Paid Does Not Equal Ineffective

"In practice, I see a growing disconnect between that belief and how visibility is actually formed today. According to recent McKinsey research, 44 percent of consumers prefer AI-powered answers to inform their purchasing journeys. As this trend continues growing, companies not investing in their AI visibility may soon be at a disadvantage. Fear of paid content may limit brand growth Brands often avoid paid placements"

"because they assume a negative outcome. As a result, entire channels are ruled out before anyone asks a more practical question: What do we actually need to do to achieve our goals? That fear of using sponsored content has a cost. While companies wait for the "right" earned opportunity, their presence in the information space remains thin. Earned media is valuable, but it is slow and largely"

"outside the brand's control. In fast-moving markets, silence creates gaps quickly filled by competitors who are less concerned with labels and more focused on being present. What makes this especially risky today is that visibility is no longer built only when a journalist decides to publish the company's content. It is shaped continuously, as AI systems absorb information from authoritative"

Most surveys show 40–60 percent of people trust earned or organic content, varying by country. Forty-four percent of consumers prefer AI-powered answers to inform purchasing journeys, increasing the importance of AI visibility. Many brands avoid paid placements due to assumed distrust, which rules out channels before practical goal-setting. Reliance exclusively on earned media leaves brand presence thin, because earned coverage is slow and largely outside brand control. AI systems continuously absorb information from authoritative sources, shaping visibility beyond journalist-published content. High-quality sponsored content that answers real questions, adds context, and explains clearly can engage both humans and AI, making paid placements effective.

Read at Inc