Many companies are still trying to rank on Google like it's 2019, but search behavior has changed more than at any point in the last 20 years. No one knows exactly where it’s going, but users are clearly increasing their use of AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity together with traditional search. If you're focused only on Google rankings, you're missing opportunities where your competition is probably already building presence across both traditional and AI channels.
This change is happening now. Users are increasingly going directly to AI tools for instant answers. As of 2025, ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users, doubling from 400 million in February 2025. Your content still influences their decisions because AI tools quote and reference your messaging, but users consume your information through AI summaries rather than clicking through to your site.
This positions PR at the center of modern marketing. With GEO, PR results become more important because AI systems look for credible sources and earned media on top of the technical work SEO provides. You're competing to be the reliable source AI tools choose to quote and reference, making your voice the authority people hear when they ask AI for answers.
The opportunity is massive. Public relations has a natural advantage in GEO because the core work of earning media coverage, building expert authority, and securing credible mentions is exactly what AI systems prioritize when selecting sources. That makes PR the key to AI visibility and shows only how important it is for companies today. This guide will show how PR teams can use their skills to win with GEO and deliver more value to clients.
What is GEO and How Does It Work?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization, a content optimization strategy targeting AI-powered search engines and chatbots. While SEO drives website visits, the goal is making content quotable in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Claude. In practice, this means structuring content for AI understanding, improving content quality, and building authority so these systems select your information.
The difference between GEO and SEO is scope and outcome. SEO focuses on optimizing websites to rank in "ten blue links" of traditional search results using keywords, backlinks, and technical website improvements to drive people to your site. GEO goes beyond websites by optimizing any content to be selected and quoted by AI systems, whether that's your website, social media posts, industry articles, expert commentary, or news interviews.
While SEO focuses on driving traffic to your website, GEO makes your earned media coverage more valuable because AI tools cite reliable sources. This is exactly why PR has such a natural advantage because it already creates the credible, multi-platform content that AI systems trust most.
GEO also creates real business impact of your existing PR work. When AI tools mention your expertise, people start seeing you as a trusted authority before they even know they need your services. You’re not stuck fighting for clicks or spending money into ads, your knowledge is already part of how they make decisions, which puts you in the spot of being the go-to expert.
Here's how it works: A SaaS founder asks ChatGPT, "How should we announce our new product launch to maximize market impact?" The AI responds with, "According to PRLab, companies that announce product launches (...)" This citation came from our existing media coverage and thought leadership, so instead of browsing for agencies, the founder reaches us out directly because we’re already positioned as a reliable authority on the topic.
Learn more about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
The SEO-PR Marriage: A Look Back
SEO and PR have been working together for more than 20 years, and they’re still one of the best pairs in digital marketing. PR secures backlinks and mentions in reliable outlets that SEO alone struggles to get. If your company gets featured in media outlets through a PR pitch, that link gives your site a big authority boost that SEO outreach alone can’t match.
In the early days, SEO and PR often pulled in different directions. SEO teams were focused on quick wins, using things like keyword stuffing and link schemes to climb search rankings fast. PR teams mostly spend time building relationships with journalists and creating stories. These different approaches didn’t always line up, since SEO pushed for search results while PR for credibility and coverage.
But everything changed when Google rolled out updates that penalized low-quality link building. That’s when SEO teams realized they needed the kind of established media coverage that PR teams are great at getting. One mention in a well-known outlet was worth way more than a bunch of weak links. PR's approach became essential for SEO success.
Now GEO proves PR's value even further. AI systems prioritize the same credible sources and expert voices that PR teams have always focused on. AI doesn’t only pull from your blog, it looks for trusted news articles and expert voices. So when your brand gets featured in media outlets, your PR efforts now have double the impact: building both search rankings and AI citations.
PR hasn’t really changed the way it works. What’s changed is the digital world finally catching up to what PR has always known: people trust credible sources the most.
Learn more about maximizing PR and SEO collaboration strategies
Why GEO Makes PR More Important Than Ever?
GEO makes PR more important because AI search engines and chatbots look for trusted sources when choosing sources to quote. When reporters write about your brand in established publications, AI tools are more likely to view it as credible. PR teams are perfect for this because they already build relationships with journalists and get placements in respected publications that SEO teams typically can't access.
Algorithms Favor Earned Media Over Technical Optimization
AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity don’t just pull from random blogs. They tend to rely more on credible media such as articles written by journalists, reviewed for accuracy, and backed by credible sources. 90% of brand mentions in AI answers can come from these kinds of editorial sources. This is exactly the type of coverage PR teams have always focused on earning. When your brand appears in respected outlets, it has a stronger chance of being noticed and cited.
