Why earned media is critical for LLM visibility

Earned media- defined as any coverage, mentions or media attention not directly paid for or controlled by your business - remains one of the most powerful signals for Large Language Models (LLMs) when it comes to understanding and ranking businesses. Unlike traditional search engines that rely heavily on keywords and backlinks, LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity build their knowledge from trusted, high authority sources.

Ensuring your content is seen by LLMs

So what are these trusted sources? Well, as we covered in a recent blog, it’s anything that is accurate, well-structured, and human curated – so reputable news outlets, analyst research, and/or technical documentation all fall into this category. So long as content is clear, reliable and informative, it’s more likely to be used by LLMs. Of course, the weighting of these requirements will vary on your AI platform of choice.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that – according to Muck Rack – approximately 99% of links currently cited by AI tools and LLMs are from non-paid sources. Specifically, 82-84% of these come especially from earned media, including third-party coverage, analysis and commentary pieces. This is why a good PR agency is still essential today, as journalists and outlets will only accept stories that are timely, relevant and well framed – and a strong PR team will know how to craft, package and pitch your stories in a way that will get editors to cover them.

This research also reflects how AI systems are increasingly gravitate toward material that appears organically across the web, is referenced by multiple, non-syndicated outlets, and contributes to wider industry trends. By cross-linking content and tying into discussions, it’s more likely that these pieces of content will show up frequently within the digital ecosystem that AI models learn and pull information from.

The viability of paid media

For some, it may be interesting that paid placements rarely meet the criteria prioritised by LLMs. In fact, only 0.3% of this content is considered a trusted source. This often due to the fact that paid pieces can lack the independent verification or organic linking patterns that are considered quality signals. In lesser publications, these placements can often be templated, lightly edited and duplicated across syndication networks, which doesn’t help!

By contrast, earned media carries third-party validation and stronger information density. They also benefit from editorial oversight, since an editor must approve the content before publication. Beyond AI visibility, its also a more credible format to consumers, with 92% of buyers trusting earned media over any form of advertising.

That’s not to say paid opportunities no longer matter, especially since they can open the door for coverage in hard-to-reach or more exclusive publications. Guaranteed space, message control and speed is something pitching for earned media can’t always deliver, and they’re still value for general amplification and reinforcing messaging. However, in terms of AI authority or visibility, these placements can’t be considered a primary source.

The case for owned media

Owned media also remains an essential element when it comes to AI visibility. About 25-27% of citations come from journalistic sources, and credible, well-sourced blogs from companies still track within these LLMs as they’re considered high authority sources.

It’s also important that previously created content is kept up-to-date too. LLMs favour relevant information, prioritising recent materials than long-existing pieces. According to Muck Rack, 56% of journalistic sources cite content published in the last 11 months, so a proactive approach to content creation is essential – providing it remains educational and well-sourced.

A roadmap to AI visibility

Muck Rack’s findings demonstrate the value of consistent, high quality visibility in order for businesses to present themselves as credible players within their respective markets. However, knowing this is one thing – actioning them is another.

Thankfully, our OSCAR service transforms these insights into a measurable, effective B2B PR strategy for our clients. With the research indicating that the majority of AI citations originate from non-paid earned media, our OSCAR reports will help you discover which journalists and outlets to prioritise when it comes to placement, rather than paying through the nose for content that doesn’t track in LLMs.

OSCAR also addresses the practical challenge most businesses face: understanding why certain stories land, and how to sustain that visibility over time. Beyond recommendations, the report provides a timeline of reshaping content in line with LLM priorities. Consequently, businesses are given a clear, data-driven roadmap for earning the kind of coverage that shapes both human perception, and AI discovery.