Excellent news for us public relations ‘dinosaurs’ out there is that earned media (editorial coverage) plays a central role when trying to entice AI-driven search to a website. 🦖
Google switched on AI Mode for every search user in the United States on 20 May 2025, with the UK now starting. And it seems that AI is causing a big shakeup in search, as traditional SEO tactics, such as backlinks and keywords, are becoming less effective. 🪄
This is down to the large-language-model (LLM) search that AI uses. Unlike classic SEO, where links pointed to you, LLM search understands the context of the question and looks for the data. Every time a reputable site talks about you, a seed is planted that the LLM can pick up later. 🌳
This makes earned media incredibly valuable because AI search picks up authority and trust signals from context. To succeed, earned media must present a business as a trusted industry expert, through mentions and thought leadership pieces in relevant publications. 🤓
So, now thought leadership articles in relevant media not only help a business to raise its industry profile, that content also delivers visibility in AI-based searches. 🔎
It seems that search has come full circle – with tactics like backlinks taking a back seat and thought leadership content taking centre stage. 🎭
Many thanks to Emily Wilkinson for her excellent article: “Struggling to Explain LLM Marketing to Your Directors?” http://bit.ly/4k3dmHK, and the Digital Agency Network’s article: “How to Choose a PR Agency for Boosting Your Visibility in AI Search” http://bit.ly/4nggvqK
