CASMOS: Optimizing for LLM Citations Instead of Rankings

The era of traditional SEO is over. In 2026, visibility is determined by LLM citation behavior, AI Overview placement, and cross-platform entity reinforcement. CASMOS (Claude AI Search & Monetization Operating System) is not a collection of tips—it's a modular operating system for exploiting AI-mediated search infrastructure designed for operators who prioritize speed, citations, and revenue over brand longevity.

This guide provides the complete 5-step prompt system, tactical context for each stage, and copy-paste prompts you can run in Claude immediately. Use them sequentially for full execution or modularly for rapid iteration.

Why This System Works in 2026

AI search fundamentally changed how visibility compounds. A manufacturer went from zero to 90 AI Overviews and achieved a 2,300% increase in AI traffic by optimizing for LLM citation behavior. Another site generated 300+ monthly AI referrals and saw 200% month-over-month growth by implementing structured, extractive content. One operator broke into top rankings across 10 pages in just 10 days using GEO-first tactics—no backlinks, no paid ads, no content history.

The pattern is clear: citation capture beats traditional ranking. AI systems prioritize structured data, modular content, and entity signals over domain age or backlink profiles. This creates exploitable gaps for operators who understand system mechanics.

The System: How to Use These Prompts

Run Step 1 → Step 5 sequentially for comprehensive execution, or rerun individual steps to iterate, scale, or pivot. Outputs from earlier steps become inputs for later steps. This mirrors how elite operators actually work: research → exploit → build → distribute → monetize → reinforce.

Each prompt is designed to be pasted directly into Claude. Replace the {$VARIABLES} with your specific niche, findings, or outputs from previous steps.

STEP 1: Environment & Opportunity Recon (Research Engine)

Why Research Before Building

Understand how AI search and competitors behave before deciding what to build. This step maps LLM retrieval patterns, citation biases, and structural weaknesses in your target niche.

When to Run Competitive Recon

• Entering a new niche
• Evaluating monetization opportunities
• Before building any content assets
• When competitor strategies appear stale

LLM Citation Behavior Patterns

LLMs cite sources based on retrieval probability, not quality. Perplexity cites 2-3x more domains than ChatGPT or Gemini, but parametric models show 42% citation overlap—the highest pairwise similarity. This means established domains with historical content dominate parametric citations while fresh, structured content captures RAG citations.

Query type constrains citation behavior more than model architecture. Brand queries and single-authority topics produce one citation regardless of model. This creates owned-media dominance opportunities: control the authoritative source for a query class and you own the citation.

The Research Prompt

<role>
You are a 2026 AI-search intelligence analyst specializing in LLM retrieval,
citation behavior, and search-system exploitation.
</role>

<task>
Map the current AI-search and competitive environment for a given niche
to identify weaknesses, blind spots, and fast-profit opportunities.
</task>

<inputs>
{$NICHE}
{$PRIMARY_MONETIZATION_MODEL}
</inputs>

<instructions>
Think step by step before answering.

Analyze:
- How Google, AI Overviews, and LLMs currently answer queries in this niche
- Which sources are repeatedly retrieved, summarized, or cited
- Where competitors rely on outdated SEO or generic AI content
- What signals appear overweighted or weakly validated

Focus on incentives and system behavior, not best practices.

Output using the following structure:

<ai_search_landscape>
</ai_search_landscape>

<dominant_source_types>
</dominant_source_types>

<competitor_failure_patterns>
</competitor_failure_patterns>

<low_effort_high_leverage_opportunities>
</low_effort_high_leverage_opportunities>

<initial_profit_hypotheses>
</initial_profit_hypotheses>
</instructions>

Recon Outputs

• Citation source breakdown by platform and content type
• Competitor blind spots and outdated tactics
• Exploitable system biases (schema overweighting, freshness prioritization)
• Fast-profit hypotheses ranked by effort/leverage ratio

STEP 2: Strategic Exploitation & System Design

From Insights to Attack Plan

Turn Step 1 insights into a clear attack plan: what to exploit, how, and why it works. This step defines which AI/search mechanisms to target and how to simulate authority without long trust-building.

