Google’s AI Overviews now surface on well over half of search queries, nudging blue links below the fold and giving conversational summaries pride of place. Semrush’s latest data shows the summaries lean heavily on just two domains: Quora and Reddit, in that order. For brands that once fought for ten blue spots, it is a wake-up call: whoever owns the best answer, not the best backlink profile, wins the mention.
Why Quora and Reddit keep getting quoted
Both platforms trade in long-tail, first-hand knowledge—exactly what large language models crave when stitching together an explanation. Quora threads often read like mini essays, while Reddit comments supply candid anecdotes, specs and even failure reports that never make it into slick marketing copy. Their authenticity plus a clean URL structure make them easy for Google to crawl and index. It is no coincidence that Reddit formalised a content-licensing deal with Google worth roughly A$90 million a year. Visibility, data and dollars now circulate in the same loop.
Generative visibility is not the same as a click
Zero-click behaviour was already climbing; AI Overviews have accelerated it. Recent studies peg the proportion of searches ending without a visit at around 60 percent. In practice this means your brand may be cited, paraphrased or half-quoted without the reader ever landing on your site. The upside is brand authority; the downside is lost direct traffic. A sensible metric mix therefore includes citation share, sentiment inside the summary, and searches for your brand name that follow the overview.
Five tactics to earn citations inside community answers
- Hunt for recurring, unanswered angles
Export question lists from Quora’s “Related Questions” tab or use subreddit keyword tools to spot gaps where authoritative answers are thin. Long-form “how”, “why” and “is it safe” queries tend to trigger Overviews. - Answer like a domain expert, not a marketer
Provide data points, local references, and clear disclaimers. Break up the response with short paragraphs and an at-a-glance list—formats AI systems lift almost verbatim. - Leave a breadcrumb trail back to your site
On Quora, add a short author bio with a single contextual link. On Reddit, cite your source transparently and, where subreddit rules allow, mention the deeper guide on your domain. Soft-handed attribution beats promotional fluff every time. - Repurpose winning answers into structured posts
Once an answer gains traction, migrate it to your website. Wrap it in schema—FAQ Page, How To or Article—to help Google tie the on-platform discussion to an off-platform canonical source. - Track citations the same way you track rankings
Tools such as Advanced Web Ranking and Semrush now flag when your brand appears in AI Overviews. Combine that feed with a branded-search dashboard in Google Looker Studio so you can spot correlation between mentions and navigational queries.
Mind the policy and reputation hazards
Community platforms are public squares with long memories. A post that feels helpful today can age badly if the facts change, so schedule periodic reviews. Always respect subreddit posting guidelines and Quora’s partner policies; a heavy-handed promotion risks moderator removal or a shadow-ban, wiping out any visibility gains.
The Reddit difference: licenced data, logged-out users
Reddit’s Google arrangement has boosted fly-by traffic, yet most visitors arrive while still logged out, limiting ad targeting and community engagement. For marketers, that means the value lies less in direct conversions and more in occupying a cited position that competitors cannot dislodge easily. Treat Reddit answers as top-of-funnel brand reinforcement rather than a lead magnet.
Quora’s edge: evergreen authority
Quora answers sit in a quasi-blog format that continues to rank years after posting. The platform rewards depth and sources, making it fertile ground for expert-level content. Combine text answers with image uploads, data tables or short videos to increase your answer’s richness—LLMs prefer material they can quote in multiple modalities.
A quick checklist before you hit “post”
- Does the reply solve the exact user query in under 40 seconds of reading?
- Have you declared any affiliation or commercial interest?
- Could the text stand alone if pulled into an AI Overview without the surrounding thread?
- Have you embedded at least one unique fact, figure or observation unavailable elsewhere?
Bottom line
Generative search is moving the centre of gravity from brand pages to community answers. By planting substantive, well-formatted responses on Quora and Reddit, you give Google’s AI every reason to cite you—and every reader a reason to remember you. Act early, refine often, and those citations will compound while competitors are still chasing yesterday’s blue links.
Ready to claim your spot in Google’s AI Overviews? Get in touch with us and let our Generative Engine Optimisation specialists do the heavy lifting.