If you’re quoted in a media outlet, that goes a lot further than a blog post on your own site. If you’re featured next to experts, even better. Major outlets also have built-in trust signals such as bylines, fact-checking, and reputation that AI pays close attention to.
SEO and GEO on this complement each other. SEO keeps your own content structured, optimized, and visible, while PR-driven earned media adds credibility that GEO systems can pick up on. Most LLMs also use live search, often through Bing, which plays a huge role in what actually shows up. When both sides are strong, your brand has a much better chance of being part of the answers people see.
Success Requires PR's Relationship-Building Expertise
AI systems don’t only pull facts, but they map relationships. If your brand shows up often in reputable sources, next to experts in your field, it starts to carry more authority. One article isn’t enough, but what matters is being seen again in places people already trust. This visibility is what builds authority in GEO, and PR teams are the ones who know how to make it happen through strong media coverage.
This is why PR becomes more valuable than ever. You can’t build this kind of media presence overnight. It takes effort and good relationships with the media. PR teams have always done this by sharing useful insights, quick comments, or fresh data that journalists can rely on.
When your brand keeps showing up in outlets, AI tools start to connect your name with the topics you want to be known for, and that’s where GEO really pays off.
Learn more about media relations
Makes Authority More Valuable Than Keywords
AI tools don’t rely on keyword matching alone the way traditional search engines do. They use semantic search, which means they look at the deeper context of what’s being said, who’s saying it, and how often they’re seen as an expert. These systems use keywords to figure out what a piece of content is about, but they don’t stop there. Models like BERT go deeper by looking at the meaning behind the words and then weighing authority signals to decide which sources feel more trustworthy and deserve to be highlighted.
The truth is you need both keywords and authority. Keywords show what the topic is, but authority signals to help decide which sources are the most trustworthy and worth highlighting. This is exactly why PR's approach has always been ahead, you've never just focused on keywords, but on building genuine expertise and authority.
AI tools use methods to figure out who the recognized experts are in a given topic. They don’t just scan your content for keywords, they also notice how often your brand shows up in expert conversations and gets mentioned next to trusted voices. If your brand is quoted regularly across respected sources on the same subject, it shows real expertise.
Drives Business Results, Not Just Coverage
GEO is adding PR teams to something they’ve had already, and that is real performance data. While measuring AI citations is still challenging, most impact happens through what's called 'zero-click' interactions. It’s when people get complete answers directly from AI tools without ever clicking through to visit your website. Some tools like BrightEdge and a few newer AI trackers are starting to help you see when and where your brand shows up in AI-generated answers.
When you track both AI mentions and business results, you can see how brand visibility in AI answers affects leads, sales conversations, or even conversions. You’re not only getting media coverage, but influencing buying decisions. And because you can also track how often your competitors show up in AI, it gives you a clear advantage. PR isn’t only supporting the strategy anymore, but with GEO, it is the strategy.
Demands Real-Time Crisis Response Only PR Can Deliver
AI tools often repeat the stories that are already being shared in reputable media. If the coverage takes a negative turn, it can quickly become the version people see when they ask questions. Since much of what AI reflects comes from editorial media, your reputation depends on those stories. PR teams are in the best spot to handle this because they already watch coverage closely, work with journalists, and know how to get the right message out quickly.
Monitoring tools can show when mentions change or when negative coverage is building. With strong media relationships and a plan, PR can step in to add context, share updates, and make sure the narrative reflects the brand fairly. It doesn’t only protect your brand when problems come up, but builds trust and credibility by making sure the story people keep seeing is the one that shows your brand in the right way.
PR crisis management expertise now protects your brand across both traditional media and AI-generated answers with the same skills but better reach.
Learn more about crisis management
What are the Key PR Techniques for GEO Success?
Successful GEO uses specific PR tactics that work for both people and AI systems. This includes press release optimization for AI engines and chatbots, getting coverage in reputable publications, building quality backlinks through digital PR like HARO (Help A Reporter Out), and training company executives to give quotable insights. These techniques create clear, credible content that builds authority. The goal is becoming the reputable expert that AI systems choose to quote and reference.
Press Release Optimization for AI Engines
Your press releases already work well for AI systems when you follow standard best practices. Journalists may skim for quotes or key points, while AI systems scan for facts, structure, and clear language that can be verified across other sources. The clear, factual storytelling you've always done makes it easy for both journalists and AI platforms to grab the important facts without missing the point.
Pay special attention to how you describe your company and industry throughout the release. Make sure to describe your company using the exact words you want to be known for. Journalists often copy that language in their stories, and AI tools then pick up those same terms from the coverage. So if you say “cloud-based inventory management platform” instead of only “software,” that phrase is more likely to stick, and show up across search, media, and AI results.