When to Design Your Strategy

• After completing Step 1 research
• When pivoting strategy mid-execution
• Before allocating resources to content production
• When modeling competitive differentiation

Authority Borrowing & Entity Manipulation

Authority borrowing through parasite platforms remains the fastest ranking tactic in 2026. Despite the 2024-2025 site reputation abuse crackdown, parasite SEO still delivers SERP movement in days for high-DR hosts like Medium, LinkedIn, and Substack. Forbes Advisor lost 1.4 million monthly traffic and $8.6 million in estimated traffic cost from the crackdown, proving enforcement exists—but platforms with weak editorial oversight remain exploitable.

Entity manipulation through Knowledge Graph injection works because LLMs pull entity data from Wikidata, Schema.org markup, and platforms Google uses for entity resolution. Create structured entity signals and LLMs interpret them as credibility.

The Strategy Prompt

<role>
You are a search and AI-systems strategist focused on exploiting
structural weaknesses for speed, citations, and revenue.
</role>

<task>
Design an end-to-end strategy to exploit AI-search and LLM systems
based on observed weaknesses and incentives.
</task>

<inputs>
{$RESEARCH_FINDINGS_FROM_STEP_1}
</inputs>

<instructions>
Reason through cause → effect → leverage.

Define:
- Which AI/search mechanisms will be targeted
- Why these mechanisms are exploitable
- How authority, consensus, or entities will be simulated or borrowed
- How this strategy outpaces competitors relying on best practices

Avoid tactics that require long trust-building.

Use the following structure:

<strategic_objectives>
</strategic_objectives>

<system_mechanics_to_exploit>
</system_mechanics_to_exploit>

<authority_and_entity_strategy>
</authority_and_entity_strategy>

<llm_citation_capture_plan>
</llm_citation_capture_plan>

<speed_vs_longevity_tradeoffs>
</speed_vs_longevity_tradeoffs>
</instructions>

Strategy Outputs

• Exploitable system mechanics ranked by ROI
• Authority simulation strategy (parasite platforms, entity markup, consensus faking)
• Citation capture tactics by model type (RAG vs parametric)
• Speed/longevity tradeoff analysis with risk assessment

STEP 3: Asset & Content Architecture (Build Phase)

Designing AI-Optimized Assets

Design the actual assets: sites, pages, parasites, schemas, and content formats optimized for AI extraction and citation capture.

When to Architect Content Systems

• After defining strategy in Step 2
• Before content production begins
• When scaling existing assets
• When pivoting content approach based on performance data

Extractive Content Beats Long-Form Depth

Modular, extractive content architecture beats long-form depth. Perplexity produces sub-2,000 character responses with higher citation density than Gemini's 60,000+ character outputs. This proves citation probability depends on extractive clarity, not word count.

GEO-first content (concise Q&A, structured tables, FAQ schema) achieved top-5 page rankings in 10 days with zero backlinks. One post generated 3,000 impressions and 12 clicks within 3 days of going live. The tactics: lead with questions, prioritize clarity over word count, structure for AI parsing.

Structured data remains overweighted relative to enforcement. Article schema, FAQ schema, HowTo schema, Organization schema, and Person schema all increase citation probability when formatted correctly.

The Build Prompt

<role>
You are a website and content system architect specializing in
AI-first SERPs, LLM citation capture, and programmatic scale.
</role>

<task>
Translate the strategy into concrete assets, content formats,
and scalable structures.
</task>

<inputs>
{$STRATEGY_FROM_STEP_2}
</inputs>

<instructions>
Think like a system builder, not a writer.

Design:
- Page and content types optimized for AI summaries and extraction
- Structures that encourage citation, reuse, and consensus
- Programmatic and repeatable formats
- Parasite content roles vs owned assets

Output in this structure:

<site_and_asset_architecture>
</site_and_asset_architecture>

<ai_native_content_formats>
</ai_native_content_formats>

<schema_and_structuring_priorities>
</schema_and_structuring_priorities>

<parasite_platform_allocation>
</parasite_platform_allocation>

<scaling_and_replication_plan>
</scaling_and_replication_plan>
</instructions>

Build Outputs

• Content format specifications (Q&A, comparison tables, "best of" lists)
• Schema markup implementation priorities
• Parasite platform selection with content allocation rules
• Scaling playbook for programmatic replication

STEP 4: Distribution, Feedback Loops & Reinforcement

Forcing Visibility to Compound

Force visibility compounding through feedback loop exploitation: initial citation → authority signal → more citations.

