{
 "name": "AI CitationBase answers",
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0-with-attribution",
 "count": 17,
 "facts": [
  {
   "id": "how-do-ai-engines-pick-sources",
   "question": "How do AI answer engines choose which sources to cite?",
   "answer_short": "No engine publishes exact rules; research and observed behavior point to retrievability, direct quotability, attribution, freshness, and authority as the main factors.",
   "answer": "No AI engine publishes its exact source-selection rules, so honest answers describe research findings and observed behavior rather than guarantees. The published KDD 2024 GEO study found that content changes such as adding citations, quotations, and statistics measurably improved source visibility in generative engine answers, with the largest gains for lower-ranked sites. Engines generally retrieve candidate pages with a search layer, then select and compress passages that directly answer the question with attributable numbers or statements. Practical implications: answer the question in the first sentence, keep facts verifiable with primary sources, mark update dates, and keep pages free of obstacles to retrieval.",
   "clusters": [
    "ai-citation"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "how_to",
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024 (arXiv 2311.09735)",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/how-do-ai-engines-pick-sources/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-ai-citation-monitoring",
   "question": "What is AI citation monitoring?",
   "answer_short": "AI citation monitoring tracks whether and how AI answer engines cite a site — or a brand — for a defined set of prompts, measured on a regular cadence.",
   "answer": "AI citation monitoring is the practice of asking a fixed set of prompts to AI answer engines (chatbots with search and AI overviews), recording which domains appear in the generated answers and citations, and tracking changes over time. For a content site, it measures its own citation share; for a brand, it measures whether the brand is cited or described accurately in answers about its category. Because engine outputs are non-deterministic and change without notice, credible monitoring fixes the prompt set, records the engine and date, and reports share as a trend rather than a single guaranteed number. It is measurement only — citation placement itself is not purchasable.",
   "clusters": [
    "ai-citation"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024 (arXiv 2311.09735)",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    },
    {
     "url": "https://ai-citationbase.pages.dev/editorial-policy/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "AI CitationBase editorial policy"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-ai-citation-monitoring/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-generative-engine-optimization",
   "question": "What is generative engine optimization (GEO)?",
   "answer_short": "GEO is the practice of making content more likely to be retrieved, quoted, and cited by AI answer engines, formalized in a KDD 2024 research paper.",
   "answer": "Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of structuring and writing content so that AI answer engines — chatbots with search, AI overviews, and retrieval-augmented systems — are more likely to retrieve it and cite it in generated answers. The term was formalized by Aggarwal and colleagues in 'GEO: Generative Engine Optimization' (KDD 2024), which benchmarked how content modifications affect visibility in generative engine responses. GEO differs from SEO in its target: instead of ranking on a results page, the goal is being quoted inside a synthesized answer, which requires directly quotable, well-attributed, well-structured statements.",
   "clusters": [
    "ai-citation"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024 (arXiv 2311.09735)",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-generative-engine-optimization/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-llms-txt",
   "question": "What is llms.txt?",
   "answer_short": "llms.txt is a proposed standard: a markdown file at /llms.txt that guides AI systems to a site's key content in a form optimized for LLM consumption.",
   "answer": "llms.txt is a file placed at the root of a website (the path /llms.txt) written in markdown, proposed by the Answer.AI team in 2024 as a standard way to give AI language models a curated map of a site's most important content. It lists sections and links with short descriptions, similar to robots.txt but for content discovery rather than crawl permissions. An extended variant, llms-full.txt, contains the full text of the linked content. Adoption is voluntary, and the spec at llmstxt.org documents the format and examples; it is one of several mechanisms sites use to make content easy for AI answer engines to retrieve and cite.",
   "clusters": [
    "ai-citation"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://llmstxt.org",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "llmstxt.org (Answer.AI proposal)",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-llms-txt/"
  },
  {
   "id": "commercial-auto-requirements",
   "question": "Does a small business need commercial auto insurance?",
