- Is it really worth rethinking Digital PR for AI engines?
- What's really going on: why has earned media become the AI channel?
- Why is it being talked about now: is the AI market in Italy really ready?
- What changes in practice: who does what in an AI-optimized PR strategy?
- Three concrete scenarios: what changes for an e-commerce, a professional firm, and a manufacturing company?
- What content and formats work best for being cited by AI engines?
- What platforms and tools exist to measure your brand's AI visibility?
- What risks and rules do you need to know before launching an AI PR campaign?
- How to start concretely: the steps to kick off an AI-optimized PR strategy?
- What are the most common mistakes of those starting with PR for AI engines?
- How to understand if your PR strategy for AI is working?
- So, is it worth it for your company to invest in PR for AI search engines?
- How we see it at SHM
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 84% of AI citations come from earned media (articles on third-party outlets), not company websites: Digital PR has become the main channel for showing up in ChatGPT and Perplexity responses.
- Brand mentions on third-party sites predict visibility in AI Overviews 3 times better than old-school back-links, so the metric you need to watch is shifting.
- Distributing content through external media outlets generates on average +239% more AI citations compared to publishing only on the brand's website.
- Traffic from AI search converts up to 4.4 times more than traditional organic traffic: the stakes are high.
84% of citations generated by ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity come from content published on third-party publications — not from the brand's website. If your company doesn't have an earned media strategy designed for AI search engines, you're losing visibility to the competition without even realizing it.
Is it really worth rethinking Digital PR for AI engines?
Yes, and it's not optional: 91% of brand mentions in AI results are on third-party domains, not the company website. Those who don't manage earned media leave the field wide open to competitors.
AI engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini — don't read your site as a primary source. They read what others write about you: articles in industry publications, press releases picked up by newspapers, interviews, reviews on authoritative platforms. This is the earned media : the visibility you earn because someone credible talks about you, not because you bought a space.
The practical takeaway is simple: if your company doesn't show up on trusted third-party sources, AI search engines won't mention it. And if they don't mention it, you simply don't exist to people using these tools.
| Your situation | Is it worth rethinking PR? | why |
|---|---|---|
| You only have the company website and no presence on third-party publications | Yes | 91% of AI mentions come from external domains: you are invisible |
| You have some articles in industry publications but don't measure them | Yes | You are already producing earned media but not optimizing it for AI |
| You have an active PR strategy with regular features in third-party media | Yes | You can amplify results with angles and formats designed for AI engines |
| Invest only in paid media (Google Ads, Meta) | Yes | Paid content accounts for 0.3% of AI citations: the ROI is almost zero |
What's really going on: why has earned media become the AI channel?
AI search engines favor authoritative third-party sources because they consider them more reliable than the brand's own website. 84% of AI citations come from earned media, and this data has been stable for almost a year.
A Muck Rack study on 25 million links cited across 17 industries measured what AI engines actually read when building their responses. The result is clear: the 84% of mentions comes from earned media, i.e., articles in reputable publications, authoritative blogs, specialized forums. Paid content — advertorials, sponsored press releases — accounts for just 0.3% of the total. You can read the full analysis on AuthorityTech .
The reason is structural: AI models are trained to prefer independent sources because they consider them signals of credibility. An article in an industry publication is worth much more than a page on your site, even if that page is perfectly optimized.
A second data point changes marketing priorities: according to an Ahrefs study on 75,000 brands, the brand mentions on third-party sites correlate with visibility in AI Overviews (Google's AI answers) with a coefficient of 0.664. Traditional backlinks — the inbound links that classic SEO has pursued for twenty years — stop at 0.218. An approximately three times higher predictive advantage. The data is available on Sightivo .
Why is it being talked about now: is the AI market in Italy really ready?
The Italian AI market hit €1.8 billion in 2025, growing by +50% in a single year. The window to get ahead of competitors is wide open, but it's closing fast.
Traffic from AI engines has grown 16 times between 2024 and 2026, on a sample of over 100,000 websites analyzed by SE Ranking. ChatGPT alone generates 74.78% of this referral traffic. The details are on GeoAura .
In Italy, the Artificial Intelligence Observatory of the Politecnico di Milano has certified that the AI market reached 1.8 billion euros in 2025, with a growth of +50% compared to 2024. You can read the details on AI4Business . Italian companies are adopting AI tools at an accelerated pace: those who don't secure their visibility on these channels now will find the road already taken in 12-18 months.