Always include a backlink to your website so it’s easy to verify your information. Start with the basics like company name, what happened, key numbers, and timing. While AI tools seem to respond well to structure, human editors still decide what gets published. Write in a way that helps both: make your story easy to scan, clear to quote, and packed with the right keywords that you want others to use when talking about your brand.
Learn more about writing press release
Increases Domain Authority through Digital PR Tools
The domain authority building you've been doing through digital PR now delivers even greater impact. When established websites link back to yours, it sends a signal to both AI platforms and search engines that you’re a credible source. The more of these signals you build, the more likely it is that your content will be seen as trustworthy and get included in AI-generated answers.
The best digital PR tools help you track progress and earn quality backlinks. Moz and SEMrush let you check your domain authority, while platforms like HARO, Qwoted, and Featured connect you with reporters looking for expert sources. The same expert insights you've always shared can now land mentions and backlinks in top outlets like Forbes or the Wall Street Journal, as well as smaller niche blogs.
These journalist platforms work best as one part of a bigger digital PR plan, not on their own. The key is sharing real insights, not sales pitches. Answering journalist queries can lead to more than backlinks, like podcast invites, speaking gigs, and lasting media relationships. These efforts build your authority and make it more likely that AI tools will see your brand as a trusted source.
Strategic Third-Party Validation Through Earned Media
AI tools prioritize earned media as proof that your story is trustworthy. Your own content is still valuable if it’s clear and easy to follow, but third-party mentions tend to carry more weight than owned media. That means your media strategy should focus on getting picked up by sources that are already seen as reliable. It’s better to aim for high-quality coverage in respected places, not only try to get mentioned everywhere.
The relationship-building with top-tier outlets that PR teams excel at is now more valuable than ever. The established publications you already target are likely the same ones AI systems rely on. Find the reporters who write those stories and start building real relationships. Give them early looks at your product, helpful data, or expert opinions when big news breaks. Even when you don’t have something to pitch, check in and share useful info they might want.
Pick a few reporters who regularly cover enterprise software, then start sending them short, useful emails once a week with industry trends your data shows. When something big happens in the industry, jump in quickly with a short comment. For example: “The Microsoft-OpenAI deal shows how hard enterprise AI adoption still is. Our data shows 67% of companies struggle to move past the pilot phase. Happy to share more if helpful.”
Learn more about media coverage
Expert Commentary and Quotable Thought Leadership
The media training you've always done with executives is exactly what makes them quotable in AI answers. Successful thought leaders provide specific, quotable insights rather than abstract industry observations. That means giving specific insights, not vague industry talk. Leaders who can explain things simply, with proof to back it up, are more likely to get picked up and cited.
Get your execs comfortable sharing fact-based messages backed by your own data or solid research. Train spokespeople to provide three-part responses: context, insight, and implication. Give each person their own area of focus so they’re not all saying the same thing. Then run regular practice sessions where they answer common interview questions using that structure. Quotable expertise requires practice, preparation, and precision.
Here’s what that media training looks like, instead of saying, “AI adoption is accelerating,” coach your CTO to say something like: “We’ve seen enterprise AI timelines drop from 18 months to just 6 in the past year. Companies aren’t waiting around, they’re moving fast from testing to full rollout. That kind of speed means IT teams need to plan for rapid scaling from day one.” This type of specific, data-driven commentary you've always developed now gets picked up by AI tools as well as journalists.
Learn more about thought leadership role in PR
Authority Building Through Data-Driven Content
If you're already using proprietary data and research in your PR strategy, this approach is now more valuable than ever. Publishing unique statistics makes your brand the definitive source for specific industry insights. When you publish original stats, both journalists and AI tools are more likely to quote you. It shows you’re not only sharing opinions, but bringing real numbers to the table.
Turn your data into something others want to quote. Talk to your analytics team to find interesting trends or numbers your company already has. You can also hire a research firm to run a study with your name on it. When you share the results, keep it clear, and show how the research was done, highlight the key stats, and add a strong quote from one of your execs. Then get the word out through landing pages, press briefings, and slide decks.
Start by picking a few big questions your customer data can help answer. For example: “How many remote teams feel burned out from using too many communication tools?” Once you’ve got strong internal findings, bring in a third-party research group to validate them. Then release it in a way that sounds official and easy to cite. Something like: “The 2025 Remote Team Communication Study, run by WorkPlace Research Institute and commissioned by CollabTech, surveyed 2,400 teams in 12 countries…” Data-driven content has always been a powerful PR tactic, and now it delivers impact across traditional media and AI citations.
