AEO Strategy: How Earned Media Dictates AI Search Recommendations
nikvassev · x · 2026-08-06
The author argues that brands currently dominating AI search results (like ChatGPT and Perplexity) got there through earned media, not ad spend.
Key insights:
- The Limits of Paid Media: Ads disappear once you stop paying, and AI models generally ignore them along with social media feeds.
- The Compounding Effect of PR: Content published in credible outlets is treated as an authoritative source by AI, compounding in value every time a user asks a relevant question.
- The Invisibility Problem: If your product hasn't been written about in places AI can index, it essentially doesn't exist in the AI's worldview, regardless of its quality.
Related event: AI Search Reshapes Brand Visibility: PR Over Ads(3 posts)→
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