Search has always been about visibility, but the rules are changing. With AI-powered search engines like Google’s AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, discovery is shifting from keyword lists to curated answers. Instead of showing dozens of results, these systems summarize and cite only a few trusted sources.
For brands, this shift brings both opportunity and challenge. If you’re seen as credible, AI will feature you more often. That’s where digital PR comes in. Beyond traditional PR or SEO, it builds the trust signals people and AI use to decide which brands deserve attention.
In this article, Search Studio team will explain what digital PR is, its impact on AI search, and strategies for building lasting brand authority.
What is Digital PR?
Digital PR (digital public relations) is the practice of managing and improving a brand’s online presence through media coverage, influencer collaboration, and strategic outreach. Unlike traditional PR, which focuses on newspapers, magazines, and broadcast, digital PR is rooted in the online world: websites, news portals, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, and social media.
Key elements of digital PR include:
- Press Releases: Writing and distributing newsworthy updates to media outlets.
- Media Outreach: Pitching stories to online journalists and editors.
- Link Building: Earning backlinks from reputable sources to improve SEO.
- Brand Mentions: Securing citations and mentions across authoritative digital platforms.
- Thought Leadership: Publishing expert insights on respected industry sites.
At its core, digital PR is about visibility and trust. It ensures your brand is not only found online but also seen as credible and authoritative by both people and search algorithms.
AI and Brand Discovery: How Search Has Changed?
According to Search Engine Land (2025), the number of zero-click searches on Google continues to rise, while organic clicks are steadily declining. In the U.S., only 40.3% of searches in March 2025 down from 44.2% the previous year, while zero-click searches climbed to 27.2% from 24.4%. A similar trend is happening in the EU and UK, where zero-click searches reached 26.1%, up from 23.6% a year earlier.
This trend reflects how people increasingly find answers directly on search result pages through snippets, knowledge panels, or AI-generated overviews rather than clicking through to websites. Here’s how AI is changing search behavior:
1. From Keywords to Conversations
Searches are no longer just short keywords like “best AI software tools.” Today, a user might ask: “What are the most reliable AI tools for small businesses starting in 2025?” AI search engines respond by providing direct, curated answers, often citing only a few sources.
2. AI Overviews and Direct Answers
Google’s AI Overviews are an example of how search has become more selective. Instead of showing ten links, the AI provides a summarized answer with citations from a handful of sources. Brands that want to appear here must have consistent recognition in trusted media.
3. The Rise of Zero-Click Search
The increase in zero-click searches signals a new challenge. Users are less likely to land on your website. To stay in front of audiences, brands need to be the ones cited in AI summaries and instant results.
The key point is that authority drives visibility in the AI era. Digital PR builds the recognition and trust your brand needs to be one of the names AI search engines choose to highlight.
Why Digital PR is Key to Brand Authority in AI Search?
Brand authority has always been important, but with AI search it has become absolutely critical. According to Digitaloft’s insights (2025) , AI search engines increasingly highlight only a handful of trusted sources, making digital PR essential for authority and visibility.
See why digital PR is essential to gaining authority and recognition in AI search:
1. Building Trust Signals AI Understands
Every mention in a high-authority publication, every backlink from a respected outlet, and every positive feature builds a trust signal. These signals accumulate and help AI evaluate whether your brand should be recommended to users.
2. Strengthening E-E-A-T
Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework guides both traditional search and AI discovery. Digital PR reinforces it by showcasing expertise, positioning you as an authority, and building trustworthy narratives that strengthen your online presence.
3. Establishing Reputation and Perception
AI search engines also analyze sentiment and consistency. Digital PR ensures that when people read about your brand online, the message is clear, positive, and aligned with your values. This consistency helps AI categorize your brand as a reliable source.
4. Expanding Brand Mentions Across Platforms
AI search engines scan not only major publications but also niche websites, forums, and community platforms. Digital PR ensures your brand is consistently mentioned across diverse, trusted channels, signaling to AI that your presence is both widespread and credible.
4 Digital PR Strategies to Build Authority in AI
Digital PR works as a collection of interconnected strategies, each adding to your brand’s credibility. By following these steps, you can position your brand as a trusted source for AI.
1. Thought Leadership Development
One of the most effective ways to build authority is by positioning your brand or executives as thought leaders. Sharing expert insights, research, and data-driven perspectives makes your brand stand out, while AI recognizes repeated mentions as signals of credibility.
2. Strategic Media Relations
Building relationships with journalists and digital publications gives your brand a voice in trusted outlets. By focusing on respected sources in your industry or region, each feature signals authority to both readers and AI algorithms.
3. Content-Driven Authority Building
High-quality content is the core of digital PR. Reports, guides, interviews, and case studies position your brand as a trusted source. Content that answers real questions or shares unique insights attracts media coverage and AI citations, building a lasting signal of reliability and relevance.
4. Community and Influencer Engagement
Engaging in online communities, forums, and influencer partnerships builds an extra layer of trust. When respected voices back your brand, credibility grows. AI also scans social platforms and community content, where authority is reinforced through conversations and endorsements.
Measuring the Impact of Digital PR in AI Search
For digital PR to be effective, it must be measurable. In the age of AI, this means going beyond traditional PR metrics to include new indicators of authority. Here’s a breakdown of the key ways to measure Digital PR in AI search:
1. Tracking Mentions in AI Summaries
One of the clearest measures is whether your brand appears in AI Overviews or is cited by AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT or Perplexity. These mentions demonstrate that AI systems are recognizing your authority.
2. Monitoring Share of Voice
Share of voice in AI-driven search shows how often your brand is mentioned compared to competitors. Tracking this metric reveals whether your digital PR efforts are giving you an edge in visibility.
3. Evaluating Reputation Signals
Media sentiment, the quality of coverage, and how your brand is positioned in conversations all contribute to reputation. Monitoring these factors helps measure whether digital PR is strengthening trust.
4. SEO Performance Indicators
Backlinks, referral traffic, and organic rankings remain important because they show how digital PR-driven mentions improve SEO visibility. These indicators provide proof that digital PR not only builds authority but also supports tangible business outcomes.
Digital PR: The Key to Long-Term Brand Authority 🚀
As AI changes the way people discover and trust information, digital PR is the bridge between reputation, authority, and search visibility. Brands that consistently secure media coverage, expert mentions, and thought leadership will be rewarded, not only by users but by AI recommending them as trusted sources.
For businesses in Thailand and beyond, choosing the right partner makes all the difference. With over 10 years of experience, Search Studio is a leading SEO agency offering tailored digital PR services that strengthen credibility, increase visibility, and build long-term online reputation in the age of AI. Ready to drive AI-powered growth for your brand? Contact us today for a free consultation.