AI Citation Tracking and Performance Measurement
While measuring the full impact of your PR work across AI platforms is challenging, the business results speak for themselves. A lot of the impact happens through what’s called “zero-click” interactions, where people get answers straight from AI tools without ever visiting your site. That makes it harder to rely on normal analytics. While some tools are starting to track brand mentions in AI, most are still early, limited, or expensive, so getting perfect data only isn’t possible yet.
The best way for now is to keep your existing PR monitoring with simple AI checks. Each month, test 10 to 20 common industry questions on major AI platforms to see how your brand shows up compared to competitors. In your analytics, keep an eye on referral traffic from AI tools, watch for sudden spikes in direct traffic that might hint at AI exposure, and add a “How did you hear about us?” field to your lead forms. Many customers will mention AI tools if asked directly.
AI tools don’t always give the same answers every time, so what matters is whether your brand is showing up more often, in the right places, and in the right context. If your visibility starts to drop, that’s a useful sign to keep building authority through strong, trusted content and steady media presence.
The Future PR Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges
GEO and PR together create new opportunities that most organizations haven't explored yet. GEO proves what PR professionals have always known: earned media and expert authority drive real business impact. When your brand shows up in AI answers, it's validation that your existing PR work is delivering value across multiple channels.
For agencies, this means PR is now more important than ever and could even grow into a new service offering. For companies building internal PR capabilities, it’s a sign to invest more in PR to boost GEO results. Being able to measure brand visibility in AI gives stakeholders the kind of proof they’re looking for.
Getting GEO right starts with knowing what you already do well and where you need small adjustments. The same skills that make PR strong such as building relationships, telling stories, and creating good content, are exactly what GEO relies on. If you have SEO teams, it works best when you team up: they handle technical optimization, while PR builds credibility and gets the kind of authoritative coverage AI and search engines notice.
Most of what you need for GEO is already in your digital PR work. The key is refining it: optimizing press releases for AI, target coverage in credible outlets, and build insights that are quotable and fact-based. It's not about adding something entirely new. When PR brings earned media relationships and credible content, and SEO’s technical strength comes together, the result is stronger search rankings and greater visibility in AI answers, which is where GEO's impact really shows.
FAQs About PR and GEO
Here are some common questions about how PR and GEO work together to get your brand cited by AI tools.
How do I measure if my PR efforts are actually impacting GEO results?
Measuring GEO impact is challenging because most happens through zero-click interactions where people get answers directly from AI without visiting your site. The most practical approach: test 10-20 industry questions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews to see how often your brand appears compared to competitors.
Track any referral traffic from some AI tools, watch for direct traffic spikes after major coverage, and add "How did you hear about us?" to lead forms, of which many customers will mention AI tools directly. If competitors appear regularly but you don't, focus on the relationship-building and reputable media coverage that has always been your strength, and that’s exactly what AI systems value most.
How long does it take to see GEO results from PR activities?
You might start seeing early signs of GEO results within a few weeks or months, but don’t expect anything consistent right away. Maybe your content appears in a ChatGPT answer or shows in a Google AI Overview, but it’ll be hit or miss at first. These early signals usually depend on if your PR coverage is showing up on credible sites that rank well.
Most AI chatbots still use search engines to find what to show. For example, ChatGPT uses Bing. So if your content doesn’t show up well on Bing or Google, it probably won’t show up in chatbot answers either. GEO isn’t something totally separate, but it builds on regular SEO. So the better your content ranks in search, the better chance you have of being found by AI tools too.
What types of media coverage are most valuable for GEO?
GEO prefers media coverage that is easy to trust, read, and reuse. Articles in big media outlets get picked up because they carry a lot of authority which spreads your brand even further. Data-heavy pieces like Research reports, white papers, and thought-leadership articles also work really well since charts, stats, and facts are simple for AI to pull into its answers.
Listicles, like “Top 10 Startups,” are also the type of media coverage that gets also picked up because their simple numbered format makes it easy for AI to lift a brand by name, and a one good list can keep driving mentions for months. FAQ-style interviews and explainers also work because the question-and-answer format lines up with how people ask queries, which makes them more likely to show up in AI snippets.
How is GEO influencing the PR industry?
GEO is making the PR industry more important because it's an extension of SEO that proves PR's strategic value. SEO is about helping a company’s own content rank, but GEO shows that chatbots give more relevance to news outlets than traditional search engines do. For PR teams, this means their work now helps brands get found in even more ways.
Getting featured in a respected article doesn’t only build reputation, but it can also help your brand show up when people search or use tools like ChatGPT. PR has always been about visibility and trust, but GEO makes that work matter even more.
