How can we make sure we're mentioned in AI chat answers?

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That's the billion-dollar question. Traditional search algorithms can be gamed, but AI is trickier to influence. It's often impossible to determine exactly where its answers come from. Despite what some may claim, there is no SEO for AI.

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That said, respected journalism has emerged as a key influencer of AI models. Writing for Semafor, Ben Smith, former media columnist of the New York Times and founding EIC of BuzzFeed News, reported:

The best way to get your client’s message into the output of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and the rest is by talking to journalists. Authoritative publications... shape the results of chatbot queries about a given company far more powerfully than a social media campaign or Reddit thread could. 

 

As AI's influence grows, brands must lean heavily into earned media. It's either that, or sit back and hope for the best.