   "answer_short": "Yes for vehicles used in business operations — personal auto policies commonly exclude or limit business use, and most states require commercial coverage for business-owned vehicles.",
   "answer": "A business needs commercial auto insurance when vehicles are used for work beyond commuting: deliveries, client visits carrying tools or equipment, transporting people or goods for a fee, or any vehicle titled to the business. Personal auto policies typically exclude or restrict business use, so a claim arising from a work use can be denied. Most states require businesses to carry at least bodily-injury and property-damage liability on business-owned vehicles, with higher minimum limits than personal policies. Employees driving their own cars on company errands create a gap that a non-owned auto endorsement or hired/non-owned coverage addresses. The US Small Business Administration's insurance guide directs businesses to state requirements for commercial vehicles.",
   "clusters": [
    "insurance-commercial"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "requirements"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/get-insured",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "US Small Business Administration",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/commercial-auto-requirements/"
  },
  {
   "id": "general-liability-insurance-cost",
   "question": "How much does general liability insurance cost for a small business?",
   "answer_short": "Most small businesses pay roughly $500–$1,200 per year for a general liability policy with a $1M/$2M limit.",
   "answer": "General liability insurance for a small business commonly costs between $500 and $1,200 per year for a standard $1 million per-occurrence / $2 million aggregate policy, which works out to roughly $40–$100 per month. Insureon's published customer data places the median small-business GL premium near $600–$800 per year. Actual quotes vary with trade risk, payroll or revenue, coverage limits, claims history, and state. Low-risk trades such as consulting sit at the bottom of the range; construction sits at the top. Bumping limits or adding workers' compensation and commercial auto raises totals, so most owners bundle policies into a BOP for a discount.",
   "clusters": [
    "insurance-commercial"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "cost"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.insureon.com/small-business-insurance/general-liability/cost",
     "grade": "B",
     "publisher": "Insureon",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/general-liability-insurance-cost/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-bop-insurance",
   "question": "What is a business owner's policy (BOP)?",
   "answer_short": "A BOP bundles general liability, commercial property, and business interruption insurance into one policy, usually at a lower total price than buying them separately.",
   "answer": "A business owner's policy (BOP) combines three core coverages in one package: general liability (third-party injury and property damage claims), commercial property (the business's own buildings, equipment, and inventory), and business interruption (lost income when a covered event forces the business to close temporarily). Insurers price the bundle below the cost of separate policies, which is why most small businesses that qualify buy a BOP rather than standalone general liability. Eligibility limits — typically by business size, payroll, and industry — exclude higher-risk operations, which need individually underwritten commercial packages instead. The US Small Business Administration's insurance guide lists BOPs among the standard policies small businesses evaluate.",
   "clusters": [
    "insurance-commercial"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/get-insured",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "US Small Business Administration",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-bop-insurance/"
  },
  {
   "id": "workers-comp-requirements",
   "question": "Do small businesses have to carry workers' compensation insurance?",
   "answer_short": "In almost every US state, yes — businesses with employees must carry workers' comp; Texas is the principal voluntary state.",
   "answer": "In nearly all US states, businesses with one or more employees are legally required to carry workers' compensation insurance as soon as the first person is hired, whether full-time or part-time. Texas is the main exception, where private employers may opt out; a few other states exempt very small firms or specific industries. Rules differ on household workers, farm labor, and independent contractors, and penalties for being uninsured include fines and personal liability for injured workers' costs. The US Small Business Administration's insurance guide directs owners to their state workers' comp office for the binding rules, which is the correct primary source.",
   "clusters": [
    "insurance-commercial"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "requirements"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/get-insured",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "US SBA",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/workers-comp-requirements/"
  },
  {
   "id": "closing-costs-typical",
