How do I get into the “best X” lists ChatGPT uses?
You get into “best X” lists by being easy to list: a clear category page on your own site, honest comparisons, current prices and facts that list writers can check and quote. Lists written by others are their decision, so no one can promise inclusion. Your own pages count too: for software, landing pages were cited more than self-promotional lists.
Facts
- In a study published in December 2025 of 26,283 source URLs, “best X” blog lists made up 43.8% of the page types ChatGPT cited. (Ahrefs: Do self-promotional “best” lists boost ChatGPT visibility? (December 2025))
- In the same study, for software, the publisher's own landing pages were 37.2% of its pages cited by ChatGPT, and its blog lists 34%. (Ahrefs: Do self-promotional “best” lists boost ChatGPT visibility? (December 2025))
- Of 1,100 blog lists ChatGPT used as sources in that study, 79.1% had last been updated in 2025, and 35% of cited lists were on low authority domains. (Ahrefs: Do self-promotional “best” lists boost ChatGPT visibility? (December 2025))
- Google clarified on May 15, 2026 that its spam policies, including those on inauthentic mentions, apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode. (PPC Land: Google spam policies now cover AI Overviews and AI Mode (May 2026))
- OpenAI documents that ChatGPT search surfaces sites its OAI-SearchBot crawler can reach, so a list or a page blocked to it cannot be shown there. (OpenAI: Overview of OpenAI crawlers)
Why does ChatGPT use “best X” lists so much?
ChatGPT uses “best X” lists because they answer “what is the best…” questions in the shape it needs: several options, compared, with a reason for each. In the December 2025 study they were the most cited page type, at 43.8%.
What can I do on my own site, and what depends on others?
Your own pages are under your control; inclusion in someone else's list is not.
| Lever | Who decides | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| A category page (“what X is, who it is for”) | You | Publish it with your facts and prices |
| Honest comparison pages | You | Say when another option fits better |
| Your own “best X” list | You | Only if it is fair and you would trust it as a reader |
| Lists on other sites | Their authors | Make your facts easy to check and send corrections |
| Review sites and directories | Their users and editors | Keep your profile current and accurate |
Should I publish my own “best X” list?
Only if it is genuinely useful. In that study 67.6% of “best X software” Google searches showed a list whose author ranked itself first, so a self-serving list is common and easy to discount; for software, plain landing pages were cited a little more.
What should I avoid when chasing these lists?
Avoid buying mentions or planting fake reviews: since May 15, 2026 Google states that its spam policies, inauthentic mentions included, apply to its AI features.
- Paid placements in lists presented as editorial
- Fake or incentivised reviews on review sites
- Dozens of near-identical “best X in city Y” pages
How does easyIndex help with “best X” questions?
easyIndex works on the part you control: it gives your coding agent the category and comparison pages as steps over MCP, audits each one, checks it live, notifies Bing through IndexNow and measures AI visitors and AI crawler reads. It costs US$ 30 per website a month, with a 7-day free trial, and never promises a place in anyone's list.
Step by step
- Find the lists that matter. Ask the assistants your buyers use for “best X” in your category and note which lists they cite.
- Publish a category page. Say on your site what your product is, who it is for, its prices and its limits.
- Add honest comparisons. Publish comparison pages with checkable facts and when another option is better.
- Make facts easy to quote. Keep prices, plans and dates visible in HTML so list writers can check them.
- Contact list authors with facts. Send authors corrections or new facts, never payment for a spot.
Common mistakes
- Paying for a spot in a list that presents itself as independent.
- Publishing a self-ranked list as the only page about your category.
- Leaving old prices on your site, which list writers then copy.
- Treating one inclusion as permanent: lists are updated, 79.1% of cited ones in 2025 alone.
How easyIndex solves it
easyIndex builds what is in your hands: your coding agent writes the category and comparison pages over MCP, and easyIndex audits each one, checks it live and measures AI visitors and AI crawler reads.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay to be included in a “best X” list?
Some sites sell placements, but presenting paid mentions as editorial is the kind of inauthentic mention Google's spam policies cover in its AI features.
Do review sites help me appear in ChatGPT?
They can be among the sources assistants read; keep your profile accurate, but no one can promise how it is used.
Is my own landing page enough?
It is the part you control; for software in that study, landing pages were cited slightly more than self-promotional lists.
Does easyIndex get me into other sites' lists?
No. easyIndex builds and checks the pages on your own site and measures the result; other sites' lists are their authors' decision.
Continue reading
- How does easyIndex work, what do I need, and how long until results?
- How much does easyIndex cost?
- How do I write comparison pages that AI assistants cite?
- How do AI assistants choose which sources to cite?
- How do I get my company recommended by ChatGPT?
- How does GEO work for a SaaS company?
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