What changes in practice: who does what in an AI-optimized PR strategy?
Digital PR for AI search engines isn't just about sending out press releases. It takes teamwork between content creators, PR pros, and folks tracking AI visibility.
The difference compared to traditional PR lies in end goal : it's not enough for a journalist to write about you; they need to write about you in a way that AI engines recognize as authoritative and relevant. This means taking care of the format, context, and distribution of content, not just the relationship with the publication.
- 1 · Marketing / PR Identify the questions customers ask AI engines Use ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini to figure out which questions in your industry actually get answers. These are the exact questions your PR content needs to tackle.
- 2 · Content / PR Produce content designed to be cited Original data, research, practical guides, expert commentary: the formats that AI engines cite the most. Avoid generic press releases.
- 3 · PR / Media Relations Distribute on authoritative third-party publications Focus on industry publications, specialized portals, and blogs with established authority. Distribution across third-party domains is the factor that boosts AI citations by +239% compared to your site alone.
- 4 · SEO / Analytics Monitor AI citations, not just backlinks Measure how many times your brand is cited in responses from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Tools like Brandwatch, Mention, or specific AI visibility tools are designed for this.
- 5 · Marketing / PR Update and amplify content that works Content referenced by AI engines tends to get picked up over and over. Keep it fresh with new stats, push it across other channels, and pitch fresh angles to the press.
Three concrete scenarios: what changes for an e-commerce, a professional firm, and a manufacturing company?
The impact of AI visibility varies depending on the sector, but the mechanism is the same: whoever is cited by the sources that AI engines read appears in the answers. Whoever isn't, doesn't exist.
Let's look at three typical situations. The numbers are for illustration: they are meant to show the reasoning, not real client data.
| Company type | Current situation | PR action for AI | Expected result |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce (e.g., furniture) | Organic traffic declining, dependence on Google Ads | Articles in interior design and lifestyle outlets with original data (e.g., purchase trends) | Mentions in AI answers for 'best X products': qualified traffic with higher conversion |
| Professional firm (e.g. accountant) | Local visibility only, no presence on third-party media | Interviews and comments in tax and industry media on current regulatory topics | Appearance in AI answers to questions like 'how does X work for SMEs' |
| Manufacturing company (e.g., components) | Technically well-made website but zero external mentions | Case studies and technical data published in industry magazines and B2B portals | Citations in AI responses to procurement and technical specification questions |
The common point is that AI traffic converts better. According to Semrush data (July 2025), visitors from AI search convert on average 4.4 times more of users from traditional organic search. Ahrefs found an even more extreme case: AI traffic was 0.5% of total sessions but generated 12.1% of sign-ups, a 23x ratio. Source: Sightivo .
What content and formats work best for being cited by AI engines?
AI engines love content with original data, clear formatting, and trusted sources. Generic press releases just don't cut it anymore.
Not all PR content carries the same weight for AI search engines. HubSpot's guide on AEO for Digital PR — where AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization , meaning optimization for engines that serve up direct answers instead of a bunch of links—shows that the most cited content has some very specific traits.
| Content format | Why it works for AI | Practical example |
|---|---|---|
| Research with original data | AI search engines cite sources with verifiable numbers | Survey on purchasing habits in your sector |
| Step-by-step practical guide | Directly answers users' frequently asked questions | How to choose X: guide for Italian SMEs |
| Expert commentary on current news | Adds authoritative context to an already searched topic | Interview your manager about new regulations |
| Case study with measurable results | Demonstrate credibility with concrete data | How a company in your industry solved problem Y |
| Comparison between solutions / benchmarks | Answers very frequent comparative questions | Comparison between the main software solutions for X |
| Generic press release | Low priority: no added value for the AI user | To be avoided as the main format |
An often underestimated aspect concerns the text structure : clear titles, short paragraphs, explicit questions and answers. AI engines extract text snippets to build their answers — and they prefer texts already organized to answer a specific question. On this topic, the article on brand context and AI delves into how to change what search engines say about you.
What platforms and tools exist to measure your brand's AI visibility?
Traditional SEO tools don't measure AI citations. You need specific tools to monitor how many times and in what context your brand appears in responses from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google.