When to Trigger Distribution

• After content assets are built (Step 3)
• When accelerating citation velocity
• When establishing new entities or brands
• When content exists but lacks citation momentum

How LLMs Build Consensus Signals

LLMs scan forums, documentation hubs, Reddit, Quora, Wikipedia, press articles, and review platforms for seeding. Publishing in these AI-crawlable spaces creates consensus signals that retrieval systems interpret as credibility.

Feedback loop mechanics work because citations create authority signals that generate more citations. One case study showed AI referral traffic jumping from single-digit visits to 300 per month after implementing feedback loop tactics. Another demonstrated 200% month-over-month growth following strategic seeding.

Structured "best of" lists with clear "best for" categories, ranked items, and H2/H3 headers make it easier for LLMs to isolate, ingest, and cite. Comparison tables and FAQ-style content mirror LLM prompt-response patterns, improving citation probability.

The Distribution Prompt

<role>
You are a distribution and visibility engineer specializing in
search + LLM feedback loops and authority reinforcement.
</role>

<task>
Design a distribution and amplification system that turns
initial visibility into recurring AI citations and traffic.
</task>

<inputs>
{$ASSET_PLAN_FROM_STEP_3}
</inputs>

<instructions>
Focus on momentum and reinforcement.

Define:
- How assets enter AI and search ecosystems
- How citations are amplified into credibility signals
- How cross-platform mentions reinforce entity trust
- How to create self-reinforcing visibility loops

Structure output as:

<initial_distribution_plan>
</initial_distribution_plan>

<llm_feedback_loop_design>
</llm_feedback_loop_design>

<consensus_and_entity_reinforcement>
</consensus_and_entity_reinforcement>

<automation_and_velocity_controls>
</automation_and_velocity_controls>
</instructions>

Distribution Outputs

• Platform seeding sequence (Reddit, Quora, forums, wikis)
• Cross-platform entity consistency rules
• Citation amplification tactics (social signals, secondary mentions)
• Automation guidelines and velocity controls to avoid detection

STEP 5: Monetization, Risk & Iteration Engine

Turning Visibility Into Revenue

Turn visibility into cash, decide what to scale or burn. This step maps monetization paths, expected ROI, risk profiles, and iteration rules.

When to Evaluate ROI & Risk

• After distribution is live (Step 4)
• When evaluating scaling decisions
• Before allocating additional resources
• When performance plateaus or enforcement signals appear

Fastest Paths to Revenue

Fastest-to-revenue tactics ranked by speed:

1. Affiliate parasite pages (days to first click)
2. Lead gen forms on owned + parasite content (weeks to first lead)
3. Display ads on traffic-optimized content (weeks to monetization threshold)
4. SaaS tool positioning for AI citations (months to conversion pipeline)
5. Info products sold via citation-driven authority (months to launch)

Enforcement timeline: Parasite crackdowns accelerate through 2026 as platforms tighten guidelines. PBN footprint detection improves but remains beatable with surgical execution. AI content detection remains weak but will improve. The window is 6-18 months for aggressive tactics.

Risk diversification rule: Never rely on one tactic, platform, or domain. Distribute risk across 3-5 simultaneous strategies to survive enforcement waves.

The Monetization Prompt

<role>
You are a profit-first optimization strategist focused on
monetization speed, ROI, and controlled risk.
</role>

<task>
Map monetization paths, expected ROI, and risk profiles,
then define iteration and scaling rules.
</task>

<inputs>
{$VISIBILITY_SYSTEM_FROM_STEP_4}
</inputs>

<instructions>
Be quantitative and unsentimental.

Analyze:
- Monetization methods ranked by speed to revenue
- Alignment between traffic type and monetization
- Expected lifespan vs enforcement risk
- Signals that indicate scaling vs abandonment

Output using:

<monetization_paths_ranked>
</monetization_paths_ranked>

<roi_and_timeline_estimates>
</roi_and_timeline_estimates>

<risk_vs_lifespan_matrix>
</risk_vs_lifespan_matrix>

<scale_kill_or_rotate_rules>
</scale_kill_or_rotate_rules>
</instructions>

Monetization Outputs

• Monetization methods ranked by speed-to-revenue
• ROI and timeline projections by tactic
• Risk/lifespan matrix with enforcement probability
• Decision rules: when to scale, kill, or rotate

OPTIONAL: Master Controller Prompt (Advanced)

Once you've run Steps 1-5 and have outputs you like, use this meta-prompt to refine, compress, and optimize the entire strategy. This prompt acts as a strategic review layer.

