Earned media: The future of PR in the age of AI search

You need your brand to show up when artificial intelligence delivers the answers. As AI changes how people find information online, earned media has become more important than ever. When AI tools like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini pull data to generate responses, they often rely on trusted third-party sources like news articles, podcasts, and interviews.

That means your visibility now depends less on ads or owned content and more on how others talk about you. If you're not already prioritizing earned media, you're missing a key piece of the AI-driven discovery puzzle.

Many companies pour resources into creating blog posts, press releases, and service pages on their own platforms. But the reality is shifting. What others say about your brand in credible spaces carries more weight when it comes to how AI summarizes and delivers information. That changes the role of public relations.

This shift is more than a trend. It's reshaping how PR professionals need to think about visibility, brand authority, and media outreach. AI search engines are focused on trust, not self-promotion. A press mention or podcast appearance now plays a larger role in influencing how a brand shows up online than anything sitting on the company blog.

The power of earned media

Earned media refers to coverage or references to your brand that third parties publish or broadcast. Think of news articles, podcast interviews, analyst reports, Reddit threads, and encyclopedia-style entries on platforms like Wikipedia. Your company doesn't create or pay for these types of coverage. They happen because someone else believes your story is worth sharing.

This type of media feels more authentic because it's not coming directly from the brand. That trust factor is why AI search engines are giving it more attention. Algorithms are looking at reputation, influence, and independent validation when deciding which sources to cite in generative answers.

Owned media, like your website and blog, still matters. It supports your online presence and gives you a place to organize and showcase your content. Paid media, like advertising, can help with visibility. But earned media is unique. It's where AI gets the most reliable signal on what a brand is and what others really think of it.

How AI uses earned media

AI-driven search tools and content generators are rapidly evolving. These tools are learning to pull from diversified sources, selecting content based on credibility rather than the publisher. One common theme that's clear across different AI platforms is that they're favoring third-party commentary over internal company promotion.

In various audits conducted to observe this behavior, AI systems like Google's Overviews, ChatGPT, and other engines repeatedly sourced content from news outlets, expert interviews, social conversations, and publicly available documents on community platforms like Reddit. Company websites were referenced far less frequently.

That means these AI systems are functioning not as repeaters of brand messaging, but as validators of reputation. They're prioritizing sources that are perceived as balanced, vetted, and outside of the company’s control. For PR firms, this creates a unique set of opportunities. By understanding where AI is finding credible insights, it becomes easier to focus on the right places to engage.

Generative engine optimization

Generative engine optimization, or GEO, refers to the process of aligning a brand’s visibility and credibility with what generative AI platforms deem trustworthy. It’s similar to SEO, but rather than trying to rank high on a traditional results page, GEO is about feeding the ecosystem in ways that increase the likelihood of being mentioned in an AI-generated response.

Brands can improve GEO through consistent, quality earned media efforts. Here are three simple ways to start:

1. Build relationships with credible journalists and influencers. Their content is more likely to be picked up and echoed by AI systems.
2. Encourage customers and partners to share stories and reviews on public community platforms.
3. Join and contribute to relevant discussions where your insights can stand out. This includes social channels where your industry lives, not just brand-owned platforms.

GEO works best when real people with independent voices are talking about your brand meaningfully. It's more proof-based than promotion-based. That’s why PR teams need to think beyond press releases and consider the broader conversation happening outside their owned media channels.

Building and leveraging earned media

Securing earned media isn't just about pitching a story. It requires ongoing relationship-building and strategic thinking.

Start by identifying which outlets, blogs, shows, or platforms matter in your industry. Who do people trust? Who influences your target audience? Then offer them something worth talking about, whether that’s through data, insights, trends, or an angle that aligns with their audience's current interests.

Once you earn coverage, don’t let it go to waste. Share third-party stories about your brand on your owned channels. Post them on social media, mention them in newsletters, send them to stakeholders, and use them to keep your press section fresh. Repetition boosts the signal and gives those earned media mentions even more value, both in perception and performance.

Make it easy for current and future customers to find out what others are saying about you. Authenticity builds trust, and trust builds business.

Preparing for the future of AI search

As AI technology grows smarter, the way it gathers and presents answers will only get more nuanced. That means staying current on how AI changes search behavior is part of the PR playbook.

Younger audiences, especially, are not heading directly to traditional search engines anymore. They ask their phones or use chatbots to find answers without reading through several articles. This compresses how people interact with information, and it puts pressure on AI generators to be accurate and concise.

To adapt, PR teams need to focus on source-rich credibility. Look at what types of mentions pop up in AI responses. Then evaluate your brand’s presence across those types of publications and digital platforms. A strong earned media footprint doesn’t just boost reputation. It positions you well for the direction things are heading.

When your name comes up organically in podcast conversations, media interviews, or community forums, it feeds the loop AI depends on. That’s how your message becomes part of the answer.

Fueling AI search with earned media: Your action plan

To thrive in this shifting space, start thinking of earned media as not just good publicity but the key to feeding future search visibility. Focus your efforts on working with PR professionals who know how modern media works and which outlets or platforms AI systems are pulling from.

Being quoted in an industry article or interviewed on a known podcast can do more to move your brand into AI conversations than another round of blog content. It’s about multiplying third-party references, not adding pages to your own site.

Consider how to broaden the types of content you appear in. From expert roundups to Reddit comments to podcast guest spots, these are all areas where it only takes a well-placed mention to spark something bigger.

Leaning into these strategies now puts your message one step closer to the audience that matters most.

Earn the visibility you deserve – contact us today at 888-PR-FIRM-8 for an obligation-free consultation.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels