Should I pay to be included in best-of lists?

Only through clearly disclosed sponsorship programs, and with modest expectations. Paid placements usually carry less weight with readers and AI engines than editorial inclusion, and undisclosed paid placements can breach advertising rules. Most startups get better value from making their site easy to review and pitching editors with honest, specific information and free access.

How long does it take to get added to a best-of list?

It varies by publisher. Some editors update lists monthly and add tools quickly after a good pitch, while others refresh once or twice a year. Some never accept suggestions. Track your pitches with dates, follow up once, and focus on lists that show regular update dates, since those are most likely to add you.

Do review sites count as best-of lists?

Review platforms such as G2 and Capterra work differently, since rankings there depend on customer reviews and category data rather than an editor's choice. They feed AI shortlists in a similar way, though, so treat them as a parallel channel. Keeping those profiles complete and accurate is often the fastest first win.

What if a list describes my product inaccurately?

Contact the author or editor with a short, polite correction and a link to the page on your site that states the right information. Most publishers want accurate lists. Make sure your own website states the facts clearly too, because AI engines compare sources, and a clear official page helps them resolve conflicting descriptions.

Can a small startup get on lists dominated by big brands?

Yes, but start with lists that already include smaller or specialist tools, and pitch a clear niche the big brands don't serve well. Editors like lists that help readers with specific needs, such as a particular industry, team size or budget. A sharp, honest angle is more persuasive than claiming to compete head-on.

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SEO & AI search

How to Get Listed in "Best X Tools" Articles

How to get featured in best-of lists: find the roundups AI engines already cite, make your site easy to review, and pitch editors with what they need.

By Mehdi HassanOct 29, 20267 min read

The short answer

To get featured in best-of lists, find the independent "best tools" articles that already rank and appear in AI answers for your category, make sure your website states your category, pricing and differences clearly, then pitch each editor with specific, verifiable information and an offer of access. Third-party lists carry far more weight than ones you publish yourself.

Key takeaways

Peec found self-promotional "best X" lists were only about 4% of ChatGPT citations; third-party lists matter more.
Target the lists that already appear in AI answers for your buyers' prompts, not just high-traffic ones.
Editors check your website before adding you. Clear category, pricing and differences make inclusion easy.
Pitch with facts the editor can verify and a reason your tool fits their readers.
Seer saw listicle citations fall 30% in a month, so lists are one channel among several.

Part of Brand Mentions Are the New Backlinks: Building AI Visibility Off-Site

How do you get your product included in "best tools" articles?

You get your product included in "best tools" articles by targeting the specific lists your buyers and AI engines already use, giving editors everything they need to review you quickly, and pitching each one personally. Inclusion is mostly an editor's judgment call, so the job is to make saying yes easy and well-founded.

These lists matter because they match how people ask AI tools for help: "What's the best tool for X?" An engine answering that question looks for pages that compare tools in the category. This guide is part of our hub on brand mentions and AI visibility, which explains why off-site mentions track AI visibility more closely than links.

Why do third-party lists outweigh self-promotional ones in ChatGPT?

Third-party lists outweigh self-promotional ones in ChatGPT because engines look for independent evidence. A list on your own site that ranks you first is obviously biased. A list by an independent reviewer that includes you alongside competitors is a signal that someone else considers you a real option.

The data is consistent with this. Peec analyzed 232,000 ChatGPT citations and found self-promotional "best X" lists made up only about 4% of them, so lists you publish about yourself are a minor source for the engine. We look at whether publishing your own list is still worth it in our guide to self-promotional listicles.

There's a caveat. Seer Interactive reported that listicle citations in AI search fell 30% month on month in one recent period. Engines change how they weight formats, so lists are a strong channel today but not the only one. Pair list outreach with reviews, PR and clear pages on your own site.

of ChatGPT citations were self-promotional "best X" lists (Peec, 232k citations): ~4%
month-on-month fall in listicle citations in AI search (Seer Interactive): 30%

How do you find the right best-of lists to target?

Find the right lists by running your buyers' prompts in AI tools and noting which roundup pages they cite, then checking which lists rank in Google for the same queries. Those overlapping lists are your priority, because they influence both search and AI answers.

Write 10 to 20 prompts your buyers would ask, such as "best invoice automation software for mid-size companies."
Run each in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews, and save the cited sources.
Search the same phrases in Google and note the roundup articles on page one.
List every roundup that appears more than once, with its author, publisher and last update date.
Check which competitors each list includes, and whether it accepts suggestions or has a contact for updates.

Prioritize lists that are recently updated, written by named authors, and include competitors of a similar size to you. A list featuring only the three largest players in your category is a hard first target. A list that includes smaller tools and gets refreshed regularly is a realistic one.

