Microsoft Copilot is the AI engine most B2B buyers encounter daily — it’s embedded in Microsoft 365, Edge browser, and Windows. Copilot has a distinct B2B bias, heavily citing analyst reports, enterprise review platforms, and business publications over consumer-oriented sources.
Copilot’s Unique Position
Unlike ChatGPT or Perplexity which users visit intentionally, Copilot is embedded in the workplace tools people already use. When a procurement manager researches vendors in Edge or asks Copilot in Teams for recommendations, they’re using Copilot without actively choosing an AI search engine. Our On-Page SEO Checklist 2026: 25 Essential Optimizations guide covers this in detail.
This makes Copilot especially important for B2B products and professional services.
Copilot’s Citation Preferences
| Source type | Citation frequency | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst reports | 🔴 Very high | Gartner, Forrester, IDC |
| Software reviews | 🔴 Very high | G2, Capterra, TrustRadius |
| Business publications | 🔴 High | Forbes, Bloomberg, TechCrunch |
| Tech review sites | 🟡 Medium | PCMag, CNET, Tom’s Hardware |
| Official documentation | 🟡 Medium | Product pages, API docs |
| Community content | 🟢 Low | Reddit, forums (unlike Perplexity) |
How Copilot Processes Queries
Copilot uses Bing’s search index augmented with Microsoft’s AI models. The process: As we discuss in How to Run a GEO Competitor Analysis, this is a critical factor.
- Bing search — Queries Bing for relevant results
- Source prioritization — Weights enterprise and institutional sources heavily
- Context awareness — Uses Microsoft 365 context (work account, industry) to refine answers
- Synthesis — Generates response with inline citations
- Safety filtering — Extra caution on financial, legal, and health recommendations
How to Get Cited by Copilot
Analyst Report Presence
Even a mention in a Gartner Market Guide or Forrester New Wave significantly increases Copilot citations. Pursue analyst relations: If you want to go deeper, Each AI Engine Has Different Taste breaks this down step by step.
- Request analyst briefings
- Submit for relevant reports and evaluations
- Respond to analyst inquiries
- Provide customer references for analyst interviews
G2 and TrustRadius Optimization
Copilot pulls heavily from enterprise review platforms:
- Complete your G2 profile with all product details
- Maintain 20+ recent reviews (last 90 days)
- Respond to all reviews
- Keep pricing and feature information current
- Claim your TrustRadius profile (less common but cited by Copilot)
Business Publication Mentions
Get mentioned in publications Copilot trusts: (We explore this further in ChatGPT vs Perplexity vs Google AI Compared.)
- Contribute expert quotes to Forbes Tech Council or similar
- Pitch stories to TechCrunch, VentureBeat
- Publish original research that journalists reference
- Create newsworthy announcements (funding, partnerships, milestones)
Bing Webmaster Tools
Since Copilot relies on Bing’s index, ensure Bing can find you:
- Submit sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
- Verify your site in Bing
- Monitor Bing indexing for your key pages
- Fix any Bing-specific crawling issues
Technical Documentation
Enterprise buyers ask Copilot about technical capabilities. Make documentation public:
- API reference docs
- Integration guides
- Security and compliance information
- System architecture overviews
- Pricing tiers and feature comparison tables
Copilot vs Other Engines
| Factor | Copilot | ChatGPT | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| User context | Work/enterprise | General | Research |
| Source preference | B2B/institutional | Institutional/authoritative | Community/UGC |
| Key platforms | Gartner, G2, Forbes | Wikipedia, G2, Forbes | Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn |
| Index | Bing | Own + Bing browsing | Bing |
| Best for | Enterprise software, B2B services | General products, knowledge | Research, comparisons |
FAQ
Is Copilot important enough to optimize for separately?
If your market is B2B or enterprise, yes. Copilot reaches millions of knowledge workers through Microsoft 365 integration. For B2C products, ChatGPT and Perplexity are higher priority. This relates closely to what we cover in Landing Pages for AI Search Visitors.
Does Copilot use the same data as Bing search?
Copilot uses Bing’s index but applies different ranking and citation criteria. A page ranking well in Bing search may or may not be cited by Copilot — the AI layer adds its own source preferences.
Can I track Copilot citations?
Manual testing is currently the most reliable method. Search your product name and category queries in Copilot and document what it recommends. Automated tracking tools are still emerging.