> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.haloxlabs.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI search rank tracking guide

> Track brand position, competitor mentions, and citation evidence in AI answers using HaloX Prompt Status, Prompt Analysis, Citation Tracking, and Weekly Reports.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/afterworklab/lupD4-jE5SvWCVgz/images/concepts/page-thumbnails/en-guides-ai-search-rank-tracking.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lupD4-jE5SvWCVgz&q=85&s=932bc8fb41317ce556a38abc91681858" alt="Thumbnail summarizing the HaloX guide page AI search rank tracking guide as five workflow cards" width="1600" height="900" data-path="images/concepts/page-thumbnails/en-guides-ai-search-rank-tracking.png" />
</Frame>

AI search rank tracking is not the same as organic rank tracking. HaloX measures whether the brand appears in candidate answers, where it appears, which competitors appear together, and which citations support the answer.

## What should you prepare

| Input                 | Where to open it in HaloX        | Ready state                                               |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| Baseline question set | Pro → Prompt Status              | The same questions can run repeatedly.                    |
| Competitors           | Prompt Analysis, Strategy Map    | Comparison brands are fixed.                              |
| Source candidates     | Citation Tracking, Knowledge Hub | Official, external, and competitor sources are separated. |
| Reporting period      | Weekly Reports                   | This week and previous week are comparable.               |

## When should you use this guide?

| Situation                            | Signal to inspect                                                                     | Decision                                             |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| The brand is missing in AI answers   | Prompt Analysis shows candidate-set absence                                           | Separate gaps by question group.                     |
| Competitors dominate recommendations | Comparison questions favor competitors                                                | Use Strategy Map and comparison briefs.              |
| Position changes week to week        | The same question produces unstable placement                                         | Track source changes with the question set.          |
| A report is needed                   | Meetings need cause<br />cause<br />citation<br />and next action<br />not rank alone | Record position, citation, and next action together. |

## Workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="1. Fix tracked questions in Prompt Status">
    Group brand recommendation, alternatives, problem-led, and buying questions into repeatable sets.
  </Step>

  <Step title="2. Read answer position in Prompt Analysis">
    Record whether the brand appears first, mid-list, near the bottom, or not at all.
  </Step>

  <Step title="3. Move competitor co-mentions into Strategy Map">
    Treat competitor co-mentions as a comparison axis and connect them to content actions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="4. Check citation evidence">
    If the brand appears but citations favor competitors or third parties, prioritize source work.
  </Step>

  <Step title="5. Report by question group">
    Use meeting language such as “entered candidate set in 3 of 5 comparison questions.”
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How do you verify the result?

| HaloX surface     | Value to read                  | Next action               |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| Prompt Status     | Question sets and run status   | Add missing questions.    |
| Prompt Analysis   | Brand position and competitors | Move to Strategy Map.     |
| Citation Tracking | Citation URLs and source types | Improve official sources. |
| Weekly Reports    | Movement by question group     | Fix next week baseline.   |

## Rank tracking record

| Question                  | This week position | Competitors | Citation                | Next action                |
| ------------------------- | ------------------ | ----------- | ----------------------- | -------------------------- |
| “Best alternatives to OO” | Third candidate    | A, B        | External review         | Improve comparison page    |
| “OO pricing”              | Not mentioned      | A           | Competitor pricing page | Improve pricing/FAQ source |
| “How to use OO”           | First candidate    | None        | Official help page      | Keep and report            |

## What commonly blocks teams

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is it a bug if GSC/GA4 numbers and HaloX scores do not match exactly?">
    No. GSC and GA4 describe search traffic and user behavior, while HaloX AVI, citation rate, and source visibility describe how the brand and sources appear in AI answers. They support the same operating decision but use different measurement units.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Should the same question set be reused forever?">
    Keep baseline questions, but add separate sets when products, competitors, or buyer questions change. Do not overwrite the baseline; split the comparison axis so weekly reports can explain the cause of movement.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where should the guide output be recorded?">
    Move evidence into Weekly Report and Exports, and convert actions into Content Production briefs or Site Audit issues. In meetings, report the question group, source gap, and next action together, with the score.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related docs

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI Visibility Index" icon="gauge" href="/en/features/ai-visibility-index">Read the core AI visibility score.</Card>
  <Card title="Prompt Analysis" icon="bar-chart-3" href="/en/features/prompt-analysis">Inspect answers and citations by question.</Card>
  <Card title="Content Production" icon="factory" href="/en/features/content-factory">Turn findings into briefs.</Card>
  <Card title="Weekly Reports" icon="calendar-days" href="/en/guides/reports">Package changes for meetings.</Card>
</CardGroup>