. Checks should be repeated using the same criteria and record format.