How do you make your site easy for editors to review?

Make your site easy to review by stating your category, audience, pricing and key differences on pages an editor can scan in minutes. Editors writing roundups compare many tools quickly. If they can't tell what you do or what you cost, they'll skip you for a tool that makes it obvious.

Homepage first line: the category and audience in plain words.
Public pricing, or a clear explanation of the pricing model and a starting point.
A comparison page or table showing how you differ from alternatives, fairly. Our guide to comparison tables for SEO covers the format.
A visible FAQ that answers the questions editors and buyers ask. See our guide to an FAQ section for AI search.
A press or media page with logos, screenshots, founder bios and a one-paragraph description.

How do you pitch editors to get featured in best-of lists?

Pitch editors with a short, personal email that explains why your tool fits their specific list and readers, gives verifiable facts, and offers access to test it. Generic "please add us" messages are easy to ignore. Specific, useful ones are often welcome, because editors need to keep lists current.

Read the list properly
Note how it's structured, what criteria it uses and which category gaps it has. Mention one of those in your pitch.
Lead with fit
One sentence on why your tool belongs: the type of reader it suits and how it differs from tools already listed.
Give the facts they'll need
Category, pricing, main features, ideal customer and one honest limitation. Make it easy to write your entry.
Offer access
A free account, a demo or a sandbox so they can test it themselves. Editors trust what they've tried.
Attach assets
Link your press page with screenshots and logos. Don't send large attachments.
Follow up once
A short reminder after a week or two, ideally with something new, such as a recent feature or a data point.

Never offer payment for editorial inclusion unless the publisher has a clearly labelled sponsorship program, and expect sponsored placements to carry less weight. If you have original research, offer it too. Our guide to digital PR for startups explains how to build data assets editors want to cite.

For example, suppose you're pitching a roundup of project management tools: what does a good email look like?

For example, suppose you've found a regularly updated roundup of project management tools for agencies, written by a named reviewer, that appears in ChatGPT answers for agency-related prompts. Your tool is built specifically for creative agencies and isn't on it.

A good pitch might read: "Your agency PM roundup covers general tools well, but none are built around client approvals. Ours is, and it's priced per active project rather than per seat, which suits agencies with many freelancers. Here's a free account to test, our pricing page and our press kit. One limitation worth knowing: we don't offer time tracking yet." Short, specific, honest and easy to act on.

What should you do after you're included?

After you're included, check that the entry describes you accurately, thank the editor, and keep the information current. A list entry with outdated pricing or a retired feature can mislead buyers and AI engines for months.

Check accuracy of category, pricing and features, and politely send corrections.
Note the list in your mention log and your AI prompt audit, so you can see whether citations follow.
Update editors when something material changes, such as pricing or a major feature.
Don't over-promote it. A short "As featured in" line on your site is fine; a banner of badges adds little.

Over time, inclusion on respected lists tends to feed branded search and reviews, which reinforce each other. For the bigger picture of how AI tools choose what to recommend, see how to get recommended by ChatGPT and how to get cited in AI Overviews.

Frequently asked questions

Should I pay to be included in best-of lists?: Only through clearly disclosed sponsorship programs, and with modest expectations. Paid placements usually carry less weight with readers and AI engines than editorial inclusion, and undisclosed paid placements can breach advertising rules. Most startups get better value from making their site easy to review and pitching editors with honest, specific information and free access.
How long does it take to get added to a best-of list?: It varies by publisher. Some editors update lists monthly and add tools quickly after a good pitch, while others refresh once or twice a year. Some never accept suggestions. Track your pitches with dates, follow up once, and focus on lists that show regular update dates, since those are most likely to add you.
Do review sites count as best-of lists?: Review platforms such as G2 and Capterra work differently, since rankings there depend on customer reviews and category data rather than an editor's choice. They feed AI shortlists in a similar way, though, so treat them as a parallel channel. Keeping those profiles complete and accurate is often the fastest first win.
What if a list describes my product inaccurately?: Contact the author or editor with a short, polite correction and a link to the page on your site that states the right information. Most publishers want accurate lists. Make sure your own website states the facts clearly too, because AI engines compare sources, and a clear official page helps them resolve conflicting descriptions.
Can a small startup get on lists dominated by big brands?: Yes, but start with lists that already include smaller or specialist tools, and pitch a clear niche the big brands don't serve well. Editors like lists that help readers with specific needs, such as a particular industry, team size or budget. A sharp, honest angle is more persuasive than claiming to compete head-on.

Mehdi Hassan · CEO & Design Director

Copywriter, designer and developer, and founder of Designify Studio. Over five years, 60+ projects across 14+ industries, for startups that have raised $300M+.

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