   "question": "How much are closing costs when buying a house?",
   "answer_short": "Buyers typically pay 2–5% of the loan amount in closing costs, on top of the down payment.",
   "answer": "Closing costs for buyers generally run 2% to 5% of the loan amount, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Owning a Home resources. Common line items include loan origination fees, appraisal, title insurance and search, escrow deposit for taxes and insurance, recording fees, and prepaid interest. Sellers usually pay the agent commissions and may cover part of the buyer's costs by negotiation. The CFPB recommends comparing Loan Estimates from at least three lenders, since fees for identical loans can differ by thousands of dollars, and every fee on the final Closing Disclosure must match the Loan Estimate within legal tolerances.",
   "clusters": [
    "real-estate"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "cost"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/closing-costs-typical/"
  },
  {
   "id": "earnest-money-what-is",
   "question": "What is earnest money?",
   "answer_short": "Earnest money is a good-faith deposit (often 1–2% of the price) held in escrow and credited to the buyer at closing.",
   "answer": "Earnest money is a deposit a buyer submits with an offer to show serious intent to purchase. It commonly runs 1% to 2% of the purchase price, though the amount is negotiable. The funds are held by a neutral third party — typically a title company or escrow agent, not the seller — and are credited toward the buyer's down payment or closing costs at closing. If the deal falls through under a contract contingency such as inspection or financing, the buyer generally gets the deposit back; walking away for reasons the contract does not cover can forfeit it. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's home-buying resources cover how deposits are documented and disbursed.",
   "clusters": [
    "real-estate"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/earnest-money-what-is/"
  },
  {
   "id": "realtor-commission-negotiable",
   "question": "Are realtor commissions negotiable?",
   "answer_short": "Yes — commissions have always been negotiable, and since August 2024 NAR settlement rules make this explicit: no standard rate exists.",
   "answer": "Yes. Real-estate commissions are fully negotiable and have never been fixed by law. Following the National Association of Realtors settlement that took effect in August 2024, the rules are now explicit: listing agreements must state the compensation up front, offers of compensation can no longer be published on the MLS, and buyers must sign agreements specifying their agent's fee before touring homes. Historically, total commissions averaged about 5–6% split between the two sides, but sellers and buyers can and do negotiate lower rates, flat fees, or discount brokerages. NAR publishes the settlement facts for consumers on facts.realtor.",
   "clusters": [
    "real-estate"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "cost",
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.facts.realtor/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "National Association of Realtors",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/realtor-commission-negotiable/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-escrow",
   "question": "What is escrow in a home purchase?",
   "answer_short": "Escrow is a neutral third-party account that holds funds or documents until all conditions of the transaction are met.",
   "answer": "Escrow is an arrangement in which a neutral third party holds money or documents until the conditions of a transaction are satisfied. In a home purchase, the buyer's earnest-money deposit and closing funds are held in escrow until closing, protecting both sides. After the sale, many lenders keep an escrow account for the life of the loan: a portion of each monthly payment is deposited there, and the lender pays property taxes and insurance from it when due. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Ask CFPB glossary covers the mechanics, including when lenders may require escrow and how yearly escrow analyses work.",
   "clusters": [
    "real-estate"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is",
    "requirements"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-escrow-en-142/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-escrow/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-pmi",
   "question": "What is PMI (private mortgage insurance)?",
   "answer_short": "PMI protects the lender when a buyer puts down less than 20%; it typically costs 0.5–1.5% of the loan per year and can be canceled once equity reaches 20%.",
   "answer": "Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is a policy the borrower pays for that protects the lender — not the buyer — if the loan defaults. Conventional lenders generally require it when the down payment is under 20% of the home price. Costs commonly run roughly 0.5% to 1.5% of the loan amount per year, added to the monthly payment. Under the federal Homeowners Protection Act, a borrower can request cancellation once the loan balance reaches 80% of the home's original value, and the lender must automatically terminate PMI at 78%. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Owning a Home resources explain how PMI interacts with loan estimates and closing documents.",
