The credibility of earned media now extends beyond human audiences to the algorithms that shape influence.
In today’s media ecosystem, brands have an array of tools to connect with their audiences: paid advertisements, owned channels, social feeds and more. But as digital noise increases, earned media has quietly reclaimed its position as an authoritative and foundational component of impactful, integrated communications strategies.
At V2 Communications, we believe the real magic happens when paid, owned and earned media work together. Within that mix, earned media delivers something uniquely powerful: credibility. Recent data reveals that not just humans are taking note of earned media; AI is, too.
AI is Reading and Citing Earned Media
A July 2025 MuckRack Study, “What is AI Reading?”, analyzed millions of AI-generated responses across large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. The findings are striking: over 95% of AI’s citations rely on non-paid sources, with 89% attributed to earned media.
These citations aren’t just decorative in AI answers; they fundamentally shape how the responses are crafted. In controlled tests, enabling citations in responses changed not only the sources listed but also the language and crux of the response. In short, editorial coverage is not just referenced; it anchors the narrative.
This is a major shift for communicators in a landscape with growing concerns over whether earned media is losing its value. In contrast, earned stories need to exist and resonate for brands to be visible in a growing, AI-powered world.
“Game-Changing” Impact: Real Stories on High-Reach Earned Media
Beyond how they are interpreted by AI, earned placements still own the opportunity to change the game profoundly for brands. Ben Gilbert, co-host of the Acquired podcast, reflected on this during his time on CNBC’s Squawk Box:
“All media has a job to be done, and I think one thing we learned from having a big piece in The Wall Street Journal last year is…when there’s the right piece in the right publication with massive, massive reach, it’s game-changing. Nothing has ever changed our business the way that The Wall Street Journal piece has.”
V2 has seen earned storytelling drive measurable outcomes beyond strictly visibility and awareness, such as web traffic spikes, SEO lift, investor interest and sales momentum. That performance underscores how rare editorial opportunities still yield outsized influence both in human and algorithmic responses.
Core Principles for Optimized Earned Media
To thrive and be seen by humans and AI, earned media strategies must meet four key principles:
- Relevance: align your stories to trending narratives or cultural moments
- Clarity: craft hooks or pitches that can be captured in a couple of compelling sentences
- Value: offer genuine insight, exclusive data or unique perspectives – give journalists a reason to cite you
- Agility: monitor trends, respond rapidly and anticipate conversations where your brand voice adds authority and a compelling story
While these pillars may fuel your placement in publications, they also increase the likelihood that LLMs will cite and surface your coverage. However, the content’s lifecycle shouldn’t end there. Securing a strong piece of earned coverage is the first step in maximizing impact. The most effective strategies treat earned media as fuel for the broader comms engine.
An earned placement can and should be strategically repackaged and redistributed across owned and paid channels. This can be in the form of turning a featured article into a blog post, social media post or newsletter. It’s also a great opportunity to use the article in a paid targeting campaign on social media focused on prospects, investors or other niche audience segments. Another highly effective tactic is using native display advertising to promote the piece of content across other relevant websites to your targeted user base, ensuring it reaches that audience in a format that feels organic to their reading experience. Not only does this extend the shelf life of the original story, but it also boosts the reach and impact of the content.
Strategic amplification may also enhance content’s discoverability in AI-powered models. When earned media is widely distributed beyond its origin, it can increase traffic, backlinks and longevity – three factors that improve the chances of that content being included in future AI training data and responses.
Revitalized Mandate for PR Pros
We’re in the middle of an earned media renaissance, one that’s reshaping narrative control for organizations of all sizes. At V2, our integrated approach isn’t a buzzword; it’s a strategy grounded in how the world (both human and AI) engages with and interprets brand stories. Earned media remains uniquely powerful because it’s trusted, third-party validated and algorithmically influential.
It’s time to optimize your integrated comms strategy and ensure your earned media and content strategy meets the mark. Interested in learning how V2 can help you elevate your messaging and brand awareness? Reach out to [email protected]. And stay tuned, V2 is diving deeper into this evolving dynamic in our upcoming GEO report, packed with actionable insights on how to craft content that earns media attention and attracts generative machine attention.