Many brands are considering ways to strengthen visibility in a world where AI-driven search models are replacing traditional search. You’ve probably already heard: new research from Bain & Company found that 80% of consumers now rely on AI -written results for at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic web traffic by 15 to 25%. On traditional search engines, about 60% of searches currently end without the user progressing to another destination.
This means shifting ways to employ traditional SEO (optimizing relevant keywords and meta descriptions) and conduct PR outreach (reputation management and storytelling). Brands still need to strive to be trusted, credible industry sources, which is what PR has always worked toward; and SEO will remain related to authority signals. In the past, these were often viewed as separate tactics. But now when it comes to brand awareness, they must be approached as a team sport.
Here's why: in this new ecosystem, PR placements in trusted, reliable sources are going to be more valuable than ever when it comes to discovering your brand. This is because according to Muck Rack, 95% of AI-generated citations come from non-paid (PR) sources, with 27% of those coming from journalistic content.
Authoritative content will drive the results that will be found in AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT search. A brand’s message will still need to be in the right place with the right information, but practitioners must now think about how ChatGPT will pick it up.
And that means that brands need to create content that answers questions that address customers’ pain points. It’s important to focus on the questions that people will ask in their searches, and anticipate how AI will respond to those questions.
So how can you make sure your brand efforts are noticed in AI-focused searches?
- Think about what’s going to be asked.
What might people ask in the search tool? AI search isn’t just matching keywords anymore. So brands and PR pros need to prioritize building factual, recognizable authority and content discovery. To help with this, think about where you can add citations and keywords to your content to help boost authority. Stay away from ambiguous language, jargon, or buried ledes. Use natural language and a conversational voice that mimics how people actually speak. - Focus on WHY the audience cares.
Keep producing value-driven thought leader content that potentially solves audience problems and addresses their needs (see #1). Stop thinking promotionally and start thinking about industry solutions that demonstrate your expertise. Your PR team can continue to get this content placed in those trade and business pubs that your industry customers read. Remember: like industry editors, AI loves fresh, authoritative content, and it will pick it up from high-authority sources — think Wired, Wall Street Journal, and Businessweek for some industries; your favorite trade publications will rank higher for other industries. Deloitte is an example of this: they use their Deloitte Insights content hub for professionals across various industries. In it, they publish in-depth reports, case studies, webinars, and podcasts, which collectively position them as thought leaders with trusted insights. These reports are frequently cited by reputable business and trade media outlets, further cementing them as authoritative. - Diversify your presence.
Think of your effort as a multichannel, multi-platform endeavor so your content stands out. Repurposing content the “right” way is more important than ever. Many PR pros already have this in their playbooks. But another way for brands to boost their content is sharing their expert POVs in diverse formats, such as at industry events, on podcasts, or with influencers. Engage with audiences by answering questions, replying to comments, and fostering discussions. Look to communities and peer reviews, e.g., YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Yelp. Have your employees post original content on LinkedIn. Write case studies. First-party, expert-level content will help build evidence of your brand’s capabilities. - Lead conversations.
Salesforce is a B2B brand that was among the first to drive industry conversations about cloud-based CRM software. As a startup over 20 years ago, it disrupted the on-premises enterprise software model with its cloud-based CRM solution that gave scalability and flexibility, and then opened CRM to a wide range of businesses. Its “No Software” campaign prompted broader industry discussions about the future of business software and shift to cloud solutions that helped make it a leader today. Where and how can your brand lead discussions in your industry? - Don’t forget the obvious.
Press releases are also helping brands get discovered online in this new world of ChatGPT search. Company news is often a part of AI model training data. If your brand is mentioned on multiple news sites, it can establish credibility in the field. News releases also answer common questions about your products and services. All of this helps AI (and your audience) understand your brand. - Quality matters.
With AI-generated content flooding the web, strong thought leadership will remain more important than ever; it will stand out. AI excels at processing information and generating text but can’t replicate the human ability to understand complex topics and emotions. Be consistent in delivering high-quality content that addresses real-world problems. Copeland has been doing this for over 10 years — producing thought leadership content that focuses on industry regulations that are really affecting their HVACR customers as environmentally harmful refrigerants are being phased out. Early on, they decided to be the industry voice guiding discussions on how to meet these regulations. And they did so across multiple media. It wasn’t about selling; it was about industry pain points. And the quality of their content has made them the trusted industry authority on this topic. - Relationships still matter.
PR is still about relationships. And building those relationships will help you have access to those high-ranking publication editors you need to place content with. But don’t forget about the relationships with your internal audience. Your PR team still needs access to your subject matter experts who will help you understand what your outside audience is looking for and create the kind of content that matters. Your team’s expert insights, credible knowledge, and original points of view matter. - Recency is relevant.
How fresh is your content? AI systems favor newer coverage. So even if a piece from last year performed well or was in a high-ranking industry publication, it may not surface now (because it’s old). Update your older, stronger content with new statistics or insights or repurpose it someplace new like your website to bring recency and attention to today’s queries. - Is your team tracking?
AI tracking tools will help determine where and how brand content appears. Many PR tools like Meltwater or Brand24 help PR pros stay informed about online conversations related to the brands they represent. AI visibility will contribute to KPIs like sentiment and SOV for marketing leaders.
Moving forward, brand messaging, brand visibility, and brand trust will continue to be priorities; having an always-on strategy related to PR and SEO should be an obvious part of that to build visibility. Continue to use PR to build trust, credibility, and action over time. But remember that in an AI world, we’ll need collaboration plus SEO to be recognized by AI.
This is the next evolution in PR and SEO. As marketers, we’re used to being agile; in this brave new AI world, that’s no different. It’s a matter of reconsidering your tried-and-true brand awareness tactics in order to better influence outcomes.
