How Public Affairs Pros Can Optimize for AI

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how audiences discover and consume information. When your brand is not visible within AI-generated responses, you are forfeiting critical opportunities to shape perception and influence key decision-makers.
Proactive risk management is now equally essential. Daily monitoring enables early identification of emerging reputational threats—often before they reach traditional media channels—allowing organizations to address issues while they are still contained.

ROKK’s AI Visibility Tracker provides organizations with a clear view of how their brand appears in AI-driven search and content platforms. The tool highlights which narratives, sources, and formats are surfacing in AI responses, equipping teams with the insight needed to produce content that aligns with how stakeholders are now searching for information.

In parallel, targeted and strategic paid-media campaigns remain a critical amplifier. By placing high-value content on premium platforms, brands can reinforce their digital footprint and strengthen overall visibility in an increasingly AI-mediated information environment.

Best Practices for Influencing AI Search

Earned Media: According to a Muck Rack study, over 95% of the links cited in AI responses come from non-paid sources, and 85% of those are earned media. AI models rely on trust and credibility. This means that brands need to show up more on high-ranking sites for AI (i.e., Forbes, Axios, etc.) to improve brand citation in high-authority sources. 

Keyword Visibility: Understand which keywords are being searched most around your industry and optimize your website for citations and authority. Write a thought leadership article on the topic that is being cited most on your blog or add a section on your website that calls this topic out.

Utilizing Reddit: Reddit is a frequent platform for AI citations. Insert your brand in positive conversations to boost reputation and positive associations.

Structured Format: Adjust content to align with how large language models (LLMs) crawl and synthesize information, including structured and bulleted lists, known commonly as a “listicle.” Additionally, clear headings that describe content hierarchy and original research and data can boost LLM visibility.

Regular Updates: Update content regularly to maintain AI visibility. AI favors content from the past two to three months.

Website Accessibility: Make sure your website is crawlable by AI. Check robots.txt to ensure AI crawlers aren’t blocked.

AI Visibility Tracking: Leverage ROKK’s AI audit tool to regularly monitor your brand and competitors to track emerging narratives and reputational risks to evaluate and optimize results.

Paid Media’s Value for AI

A key component of influencing AI search results is having as much quality content on the open-web as possible. We recommend a comprehensive paid media approach that reaches your target audience as consistently as possible.

Paid Social: Today, social media platform use is heavily centered around news, advocacy and sharing information, with only a small portion of most users’ experience on social media connecting with family and friends. Nearly everyone in the country uses Meta platforms, but D.C. policy influencers overindex for the use of LinkedIn and X compared to the average American. This makes these platforms powerful tools for advertisers to persuade and engage in Washington. 

Paid Search: Google Search ads provide factual information at the top of the page when users search for information. When users are seeking information around your brand or issue area, this is an opportunity to serve relevant, correct and trusted information where it is most visible.

Programmatic Display/Native: Display and native advertisements can be placed across the internet and targeted to niche audiences. Programmatic display placements find your audience wherever they are online rather than choosing a specific news site or paper. And, D.C.-centric and local news sites can be effective in the Washington media market, specifically.Sponsored Content: By partnering with a trusted media partner, such as Axios or Forbes that rank high in AI search results, you can develop custom, sponsored content that will live on their respective sites and provide additional information for AI search engines to scrape.