YouTube is cited 200x more than any other video platform in AI search results, according to new data from enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge. YouTube was:
Cited 200 times more than any other video platform by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI products.
Present across all platforms and essentially the only video source that matters.
Competitors barely registered: Vimeo (0.1%), TikTok (0.1%), Dailymotion (0%), Twitch (0%).
A top information authority, rivaling Mayo Clinic and Investopedia.
By the numbers. YouTube had a 200x advantage over its nearest rival (Vimeo at 0.1%). Even platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT, which have no incentive to favor Google properties, overwhelmingly cite YouTube.
20% average YouTube citation share across AI platforms.
29.5% of Google AI Overviews cite YouTube – making it the top domain overall, ahead of Mayo Clinic (12.5%).
100% week-over-week growth for ChatGPT (though off a small base).
32.8% recent dip in AI Overviews citations, but YouTube still dominates.
By platform. Here’s a breakdown of YouTube’s performance across engines:
Google AI Overviews: 29.5% citation share, #1 domain, average rank position 6.3.
Google AI Mode: 16.6% share, #1 domain, average position 9.7.
Perplexity: 9.7% share, #5 domain, 4.8% weekly growth.
ChatGPT: 0.2% share, growing fast, average position 5.2.
Where YouTube showed up.
Tutorials (finance, software, medical “how-to” content).
Pricing, deal hunting, product demos, reviews.
Less likely: career advice, strategy, abstract concepts, or pure informational queries.
Why it matters. If your brand isn’t creating video content, you may be invisible in AI search. YouTube isn’t just winning – it’s the only video platform that AI platforms appear to trust.
About the data. BrightEdge analyzed YouTube citation patterns across Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity from May 2024 to September 2025 using its AI Catalyst platform. The study tracked citation rates, platform competition, query types, and week-over-week changes.
BrightEdge’s research. YouTube Optimization Strategies for AI Citations
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