Why it matters
For “best X for Y” queries, AI often builds its answer from third-party lists and reviews. If you’re not on the lists it reads, you won’t make its shortlist either, even with the best website.
Step by step
Check which third-party “best …” lists AI cites in your niche.
Pick 5 where you’re missing and find the author or editor.
Keep the email short: what you do, who it’s for, prices, and what sets you apart. Add one piece of proof (a case study, review, or number).
Offer a ready-to-use description paragraph and your logo.
Follow up once after a week. No more.
Template: Email to a list author
Subject: [Company] for your “[title]” list
Hi [Name],
I read your “[title]” list. You might find one more option useful for [customer type]:
[Company] — [what you do in one sentence]. Pricing from $X/mo.
What sets us apart: [one sentence].
Proof: [case study / number / review].
Below is a ready-to-use description and our logo. If it fits, feel free to use it as is.
[Name, Title]How to know it’s done
You’re featured in at least 2 of the lists AI cites in your niche.
Common mistake
Paying for a spot on a list without an “ad” or “sponsored” label. It breaks the rules of most sites, and those pages lose trust over time.
How to find the lists AI actually cites
Manually: run 5–10 “best [category] for [use case]” queries in ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode and write down the third-party source pages. Focus on the ones that repeat across queries.
If you use Dabudai, open Sources and Top Pages. You’ll see the exact pages AI cites for your queries and which of them mention competitors. That’s your outreach list.
app.dabud.ai · Sources
Platform screenshot coming soon
app.dabud.ai · Sources
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Questions
Should I pay for a spot on a list?
Only if the page clearly labels it as advertising. Hidden paid placements break the rules of most sites, and those pages lose trust over time.
How many emails should I send?
Start with the 5 most-cited lists. A short, personal email with facts works better than a mass blast.
What if the author doesn’t reply?
One follow-up after a week, and that’s it. Meanwhile, work the other channels from the same source list: reviews, directories, communities.
From people already doing this
★★★★★
0 → 6 sales from ChatGPT in three weeks
«We’d never had a single sale from ChatGPT. Just three weeks after we put Dabudai’s recommendations in place, we got our first 6 sales.»
Anastasia Bezugla
· Marketing Manager, coffee shop
GO DEEPER
Learn more about “best of” lists in Lesson 7.3 of the Dabudai Learning Center, with examples by niche and a check on your own data.
Sources
¹ Estimated impact of each action and the niche tables comes from Dabudai’s analysis of 350,000 AI answers across 2,300 websites (ChatGPT, ChatGPT Search, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode), October 2026. These are average ranges: your results depend on your niche, competitors, and starting point.