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Topic taxonomy is a hierarchical classification of topics and subtopics used to organize queries and analyze brand visibility by subject area. In the Cited Index, brands are organized into 8 category taxonomies (Travel & Luggage, Audio & Wearables, Skincare & Beauty, CRM & Sales, HR & Payroll, Digital Payments, Credit Cards, Online Learning), each with its own set of category-specific queries.

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Why it matters

Topic-level analysis reveals which subjects a brand owns in AI conversations and which it is invisible on. A CRM brand might be well-represented for “CRM for startups” queries but invisible for “sales automation” queries — both within the same broad category. Without a topic taxonomy, this kind of subtopic gap analysis is impossible. The taxonomy provides the organizational structure for granular visibility diagnostics.

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How Cited uses it

The Cited Index uses 8 category taxonomies for its benchmark data, with 20-25 queries per category. Individual brand dashboards support topic-level filtering within the prompt library. Query generation produces queries that span the full topic space of a brand’s category, ensuring coverage across subtopics rather than clustering on a few popular questions.
  • Query archetype — the structural classification within each topic
  • Intent type — the purpose classification that cross-cuts topics