We traced 2,505 blog citations to the end of their reference trail. Only 10.6% ever reached a primary source.

We traced 2,505 blog citations to the end of their reference trail. Only 10.6% ever reached a primary source. That number reframed the question for me: the slot where a number originates sits open far more often than it is filled, and almost nobody is competing for it. The moves below are ranked by how much each one changes your position, starting with the number on the page you care about most.