"Earned media has never been more valuable for generating brand awareness. Much like the rise of search engines in the mid-2000s, generative A.I. is fundamentally changing how people discover information. As with search engine optimization (SEO), generative engine optimization (GEO) calls for a shift in brands' visibility strategies, and in today's no-click search environment, earned media dominates the results. The ubiquity of A.I.-driven search is clear."
"Answers from generative search are overwhelmingly pulled from credible national and industry publications, rather than company-owned web pages. Research indicates that 89 percent of links cited by A.I. originate from earned media sources . In this new landscape, visibility hinges less on what brands publish and far more on what trusted third parties say about them. To position brands for prominence in A.I.-generated answers, communication professionals can start by embracing the following fundamentals."
Generative A.I. is reshaping how audiences find information by surfacing A.I.-generated summaries and reducing clicks to brand sites. A.I. Overviews and similar features place synthesized answers at the top of search results, diminishing the visibility benefits of well-optimized owned content. Generative answers disproportionately cite credible national and industry publications, with research showing the vast majority of links originate from earned media. Brands therefore need a generative engine optimization (GEO) mindset that prioritizes third-party coverage, relationships with trusted publishers, and broader ecosystem presence rather than relying solely on traditional SEO tactics to secure visibility.
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