Because we might be close to an extinction event
In PR and marketing, we are experiencing something akin to the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction event that took out the dinosaurs.
For years, the playbook was simple: optimize for Google, chase those blue links and (hopefully) watch the traffic roll in. Then came generative AI.
Now, Google’s search market share has dropped below 90% for the first time since 2015, and AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are fundamentally changing how people find and consume information.
Navigating this requires a fundamental rethink of media strategy.
A traffic apocalypse for publishers
Traffic from conventional search to large media websites is having a tough go. The numbers tell a brutal story. HuffPost’s traffic from organic search has dropped by more than 50% in three years. Business Insider saw a 55% decline in the same period. The Atlantic’s CEO told employees to assume traffic from Google will eventually hit zero. How bad are things getting for publishers? Have a look at the image below if you don’t believe me.
Why? Because AI search works differently than those pages of blue links. When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question, they often get their answer right there with no further clicking required. Research shows that AI Overviews correlate with a 34.5% drop in click-through rates for top-ranking pages.
It sounds bad, but there is nuance to this.
A new authority economy
AI systems evaluate authority through patterns of credibility signals across multiple sources.
This creates a fascinating paradox. While fewer people click through to read full articles, 80% of news mentions in Google’s AI Overviews come from just 10 media properties. The concentration of influence has intensified, making earned media placements in authoritative outlets more valuable than ever.
Interestingly, not all media outlets carry equal weight in AI systems. Some major publications, such as CNN or the NY Times, block AI crawlers, others, such as Ziff Davis, are suing the big AI companies, or haven’t struck licensing deals with them. These big outlets now find their influence diminished in this new ecosystem. Meanwhile, platforms like Reddit—once considered secondary for brand reputation—now play outsized roles because AI systems actively prioritize community-driven content and because they have deals signed with big platforms.
Three shifts for CMOs
We see three big prescriptions on the horizon for consumer tech CMOs and their PR programs
First, target the sources that AI systems read. Different AI engines have different preferences. ChatGPT heavily favors Wikipedia and established news organizations, while Gemini and Perplexity give more weight to community platforms and discussion forums like Reddit. Your media strategy needs to account for these algorithmic preferences. This does not mean the NY Times is not valuable, but rather that you should understand what aligns with showing up right in generative search engines if that is your goal.
Second, prioritize getting quoted, not just mentioned. AI systems appear to view direct quotes in media as stronger authority signals than simple brand mentions. When your executives are quoted as experts in third-party articles, AI engines interpret this as validation of their expertise and your company’s credibility.
Third, maintain absolute message consistency across all channels. AI systems analyze patterns across multiple sources to build their understanding of a brand. If messaging varies significantly between different outlets or channels, AI will struggle to develop a coherent narrative about a company. Inconsistent signals can dilute authority or, worse, create confusion about what your company actually does.
Measurement, a new way
Impressions, reach, and even website traffic don’t tell the complete story anymore. The new metrics that matter are harder to track. How often does your content appear in AI-generated responses? How accurately do AI systems represent your brand and offerings? How does your company rank when people ask AI systems about your industry or use cases?
These questions require new tools and new thinking. Smart CMOs are already experimenting with AI search optimization platforms that monitor brand visibility across different AI systems and track how messaging evolves through algorithmic interpretation.
The bottom line
Companies that continue optimizing solely for traditional search while ignoring AI systems will find themselves invisible in the channels where their customers increasingly go for information.
Traffic was once a formidable king. Now trust is the ascendant future ruler. Earned media in the right places, signal coherence and curated thought leadership programs are critical pieces in this new world.