Measuring AI visibility is the first step to seeing if your PR strategy is working. As explained in the article on AI visibility as a new metric for SMEs , most Italian companies still don't monitor this metric.
| Tool / approach | What it measures | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Brandwatch / Mention | Brand mentions on third-party sites (proxy for AI citations) | SMEs and mid-market with medium budgets |
| Semrush AI Toolkit | Visibility in Google's AI Overviews | Who already uses Semrush for SEO |
| Perplexity / ChatGPT (manual) | Direct test: search for your brand or products and see what it answers | Anyone, zero cost, but not scalable |
| Parse.gl | Analysis of AI mentions on a large scale (550,000+ brands) | Agencies and companies with advanced needs |
| SE Ranking AI Overview Tracker | Systematic monitoring of AI Overviews for target keywords | Those who want structured data over time |
What risks and rules do you need to know before launching an AI PR campaign?
The main pitfall is confusing earned media with disguised paid content. AI engines recognize (and penalize) inauthentic content, and advertising transparency regulations also apply to digital content.
Some companies look for shortcuts: sponsored articles presented as editorials, paid links on low-quality sites, press releases distributed en masse on aggregator portals without value. These tactics don't work for AI engines — and they risk damaging the brand's reputation if associated with unfair practices.
On the regulatory front, Italy applies the Consumer Code and the guidelines of the AGCM (Italian Competition Authority) on the transparency of commercial communications. Sponsored content must be identified as such, even if published on a third-party publication.
| Risk | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Undeclared paid content (native advertising) | Always label sponsored content as such, even on third-party publications |
| Distribution on low-quality sites to inflate mentions | Focus on the quality of outlets, not quantity: 3 articles in authoritative media are worth more than 30 on irrelevant portals |
| Unverifiable data in original research | Always cite primary sources and make data downloadable or verifiable |
| Ignore negative mentions | Also monitor negative mentions: AI engines read them and include them in answers |
| Relying only on earned media without solid owned media | The corporate website remains the foundation: needed to give context and credibility to third-party citations |
How to get started concretely: the steps to launch an AI-optimized PR strategy?
It starts with listening: understanding what AI engines are already saying about your brand and your industry. Then you build a PR editorial plan with the right formats and the right outlets.
Before producing any content, analyze the current situation. Search for your company name and products on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google with AI Overviews active. Note what appears, from which sources, and in what tone. This is your starting point.
For those who also want to understand how to optimize the technical presence of the site for AI crawlers, the article on sitemap and RSS for AI crawlers covers the infrastructural part. PR and technical SEO complement each other.
- 1 · Marketing / PR Audit of current AI visibility Search for your brand on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. Document what appears and from which sources.
- 2 · Marketing / Content Identify the key questions in your sector Use AI engines to understand what questions your potential customers are asking. These questions become the titles of your PR content.
- 3 · PR / Media Relations Map authoritative publications in your sector Identify 10-15 media outlets, blogs, and portals that AI engines already cite in answers for your industry. These are your top targets.
- 4 · Content / PR Produce 2-3 pieces of content with original data Original research, a practical guide, or a case study with real data. These are the formats most cited by AI engines.
- 5 · PR / Media Relations Distribute and monitor Publish on third-party outlets and monitor AI citations in the following weeks. Adjust your approach based on the results.
What are the most common mistakes of those starting with PR for AI engines?
The most frequent mistake is treating AI PR like traditional PR: same press release, same outlets, same logic. AI engines have different criteria than human journalists.
First-timers approaching this topic tend to make the same mistakes. Here they are in order of frequency.
| Error | Why it is a problem | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Sending generic press releases | AI engines don't cite them: lack of data and informative value | Replace press releases with content that answers real questions |
| Focusing only on major generalist media | AI engines often cite authoritative niche publications in the sector | Include 5-6 vertical publications in your sector in the plan |
| Don't measure AI mentions | You don't know if the strategy works and you can't improve it | Set up monthly monitoring of your brand's AI mentions |
| Producing content only on the company website | 91% of AI citations come from third-party domains: the website alone is not enough | Distribute every important piece of content on at least one external publication |
| Expect immediate results | AI visibility is built in 3-6 months, not weeks | Plan a 6-month strategy with regular outputs |
How to understand if your PR strategy for AI is working?
