What is the core difference between a citation and a mention in answer engines?

A citation in an answer engine directly links to the source content, allowing users to click through and verify information or explore further. This is crucial for driving traffic and establishing authority. A mention, conversely, refers to your brand or content within the AI's generated response but does not provide a clickable link. While a mention still offers brand visibility, it doesn't offer the direct traffic benefit of a citation. The sentiment (positive/negative) is not the defining difference, nor is the specific AI platform. They are distinct concepts in AEO strategy.