Ahrefs (エイチレフス) analyzed data from its tool "Ahrefs Brand Radar" using the AI workspace "Letaido" (レタイド) and released the latest ranking of domains cited by Japan's top 5 AI platforms (ChatGPT, AI Mode, AI Summaries, Perplexity, Copilot).

Compared to the previous survey in April 2026, it was revealed that 4 out of the top 10 domains in the overall ranking have been replaced in just 2 months, with Reddit, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, my-best.com, and Rakuten Ichiba newly ranking in.

When AI generates answers, which sites does it cite as reliable sources? This landscape is being reshaped much faster than search rankings, and sites that are not cited quietly disappear from AI-driven visibility. Continuously monitoring how your company or competitors are cited by AI is becoming essential for channel strategy in the era of AI search.

Read the full study

Detailed survey data and platform-specific analysis here

*This survey focuses on the "ranking (order of the list)" of AI citations. The absolute number of citations varies depending on the collection period and target queries, so we focus on the movement of rankings that can be consistently compared between the previous and current surveys. Arrows (↑ ↓ → ★) indicate changes from the previous survey. Overseas sites are also included as citation sources.

▪️ Overall Ranking: YouTube Remains Unchallenged at the Top, note.com Surges from 5th to 2nd Place

In the overall ranking across the 5 major AI platforms, YouTube maintained its top position for the second consecutive period. This suggests that video content serves as a treasure trove of practical demonstrations, supplementing textual information with explanations, reviews, and how-to videos on all topics. Meanwhile, the biggest change is the surge of note.com from 5th to 2nd place. Furthermore, 4 domains within the top 10 are newly ranked from outside the previous rankings, indicating a significant shift in the top players in a short period.

Domains that dropped out of the rankings: www.google.com (3rd last time), www.instagram.com (4th last time), www.amazon.co.jp (6th last time), news.yahoo.co.jp (8th last time).

There are three trends behind this fluctuation. Notably, the third point is the biggest topic this time, indicating that AI has begun to incorporate "voices of actual users" into its answers, not just official information.

YouTube's top position is unwavering, and the strength of video content remains solid. note.com has surged from 5th to 2nd place, increasing its presence as a platform for primary information.

Review/Q&A/Comparison sites like Reddit, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, and my-best.com have all newly ranked in.

When narrowing down by industry, the lineup changes completely. For automotive queries, specialized media such as Goo-net, carview, and Car Sensor occupied more than half of the top 10. AI tends to prioritize media that holds primary industry information in specialized fields, making industry-specific continuous monitoring important (details explained in the blog post).

▪️ 3 Common Characteristics of Sites Likely to Be Cited by AI

From the current lineup and fluctuations, three common characteristics of sites cited by AI are emerging.

Official primary sources are the core of citations: When AI answers factual questions, it relies on official information such as Wikipedia, company official websites, and PR TIMES. PR TIMES, in particular, tends to be cited as an "archive of official announcements" where official announcements that have passed through public relations are accumulated with dates and facts.

High-quality content that answers "Know" queries: note and YouTube rank high across the board because they have a vast accumulation of content that answers information-gathering questions like "What is X?" or "Which is recommended?"

The rise of users' raw voices: As the biggest change this time, review, Q&A, and comparison sites like Reddit, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, and my-best.com have all newly ranked in. AI is beginning to incorporate real-life experiences and genuine evaluations, making the utilization of UGC and reviews a new challenge.

▪️ Summary: 3 Conditions for Domains Cited by AI

This analysis clearly shows the conditions for "domains that are cited" in AI search are becoming apparent.

Disseminating official primary information in a factual, date-stamped manner.

Possessing accurate and authoritative answers to the information users seek.

Being a place where real experiences and genuine evaluations are gathered.

▪️ This Survey Was Conducted with Ahrefs Brand Radar x Letaido

The analysis in this article was performed using data from Ahrefs Brand Radar in the AI workspace "Letaido" (developed by Ahrefs). Letaido is a tool that allows users to build their own marketing apps and reports simply by conversing. Unlike general-purpose AI chatbots, its biggest feature is its direct integration with over 170 trillion pages of web index data accumulated by Ahrefs over 14 years.

▶︎ What You Can Do with Letaido

Build marketing apps with no-code: Construct your own marketing apps just by giving instructions in natural language.

Utilize all of Ahrefs' data: Incorporate 14 years of data into competitive analysis, keyword research, backlink monitoring, and more.

Constant monitoring and automation: Build apps that monitor ranking fluctuations and anomalies 24 hours a day, and reuse learned work procedures within your team.

▪️ Company Overview

Ahrefs (エイチレフス) supports data-driven marketing strategies with proprietary crawlers and high-precision data technology.

Ahrefs Pte. Ltd. (エイチレフス) collects and analyzes accurate and up-to-date marketing data using self-developed large-scale web crawlers and data technology. Centered on SEO analysis, it develops and provides "Ahrefs" (エイチレフス), an all-in-one marketing tool that covers AI search analysis, AI content creation, web traffic analysis, SNS post management, and more. In recent years, it has also introduced "Agent A" (エージェントエー), a conversational AI agent that redefines SEO common sense by integrating Ahrefs' vast data and expert SEO skills. Used by customers in over 180 countries worldwide, it supports the planning and execution of effective data-based marketing measures, from competitive analysis to content strategy.

Company Name: Ahrefs Pte. Ltd.

Headquarters: Marina One East Tower, 7 Straits View, #08-02, Singapore

Representative: Dmitry Gerasimenko

Ahrefs Official Website: https://ahrefs.com/ja

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Survey結果
  • Organizations: Ahrefs / YouTube / note.com