Public relations (PR) is no longer just a supporting tactic, it’s becoming a core strategy for brands looking to stay visible in the age of AI search.
AI-powered search engines increasingly rely on brand mentions, reputation, and authority signals pulled from across the web – areas where PR excels.
AI is Changing Human Content Discovery Habits
The rise of AI-powered search engines is radically changing how people discover information online. Traditional “blue links” on Google’s search results pages (SERPs) are being displaced by:
- AI-generated summaries like Google’s AI Overviews.
- Conversational interfaces like ChatGPT and Claude.
- Standalone AI search platforms like Perplexity AI and Bing Copilot.
ChatGPT alone has seen impressive growth, doubling its users in the past six months and reaching 400 million weekly active users by February 2025.
What AI Search Means for the Role of PR
Historically, PR complemented SEO by earning high-value, organic backlinks, securing brand mentions, and building credibility through media placements. Today, classic PR tactics are being reimagined for the AI era.
PR-driven mentions in high-authority media now influence human readers and inform AI training models.
PR Mentions and Authority Signals for AI
AI systems are hungry for high-quality, context-rich signals when generating answers. Brand mentions in trusted publications are now critical to building topical authority and entity recognition.
About 61% of the signals that inform AI’s understanding of brand reputation originate from editorial media sources.
How Marketers Can Adapt to This New Reality
To future-proof your search visibility, marketers and SEOs must think differently. Here’s how to integrate PR into your AI search strategy effectively:
- Collaborate closely with PR teams.
- Prioritize high-quality mentions.
- Build strong topical authority.
- Be quotable.
- Focus on entity optimization.
- Monitor your brand mentions.
- Measure differently.
PR is the Future of Search Visibility
AI search is reshaping the rules of discovery, elevating brand reputation, mentions, and authority over traditional SEO tactics. In this new environment, PR has shifted from being a supporting act to a starring role in digital marketing strategies.
Comments
Join Our Community
Sign up to share your thoughts, engage with others, and become part of our growing community.
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts and start the conversation!