How long should a statistics page be?

Section depth matters more than total length. Each themed section should run 120-180 words, enough context for an AI engine to extract a coherent, self-contained answer. A page with 6 well-developed sections at that depth (roughly 900-1,100 words) will outperform a 3,000-word page that buries statistics in narrative prose.

Should I use my own data or third-party statistics?

Both, but prioritize your own. First-party and original data consistently earns citation rates several multiples higher than pages that only aggregate third-party statistics, multiple 2025-2026 studies put the advantage at 3x to 10x depending on content type and platform. Even a single proprietary data point, a platform metric, a customer survey result, transforms a roundup into a reference-grade asset.

Does FAQ schema still matter in 2026?

Yes, but not for Google's traditional rich results, which Google deprecated from standard Search in May 2026. FAQPage schema now matters almost entirely for AI engines, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews all use it to identify and extract discrete Q&A blocks. Implement it specifically for AI citation, not for a Google SERP feature.

How often should I update a statistics page?

At minimum, quarterly. Multiple citation studies show recently refreshed pages earn substantially more AI citations than stale equivalents, the lift is consistently 2x or more for pages updated within the past 90 days. Build a calendar reminder to refresh your statistics page and update the dateModified field in your schema every quarter.

Which AI engine is hardest to earn a citation from?

ChatGPT cites the fewest sources per answer (mean of 6.88, versus 16.35 for Perplexity), but it extracts more substantively from each page it does cite, each citation carries higher visibility weight. Earning a ChatGPT citation requires stronger domain authority and better-structured content, but the citation is more valuable in terms of brand reach per mention.

Can I build a citable statistics page without running an original survey?

Yes. Options include: analyzing your own platform's aggregate usage data, compiling public records or regulatory filings into an original dataset, or creating an original benchmark by sampling publicly available data (job postings, pricing pages, app store reviews). Any of these produces a data point your page can be the canonical source for.

How to Build a Statistics Page AI Engines Cite and Link Back To