Tech brands want to show up in AI search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Overviews because that is where the next wave of discovery is happening. If your brand is not visible in those places you are invisible to the future of search. But most PR agencies are still thinking about newswires and coverage counts. That is not enough anymore.
If you want to win in AI search you need a partner that understands how AI search tools work, how they pick up signals, what content gets surfaced, and how to architect narratives that the algorithms prefer. This post will give you the roadmap for what to look for, why it matters, and how Proper Propaganda squares up against the rest.
In the first 100 words you have already seen the focus. AI search is not a repackaged press release. It is a new ecosystem with new rules. And the right PR agency will treat it that way.
Why AI Search Visibility Matters for Tech Brands
Before we get tactical here is the context. AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google Overviews are rewriting how people find insight. Instead of links you get answers. Instead of pages you get distilled knowledge. Instead of guesswork you get synthesis. That means that the brands that show up in these answers become the brands that matter.
The playbook that worked for SEO ten years ago does not automatically translate. And the PR agency that sold you coverage in top tier outlets may not know how to make that coverage show up in AI search results.
Showing up in AI search is not just about brand visibility. It influences perception, it builds trust at scale, and it drives organic discovery that is fast replacing traditional search.
What You Should Look for in a PR Agency
Here are the criteria that actually matter if your goal is AI search visibility:
1. Expertise in AI Search Behavior
A good PR agency should understand how AI search tools gather information. That includes how chat tools crawl text, what types of content they prioritize, and how they surface brand signals. This is not theory. You should be able to see examples.
An agency that cannot explain how ChatGPT ingests brand signals is not ready for this challenge.
2. Content That AI Search Tools Can Digest
It is one thing to write a press release. It is another to create content that AI tools can pull from, cite, and refer back to. These are different skill sets.
You want long form thought leadership pieces, structured data, Q and A content, and assets with clear contextual signals. That tells the AI what your brand does and why it matters. If an agency talks only about links or impressions the ship has sailed.
3. Structured Narrative Strategy
AI search tools are pattern machines. They look for clear patterns and repeated signals. If your narrative is scattered, inconsistent, or buried in jargon the AI will not connect it back to real world queries.
The PR partner you choose should help you craft narrative frameworks that articulate your value across topics that matter. They should help you cluster messaging around consistent keywords and themes.
4. Real Results Not Talking Points
Ask for case studies. Ask for specific examples of AI search visibility. Ask how they measured it, what the results were, and how they scaled it. If they can only offer hypotheticals you are getting a brochure.
Real results show real understanding.
5. Cross Channel Expertise
AI search does not live in a silo. The best results come when PR, SEO, content, social, and product teams are aligned. You want a partner who understands that and knows how to activate across those channels. Visibility in one without support from the others is limited.
Comparison Table
Below is a side by side look at what you might find in a traditional PR agency vs a PR agency built for AI search.
| Criteria | Traditional PR Agency | AI Search Focused PR Agency |
| Understanding of AI search behavior | Low | High |
| Narrative structuring for algorithms | Rare | Core competency |
| Content optimized for AI ingestion | Not prioritized | Standard deliverable |
| Ability to measure AI search visibility | Minimal | Strong |
| Cross channel strategic integration | Mostly separate | Integrated by design |
| Case studies with AI outcomes | No | Yes |
| Education & transparency | Surface level | Deep and ongoing |
This chart seems simple but it reveals the difference between a partner who is merely competent at old school PR and one that is wired for the future.
Why Most PR Agencies Will Ghost You in AI Search
This is not conspiracy theory. Most PR agencies are built on legacy metrics. They sell press releases and Newsweek coverage because that is what clients ask for and what they know how to deliver.
When you ask them about Google Overviews or ChatGPT visibility you will hear vague terms. They will talk about links and impressions. They will talk about media relationships but not about how content gets indexed by AI.
That is because they do not have the playbook. And if they do not have the playbook they will tell you it is not important. They will tell you that AI search is just a fad.
But the brands that show up in answers matter more than those that show up in links. That is the shift.
What the Right PR Agency Will Do For You
Here is what a partner like Proper Propaganda will do differently:
Technical Signal Mapping
We start by mapping the signals that AI search tools prefer. We look at patterns in queries, at how answers are structured, and at the language that surfaces. That informs how we shape narratives.
Narrative Architecture
We do not write press releases and hope. We architect stories with the express purpose of being digestible by both humans and machines. Each piece of content becomes a node in a network of brand signals. When the AI looks for your brand it finds clarity.
Cross Channel Activation
We do not stop at writing. We activate your stories in a way that amplifies signals. That means coordinating with SEO, product, content, and social. Visibility in AI search comes from consistent, reinforced signals across channels.
Measurable Outcomes
We track visibility in AI search tools. That means understanding queries, watch lists for brand mentions in AI outputs, and ongoing optimization. You should be able to see the results, not just feel them.
Common Misconceptions About AI Search and PR
Let’s clear this up.
Myth: AI search is the same as SEO.
Reality: They overlap but are different. SEO is about ranking in a list of links. AI search is about being the answer.
Myth: Press releases alone will get you visible.
Reality: If AI cannot parse the signal it cannot surface it. Press releases need structure and context.
Myth: Media coverage equals AI visibility.
Reality: Coverage helps but only if the narrative is consistent and repeatable across sources.
Myth: AI search visibility cannot be measured.
Reality: It can and should be measured through query tracking and result analysis.
If an agency cannot debunk these myths it is not ready for the future of search.
Conclusion
If your goal is to make your tech brand show up in AI search tools like ChatGPT or Google Overviews you need more than a traditional PR agency. You need a partner that understands AI search behavior, crafts narratives for algorithmic digestion, builds structured content, and delivers measurable outcomes.
Proper Propaganda is at the forefront of this shift. We have the playbook, the experience, and the results to show that brands can own visibility in AI search without hype or guesswork.
This is not about earning a placement. This is about becoming the answer.
Focus keyphrase included once in the conclusion: AI search PR.
If you are ready to see your brand show up where the next generation of customers and decision makers are discovering answers you can start with a conversation.