{
  "datasetVersion": "1.0.0",
  "name": "B2B SaaS LLM search provider retrieval study",
  "description": "The first 10 URLs returned by the OpenAI web-search tool for three B2B SaaS LLM-search provider queries, classified by visible page and publisher type.",
  "generatedAt": "2026-08-17T18:48:00Z",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "Quoted First, Inc.",
    "url": "https://quotedfirst.com/"
  },
  "methodology": {
    "surface": "OpenAI web-search tool available in the ChatGPT research environment",
    "browserSearchUsed": false,
    "sampleSize": 3,
    "resultsPerQuery": 10,
    "classificationRule": "Each returned URL was classified from the visible publisher and page identity at observation time as a provider-owned roundup, provider-owned service page, or provider-owned software page.",
    "normalizationRule": "Counts preserve returned rows. Normalized unique destinations lowercase the hostname, remove www, remove a trailing slash, and collapse the two CitePilot host variants.",
    "limitations": [
      "This is a small point-in-time sample from one search surface and account context.",
      "Returned URLs are retrieval observations, not endorsements or quality ratings.",
      "Result sets can change; the sample does not disclose or prove a ranking formula.",
      "A retrieved page may not be cited or named in a generated answer.",
      "Publisher classification is descriptive; ownership and offers can change."
    ]
  },
  "observations": [
    {
      "id": "early-stage-saas-no-content-team-2026-08-17-184613",
      "observedAt": "2026-08-17T18:46:13Z",
      "query": "best managed LLM search optimization agency for an early-stage B2B SaaS with no in-house content team",
      "queryType": "stage plus operating-model constraint",
      "sourceTypeCounts": {
        "providerOwnedRoundup": 4,
        "providerOwnedService": 6,
        "providerOwnedSoftware": 0
      },
      "topResults": [
        { "position": 1, "url": "https://www.breakingb2b.com/blog/best-llm-seo-agency", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 2, "url": "https://xql.group/blog/top-ai-search-optimization-agencies-for-b2b-saas-companies", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 3, "url": "https://www.seo-growup.com/blog/ai-seo-agencies-b2b-saas", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 4, "url": "https://www.madx.digital/services/ai-seo", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 5, "url": "https://www.team4.agency/services/generative-engine-optimisation", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 6, "url": "https://seonimbus.com/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 7, "url": "https://lureon.ai/best-llm-optimization-agency-for-b2b-saas-companies/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 8, "url": "https://www.voluminous.so/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 9, "url": "https://contensifyhq.com/services/llm-seo/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 10, "url": "https://astral3.io/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "developer-tools-managed-workflow-2026-08-17-184624",
      "observedAt": "2026-08-17T18:46:24Z",
      "query": "who can help a developer tools startup get cited in ChatGPT with technical fixes, content production, and weekly prompt tracking",
      "queryType": "vertical plus delivery-capability scenario",
      "sourceTypeCounts": {
        "providerOwnedRoundup": 0,
        "providerOwnedService": 4,
        "providerOwnedSoftware": 6
      },
      "topResults": [
        { "position": 1, "url": "https://www.getcitepilot.com/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" },
        { "position": 2, "url": "https://clearcited.com/developer-tools/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 3, "url": "https://llmsubmitter.com/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" },
        { "position": 4, "url": "https://www.getfoundinchat.com/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 5, "url": "https://tracemetry.com/blog/chatgpt-citation-tracking", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" },
        { "position": 6, "url": "https://airpulse.ai/for/b2b-saas/devtools", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 7, "url": "https://discoveredby.ai/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" },
        { "position": 8, "url": "https://citerlabs.com/in-chatgpt/devtools/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 9, "url": "https://getcitepilot.com/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" },
        { "position": 10, "url": "https://retrievable.io/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-software" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "b2b-saas-agency-head-term-2026-08-17-184637",
      "observedAt": "2026-08-17T18:46:37Z",
      "query": "best LLM search optimization agency for B2B SaaS",
      "queryType": "best-provider vertical head term",
      "sourceTypeCounts": {
        "providerOwnedRoundup": 9,
        "providerOwnedService": 1,
        "providerOwnedSoftware": 0
      },
      "topResults": [
        { "position": 1, "url": "https://xql.group/blog/top-ai-search-optimization-agencies-for-b2b-saas-companies", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 2, "url": "https://metaflow.life/blog/best-llmo-agencies-for-b2b-saas-2026", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 3, "url": "https://growthner.com/blog/best-llm-optimization-agencies-for-saas/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 4, "url": "https://www.breakingb2b.com/blog/best-llm-seo-agency", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 5, "url": "https://www.revvgrowth.com/saas-seo/llm-seo-agency-for-saas", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 6, "url": "https://lureon.ai/best-llm-optimization-agency-for-b2b-saas-companies/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 7, "url": "https://msbdigital.com/7-best-ai-seo-agencies-b2b-saas/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 8, "url": "https://derivatex.agency/llm-seo/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-service" },
        { "position": 9, "url": "https://piperocket.digital/list/best-saas-llmo-agencies/", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" },
        { "position": 10, "url": "https://www.synscribe.com/blog/ai-seo-agencies-b2b-saas", "sourceType": "provider-owned-roundup" }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "summary": {
    "totalRows": 30,
    "providerOwnedRoundup": 13,
    "providerOwnedService": 11,
    "providerOwnedSoftware": 6,
    "providerOwnedRows": 30,
    "exactUniqueUrls": 27,
    "normalizedUniqueDestinations": 26,
    "independentEditorialOrDirectoryRows": 0,
    "interpretation": "All first-10 rows in this small sample were controlled by an agency, service, or software provider. The broad best-agency query favored provider-authored roundups, while the developer-tools delivery scenario favored direct service and software pages. This supports measuring query families separately and scrutinizing commercial disclosure; it does not establish a universal ranking rule."
  },
  "methodologyUrl": "https://quotedfirst.com/best-llm-search-optimization-agency-for-b2b-saas-startups#study",
  "editorialPolicyUrl": "https://quotedfirst.com/editorial-policy.html"
}