Authentic thought leadership is rising in importance.
Ever since Muck Rack released its initial study last fall about what AI is reading, PR professionals have been buzzing about the opportunities for media relations.
A key takeaway from Muck Rack’s research is that AI engines are digging deeper than keywords. The models give added weight to authoritative sources, especially third-party and journalistic content.
In May, Muck Rack updated its research, and the trend remained constant: 27% of AI citations are from journalistic content, 24% are third-party corporate blogs and content (not owned by your brand), and 13.7% are owned media (your own blog and website).
It’s great news for marketers and their brands. By dialing up your thought leadership programs and working closely with PR, you can have significant sway in how and when you’re cited by AI.
Since we’re in the business of developing thought leadership strategies, programs, and content here at Version A, the growing importance of earned media content caught our attention. We’ve worked with numerous clients to create and deliver authentic content that journalists love.
Here are a few strategies we’ve found to be successful in getting your messages placed in the media or published on a partner or customer’s website.
4 Strategies to Amplify Thought Leadership
1. Trend stories. The beating heart of thought leadership is…DRUM ROLL…the future of your industry. As it turns out, it’s great for GEO too.
When people ask AI about industry trends, the engines turn to journalism sources and press releases. That makes sense because the engine is looking for what’s new and current. Focus on articulating a strong point of view and increasing media relations efforts to place byline articles.
Identify two to three spokespeople, the key industry themes you should discuss, and build out the macro- to micro- story. For instance, 30 years ago, globalization was driving corporate decision making and the internet was remaking commerce. Today, maybe the macro trend is about how globalization is being deconstructed and AI is usurping the internet. Be sure to explain how your solution will future proof your customers.
2. Trade publication strategy. Every executive, startup, and entrepreneur wants to see their brand in The Wall Street Journal or be interviewed on TV. Those are lofty goals, and they don’t happen overnight. If your organization is young or not listed on the stock exchange, a better, faster approach is a trade media strategy.
We’ve seen clients leverage trade publications with great success. One particularly successful approach is to build an editorial calendar based on your company news and launches, then cross-reference with current trends and trade publications’ editorial calendars.
Set themes for each quarter, then pitch publications with a short synopsis of a byline. Be aggressive and target trades for each of your audiences and across all the regions in which you operate.
3. Amplify media outreach with owned content. AI has created a major shift in the way marketing and PR teams operate. Traditionally, there has been little overlap and interaction, even when PR reports to the CMO.
Our most successful clients have integrated PR and marketing strategies. Content serves multiple purposes. For example, survey findings are pitched to the media and also used to develop ebooks and blogs. This approach generates both media interest and website traffic.
It’s also a good lesson to carry over into the age of AI. More than ever, PR and marketing need to collaborate. Company news, thought leadership, and press releases all need to be supported by content marketing.
Let’s say your CEO is speaking at a conference. Amplify their thought leadership by placing a byline with a major trade publication, support talking points with survey data in a press release, create an ebook for distribution, and share video snippets through social media. This level of coordination will generate earned media. Combined with your owned content, you can just about ensure higher LLM visibility.
4. Focus on currency. Not to state the obvious, but I will: Being a thought leader means being ahead of the trends. The more your spokespeople talk and write about the latest trends, the more likely you’ll find AI will pick up your brand’s point of view.
Most marketing and PR teams are already executing on these tactics. The difference here is that marketing and PR must collaborate on strategy and coordinate their efforts. It’s also important to execute this approach at scale and do so with authentic content. If you need our help for either strategy or production, contact us today.
