An AI-powered outreach workflow documented by SEO practitioner Miloš Radić combines traditional backlink-gap analysis with AI-citation monitoring to decide which websites deserve attention first. Rather than treating link prospects and AI-answer sources as separate lists, the approach overlays both datasets in one opportunities board. The result is a more focused way to prioritize outreach, while also offering a reusable model for content planning, digital PR and AI-visibility tracking.
In Radić’s detailed Search Engine Land walkthrough, the starting dataset contained roughly 24,000 domains from an Ahrefs link-intersect analysis. That list was then enriched with pages repeatedly cited when AI-generated answers referenced competitors. Each domain was classified according to whether it appeared in both datasets, only in AI-citation data, or only in backlink data.
The important shift is not simply collecting more prospects. It is using two observable signals to make a clearer decision about where outreach, relationship building or content effort may be most relevant. A site that links to competitors and also appears frequently in AI-generated answers has a different strategic profile from a site that meets only one of those conditions.
How the data-overlay workflow works
Radić describes a four-step logic that can be reproduced with exports, a spreadsheet-like dataset and a locally built web application. The workflow is deliberately a DIY, non-SaaS approach rather than a newly released outreach platform.
- Create a backlink-gap dataset. Export domains identified through a competitor link-intersect analysis. This establishes the conventional outreach pool: publications, resources and other sites that link to competitors.
- Export AI-citation data. Gather pages or domains that appear as sources in AI-generated answers involving competitors. This creates the second signal, focused on third-party sources that are visible in AI answer experiences.
- Merge and classify the records. Match domains across both files, then apply one of three labels: both signals, AI-only, or backlink-only.
- Rank the opportunities board. Prioritize using AI-citation frequency rather than relying solely on conventional domain metrics.
The classification is simple, but it makes the underlying data more actionable. Teams can see which prospects have evidence of relevance in both the established link ecosystem and emerging AI answer citations, without assuming that either signal alone guarantees an outreach outcome.
| Opportunity tier | Backlink-gap signal | AI-citation signal | What the workflow indicates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both | Domain links to identified competitors | Domain or page appears in AI-answer citation data | Potentially relevant across both datasets |
| AI-only | Not present in the backlink-gap export | Appears in AI-answer citation data | A source that conventional link-gap research may not highlight |
| Backlink-only | Present in the backlink-gap export | Not present in the AI-citation export | A conventional outreach prospect without the second signal |
Why citation frequency changes the prioritization model
Traditional backlink research can produce a large list of domains, which often leaves marketers to sort prospects by metrics that do not directly answer a practical question: which publishers or resources are visibly informing AI-generated answers in this topic area?
Radić’s workflow ranks the consolidated board by AI-citation frequency. That does not turn citation frequency into a universal quality score. It does, however, offer a specific relevance signal for teams trying to understand the sources repeatedly surfaced in AI answers about competitors.
For outreach, this can support a more deliberate split between high-priority prospects, sources worth monitoring and conventional link opportunities. It can also prevent an AI-citation export from becoming another disconnected report that nobody uses after the initial review.
The local-app approach and its guardrails
The walkthrough describes using prompts to build a local web app that loads a CSV, merges AI-citation information, classifies rows and supports research into contact details. Radić characterizes this part of the process as “vibe coding,” with prompts and iterative refinement used to translate the workflow into a usable interface.
The build process included two notable constraints:
- Do not invent contact information. The workflow should not fabricate an email address when reliable contact data is unavailable.
- Use exported data instead of excessive live queries. Radić found that no-code automation through Make.com and live API queries were dead ends for this use case, partly because of API costs and token use.
- Keep the overlay logic visible. The value comes from retaining the source signals and their classifications, rather than reducing prospects to an unexplained score.
A local application is not automatically the right answer for every team. It requires someone who can work through prompts, data cleanup and iteration. But the documented approach shows that an internal tool can be practical when the priority is combining existing exports without repeatedly querying services during every interaction.
Extending the overlay beyond link outreach
The same structure can apply wherever identifiable competitors and third-party coverage exist. For content planning, a team can examine which external sources repeatedly appear around competitor-related AI answers, then use that research to identify topics, source gaps or publications shaping the conversation. It should not be treated as a shortcut to copying competitor content.
For digital PR, the overlap may help distinguish outlets that cover a space from those that also appear as cited sources in AI-generated answers. That can inform media research and pitch prioritization, while leaving the quality and newsworthiness of the pitch as separate editorial questions.
For AI-visibility tracking, the board provides a way to monitor third-party sources alongside competitor link data. Its usefulness depends on reliable exports, consistent matching of domains and a clear definition of what the citation dataset measures.
The workflow does not provide a published time-saving figure, a fixed implementation cost or a guaranteed return on investment. Its potential economic benefit is narrower and more credible: reducing the manual effort of comparing separate datasets and helping teams concentrate research on prospects supported by the signals they choose to track.
If disconnected spreadsheets are making AI-search research hard to use, Scalevise can help turn the underlying question into a practical measurement and implementation plan. Our AI consultancy for practical AI adoption helps businesses assess available data, prioritize viable use cases and design workflows that fit existing operations instead of adding another unused dashboard. Discuss an AI workflow assessment with Scalevise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an AI citation and backlink overlay?
It is a workflow that combines competitor backlink-gap data with data on pages or domains cited in AI-generated answers. Records are then classified as both, AI-only or backlink-only.
What data does the documented workflow use?
Radić starts with an Ahrefs link-intersect export and enriches it with an export of pages where AI answers cite competitors. The combined board in the example contains roughly 24,000 domains.
Why does the workflow rank opportunities by AI-citation frequency?
The workflow uses citation frequency to prioritize sources that repeatedly appear in AI-generated answers, rather than ranking solely through traditional domain metrics.
Can this approach be used for digital PR and content planning?
Yes. The documented workflow explicitly identifies content planning, digital PR and AI-visibility tracking as applications when competitors and third-party coverage can be identified.
Conclusion
Radić’s workflow offers a concrete way to unite backlink research and AI-citation monitoring in one decision-making view. Its value is not a promise that every overlapping domain will produce a link, mention or citation. It is a clearer, reproducible method for identifying where conventional competitor research and AI-answer source data intersect, then using that evidence to prioritize the next piece of work.
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