AI search: a game-changer for media relations?
Ensuring your organisation’s content – whether that is blogs, whitepapers or social media – is easily searchable and accessible has long been a staple of any marketing communications professional’s toolkit.
But where does editorial public relations slot into this? With Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) putting such a focus on ‘owned’ and ‘paid’ content, traditional editorial public relations has often taken a back seat in the conversation.
But a recent report by US-based PR platform Muck Rack into AI searching has found that more than 95% of cited links in AI platforms are non-paid media – with a large proportion coming from traditional journalism.
Media coverage influencing AI citations
Muck Rack analysed millions of citations from ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI platforms, with the findings revealing that earned media is one of the most powerful levers shaping how brands are represented in generative search.
More than a quarter (27%) of links cited by AI were journalistic, but this statistic grew to almost half (49%) when the search was focused to imply a level of recency, for example:
“What are the recent technological advancements in the sound recording industry?”
Other key insights included:
- Objective query types, such as recent event updates, cited journalistic media the most
- Outlet authority has a strong effect on whether a story gets cited
- AI systems prefer stories written in the last year
- AI systems tend to select niche-appropriate outlets frequently when queried about specific industries
Why this matters for your organisation
As AI becomes a core part of how people search and discover information, the types of content it surfaces are shifting the comms landscape. Earned media – particularly credible, niche journalism – is punching far above its weight.
This marks a turning point for PR.
AI doesn’t care if your content was expensive to place. It values authority, recency, and relevance. That means:
- PR coverage needs to be consistent – not just occasional ‘wins’
- Articles in niche media are often more valuable than broader, generalist coverage
- Thoughtful commentary, industry insights and well-placed stories have new shelf life and search power
So while SEO and paid strategies still play a role, editorial PR is now a key lever in shaping your brand’s visibility within AI platforms.
How TMPR helps you stay discoverable
At Cardiff PR agency TMPR, this is already built into the way we work. We specialise in securing meaningful earned media coverage for clients across a wide range of industries – placing stories in outlets that matter to your sector and, increasingly, to the AI models shaping online visibility.
For example, we’ve secured thought leadership and product coverage in specialist AV titles like AV Magazine, AV News and InAVate; in respected marine publications such as Marine Industry News, Marine Business World, and The Yacht Market; and in education and EdTech outlets like Education Today, Teaching Times, Primary Geography Journal and eSchool News.
This kind of sector-specific press doesn’t just build awareness – it positions your brand in the trusted, niche publications that AI increasingly turns to when surfacing responses. Whether it’s a comment piece, product feature, or long-form insight, we ensure your coverage is discoverable, timely, and strategically placed.
Earned PR is no longer just about perception. It’s now a core part of search – and TMPR is here to help you lead in that space.