The signals you need to track are totally different from traditional SEO: it's not just about Google rankings anymore, but about being cited in AI answers and the quality of the traffic that brings in.
AI visibility is measured using specific indicators. Some are new, others are reworked versions of familiar metrics. The important thing is to monitor them regularly — at least once a month — and compare them over time.
To dive deeper into how AI visibility intertwines with traditional SEO and alternative engines to Google, check out the article on alternative search engines in 2026 provides an updated overview of the landscape.
| Indicator | What it measures | Monitoring frequency |
|---|---|---|
| AI mentions of the brand (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) | How many times and in what context does the brand appear in AI responses | Monthly |
| Mentions on third-party sites (brand mentions) | Volume and quality of mentions on external domains | Monthly |
| Referral traffic from AI search (Google Analytics) | Sessions coming from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini | Weekly |
| Conversion rate of AI traffic | Comparison of AI vs traditional organic conversions | Monthly |
| Position in Google's AI Overviews for target keywords | Visibility in Google AI responses for the most important queries | Monthly |
| Quality of publications citing the brand | Authority of the domains publishing content about your brand | Quarterly |
So, is it worth it for your company to invest in PR for AI search engines?
It is worth it if you already have a solid digital presence and want to boost your visibility on ChatGPT and Perplexity, or you're in a competitive industry where customers do deep research before making a purchase.
A middle ground you are starting to build your digital presence: start first with the website and technical SEO, then add AI PR as a second layer.
Not yet if your business is strictly local and your customers don't use AI engines to look for your stuff—though definitely double-check that before writing it off.
How we see it at SHM
For us, Digital PR for AI engines isn't a trend to chase: it's the logical consequence of a change that has already happened in how people search for information. AI engines read the web as a distributed reputation system — and reputation is built with authoritative content on third-party sources, not with paid campaigns.
We worked with manufacturing and B2B companies that had excellent technical websites but zero presence in third-party media. The problem wasn't the website: it was that nobody was talking about them outside their ecosystem. Building that external presence — with content designed to answer their customers' real questions — was the step that changed their visibility, including on AI engines.
We believe AI should be integrated to free companies from routine, not to replace human ingenuity. In the case of PR for AI, this means using AI tools to identify the right questions and monitor mentions, but leaving it to human intelligence to build relationships with the media and produce content with an authentic point of view.
If you want to understand where your brand stands today in AI visibility and how to improve it, we can help you with a tailored strategy: from SEO for AI to the Strategic AI integration in marketing processes, up to the business intelligence to measure results. You can find all the articles in the cluster SEO and visibility for AI to delve deeper into every aspect of this topic.
Do you have specific questions about your company's situation? Write to us .
Frequently Asked Questions
Earned media is the visibility you get when others talk about you: articles in industry publications, mentions on authoritative blogs, interviews picked up by independent media. AI engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity prefer these sources because they consider them more reliable than the brand's website. According to Muck Rack, 84% of AI citations come precisely from earned media.
AI visibility is built in 3-6 months of consistent activity. AI search engines update their sources with varying frequency, and new citations take time to consolidate. The first signs — an increase in mentions on third-party sites, appearance in AI Overviews for some queries — are usually seen after 60-90 days of activity.
The two strategies complement each other, they don't exclude each other. Technical SEO ensures that your site is readable by AI crawlers and that your content is structured correctly. PR for AI adds presence on third-party sources that AI engines cite. Starting with technical SEO and adding AI PR as a second layer is the most effective approach.
AI visibility requires little: search engines prefer content with original data, practical guides, and expert comments. Generic press releases are rarely cited. It's better to invest the same time and budget in more substantial content — research, a case study, a guide — to offer to publications as an original article.
The easiest way is to do a manual search: search for your company name, your products, and your customers' typical questions on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google with AI Overviews active. For systematic monitoring, you need tools like Semrush AI Toolkit, Brandwatch, or specific AI visibility tools. The important thing is to start measuring: without data, you can't improve.
From the free audit: search for your brand on major AI engines and document what appears. Then identify 3-5 authoritative industry publications and propose content with original data — even a small survey of your customers or an expert comment on a current news item. Focus resources on the quality of a few pieces of content in authoritative publications, not on quantity on low-level portals.
AI visibility cannot be bought: it is earned by publishing content that others consider worthy of citation.
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