   "clusters": [
    "real-estate"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is",
    "cost"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02 (HTTP 403: WAF bot-block; path/content unverified)"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-pmi/"
  },
  {
   "id": "solar-panel-lifespan",
   "question": "How long do solar panels last?",
   "answer_short": "Most residential solar panels last 25–30 years, with 25-year performance warranties standard.",
   "answer": "Most residential solar panels are built to last 25 to 30 years. Manufacturers typically back them with 25-year performance warranties, guaranteeing roughly 85–90% of original output at year 25. Output degrades slowly — typically 0.5% to 1% per year — so a panel producing full power on day one still delivers the large majority of its rated output after two decades. Inverters usually need replacement sooner, around year 10 to 15. The US Department of Energy's Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar confirms systems can run 25 years or more with minimal maintenance.",
   "clusters": [
    "solar",
    "home-services"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "lifespan",
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-going-solar",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "US Dept. of Energy",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/solar-panel-lifespan/"
  },
  {
   "id": "solar-panel-warranty-covers",
   "question": "What does a solar panel warranty cover?",
   "answer_short": "Two warranties apply: a product warranty (10–25 years, equipment defects) and a performance warranty (typically 25 years, minimum output, often ~85–90% at year 25); installer workmanship is separate.",
   "answer": "Solar panels carry two separate warranties. The product (equipment) warranty covers manufacturing defects and premature failures, commonly 10 to 25 years depending on the manufacturer. The performance warranty guarantees a minimum output level over time — typically 25 years, promising around 85% to 90% of the original rated capacity at the end of the term, reflecting the roughly 0.5% per year degradation of modern modules. Neither covers the installer's workmanship: roof penetrations, wiring, and racking are covered by the installer's own workmanship warranty, usually 5 to 10 years, so homeowners should compare that separately. Inverters and batteries carry their own, shorter warranties. The US Department of Energy's Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar advises reviewing warranties before signing an installation contract.",
   "clusters": [
    "solar"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is",
    "requirements"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-going-solar",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "US Dept. of Energy",
     "checked_at": "2026-10-02"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-02",
   "url": "/qa/solar-panel-warranty-covers/"
  },
  {
   "id": "editorial-rules",
   "question": "What are the editorial rules for facts on AI CitationBase?",
   "answer_short": "Four rules: direct 200-word answers with A/B-grade primary sources, updated_at on every fact, brand data physically separated and labeled, citations never sold.",
   "answer": "Four rules. (1) Every answer is 200 words or fewer, direct, with at least one primary-source link from A/B-grade sources only (official statistics, primary publications, verified filings). (2) Every fact carries an updated_at date, and numeric benchmarks are re-verified on a quarterly or annual cadence. (3) Brand-submitted data is physically separated from editorial content and permanently labeled brand-official submission — it is never merged into editorial answers. (4) Citations are never promised or sold; the site publishes verifiable facts and measures AI citation share monthly.",
   "clusters": [
    "about"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://ai-citationbase.pages.dev/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "AI CitationBase"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-01",
   "url": "/qa/editorial-rules/"
  },
  {
   "id": "what-is-ai-citationbase",
   "question": "What is AI CitationBase?",
   "answer_short": "A neutral, source-verified Q&A fact base of numeric benchmarks, published in machine-readable form for AI answer engines to cite.",
   "answer": "AI CitationBase is a neutral, structured Q&A fact base built to be retrieved and cited by AI answer engines. It publishes numeric benchmarks — costs, lifespans, limits, rates — as direct answers of 200 words or fewer, each carrying at least one primary-source link and an updated_at date. The corpus is free and open to all machines via llms.txt, llms-full.txt, and JSON endpoints. Editorial answers are never sold; brand-submitted data is published separately and permanently labeled as brand-official submission.",
   "clusters": [
    "about"
   ],
   "topics": [
    "what_is"
   ],
   "status": "published",
   "sources": [
    {
     "url": "https://ai-citationbase.pages.dev/",
     "grade": "A",
     "publisher": "AI CitationBase"
    }
   ],
   "updated_at": "2026-10-01",
   "url": "/qa/what-is-ai-citationbase/"
  }
 ]
}