The Meta-Optimization Prompt

You are operating as a multi-stage execution system.
Use prior outputs to refine, compress, and optimize the entire strategy.
Identify redundancies, amplify what compounds, and remove anything
that does not directly contribute to speed, citations, or revenue.
Return an optimized execution plan.

Prior outputs:
{$PASTE_OUTPUTS_FROM_STEPS_1_5}

Tactical Foundations: What Makes This System Work

Historical Algorithm Patterns

Panda (2011) targeted thin content farms after years of dominance. Penguin (2012) killed link networks that had worked flawlessly for nearly a decade. The pattern: Google identifies systemic abuse 12-36 months after peak exploitation, then implements broad corrections. The window between discovery and enforcement is where profit concentrates.

LLM Citation Mechanics

76% of AI Overview citations come from traditional top-10 SERP positions. This creates dual optimization targets: rank in traditional search AND optimize for extractive citation. Retrieval-augmented systems cite 2-3x more domains than parametric models, creating fragmentation opportunities.

35-40% of queries produce completely disjoint citation sets across models. Single-platform optimization (Google-only SEO) leaves massive visibility gaps. Multi-model strategies are now mandatory.

Fast-Ranking Tactics That Still Work

Parasite SEO: Target Medium, LinkedIn, Substack, Reddit wikis, Quora spaces, high-DR forums. Publish genuinely useful content first to establish account credibility, then layer in monetized content.

Expired domain redirects: Niche-aligned domains with clean backlink profiles transfer authority when matched to relevant content.

Small PBN use: 3-5 clean, niche-relevant sites with genuine content can push tier-2 pages without footprint detection. Hosting diversity, human content, zero interlinking.

AI-Native Content Formats

• Modular Q&A: One citation-worthy claim per 100-150 words
• Comparison tables: Structured "best for" categories with ranked items
• FAQ schema: Mirrors LLM prompt-response patterns
• "Best of" lists: Clear verdicts improve extractability
• First-person reviews: Authentic, data-backed experiences models surface as credible

Feedback Loop Exploitation

Seeding platforms LLMs scan: Reddit, Quora, Wikipedia, press articles, forums, documentation hubs. Initial citation → social amplification → entity reinforcement → recurring citations.

Cross-platform entity consistency: Mention the same entities (brand names, product names, people) with identical phrasing across platforms. LLMs interpret cross-referencing as consensus even when you control all sources.

Risk, Enforcement & Rotation Rules

Low-Risk, Long-Lifespan

• Structured data implementation
• Topical authority clusters
• Genuine content freshness
• Entity consistency across platforms

Medium-Risk, Medium-Lifespan

• Parasite SEO on editorial platforms
• AI-edited content with human review
• Expired domain redirects (niche-aligned)
• Small, clean PBN for tier-2 links

High-Risk, Short-Lifespan

• Thin affiliate parasites
• Large PBN networks
• Unedited AI content spam
• Cross-platform manipulation at scale

Decision Framework

Scale when: Citation volume increases week-over-week, monetization per asset exceeds target threshold, no platform warnings, footprint remains undetected.

Kill when: Platform removals begin, citation volume drops despite production, ROI falls below breakeven, enforcement signals increase.

Rotate when: Tactic plateaus but hasn't been killed, competitor saturation increases, new platforms emerge, algorithm updates shift citation behavior.

Next Moves

This system works now, in January 2026, but expect enforcement to tighten through Q3-Q4. The tactics outlined here exploit current system weaknesses—consensus simulation, schema overweighting, parasite platform gaps, freshness bias, entity validation loopholes.

Ship fast. Monetize faster. Rotate before penalties land.

You can:

1. Run the full 5-step system end-to-end for comprehensive execution
2. Use individual prompts modularly for rapid iteration
3. Compress this into a single "autopilot" prompt for speed
4. Tailor it to specific verticals (crypto, SaaS, local, e-commerce)
5. Add a red-team / counter-detection step
6. Package this as a consulting offer, SaaS tool, or info product

The window is open. Exploit it.