By Danny Goodwin
Publication Date: 2026-02-09 17:43:00
Google’s AI Mode isn’t more likely to cite content that appears “above the fold,” according to a study from SALT.agency, a technical SEO and content agency.
- After analyzing more than 2,000 URLs cited in AI Mode responses, researchers found no correlation between how high text appears on a page and whether Google’s AI selects it for citation.
Pixel depth doesn’t matter. AI Mode cited text from across entire pages, including content buried thousands of pixels down.
- Citation depth showed no meaningful relationship to visibility.
- Average depth varied by vertical, from about 2,400 pixels in travel to 4,600 pixels in SaaS, with many citations far below the traditional “above the fold” area.
Page layout affects depth, not visibility. Templates and design choices influenced how far down the cited text appeared, but not whether it was cited.
- Pages with large hero images or narrative layouts pushed cited text deeper, while simpler…