Artificial intelligence (AI) is rewriting the rules of PR. With the rise of AI-powered search and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, the way people discover, evaluate and engage with brands is evolving faster than ever.
At Next PR, we’ve been exploring how AI impacts brand visibility, what types of content LLMs prioritize and which strategies help clients stay ahead in a competitive digital landscape. Here’s what you need to know to future-proof your PR strategy.
Consumers and decision-makers are bypassing traditional search engines and increasingly relying on AI chatbots for answers. That means your brand’s visibility depends on whether LLMs recognize your content as credible, relevant and authoritative.
Recent research shows:
If your brand isn’t creating high-quality and discoverable content, you risk becoming invisible in the next era of search.
A recent Muck Rack report uncovered fascinating insights about how AI models choose sources:
Bottom line? AI rewards content that’s trusted, well-structured and strategically distributed.
To increase your chances of being cited by AI, one press release isn’t enough. As PR professionals, we should be asking ourselves how one piece of content could be turned into multiple pieces across a variety of distribution channels. This will generate multiple entry points for LLMS to pull your brand’s content, ultimately increasing the chances for LLMs to discover your company.
For example, a press release announcing new data could become:
By diversifying formats, you create a web of discoverable assets, making it more likely your narrative surfaces when AI tools answer industry-specific queries.
Traditional earned media placements are still valuable, but AI-driven visibility requires a more integrated approach. LinkedIn has become a non-negotiable for executives today. Journalists and industry influencers look to executives who publish insights and start conversations regularly on social media.
Earlier this year, there was a lot of chatter about Substack as it relates to popular alternatives to traditional media for brands. However, executives who have a strong opinion and want to challenge a certain way of thinking or even create a new category over time should consider Substack as a platform to amplify their voice. It gives them that branded newsletter hub that allows for long-form control. The caveat? Substacks can be hard to discover, so if you have an executive willing to try it out, it works best if it’s paired with LinkedIn promotion and amplification.
Another popular channel is podcasts. Brands love them. We (PR professionals) love them. They target specific industries and key audiences. And if appearing in LLMs is your goal, prioritize shows that also publish on YouTube because multimedia formats with captions perform significantly better in LLM rankings.
Your goal isn’t just to show up once; it’s to build a thought leadership ecosystem that AI can’t ignore.
In this new landscape, success isn’t just about clicks. It’s about how and where your brand appears when AI responds to user-generated questions. A few things to track include:
By combining traditional PR metrics with AI-first analytics, you get a full picture of your influence in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.
The rise of AI-driven search represents one of the biggest shifts in PR in decades. Brands that adapt their strategies will have a significant advantage in visibility, credibility and influence. At Next PR, we help brands navigate this transformation by blending data-driven insights with creative storytelling to make sure your voice is amplified where it matters most. Let’s talk about how we can optimize your PR strategy for an AI-powered future. Contact us today to get started.