What Is Digital PR and How Does It Build Authority in AI Search?

Send us Fan Mail📬 Love the podcast? You’ll love the newsletter. Get the weekly 3-2-1 on AI search + marketing: SubscribeWhy does digital PR matter more now than it did five years ago? Because modern PR isn’t about press releases or volume—it’s about authority, credibility, and human expertise, which are the exact signals AI systems rely on when deciding what to surface, cite, and recommend in generated answers.In this episode of Found in AI, Cassie is joined by Kelly Jura, Head of Product and User Experience at QWOTED, to break down what digital PR actually looks like in 2026 and how earned media plays a critical role in AI search visibility.Rather than treating PR as a one-off tactic, this episode explores how earned media compounds—building trust signals that benefit search, AI answers, and long-term brand visibility.In this episode, you’ll learn:What “digital PR” really means today—and how it’s changedWhy authority, trust, and consistency matter more than backlinks aloneHow journalists actually decide who to quote (and who to ignore)Whether you need a PR agency—or can do this yourselfWhat makes a source credible enough for earned media mentionsWhy fully built profiles matter for matching and visibilityThe biggest mistakes founders and brands make when pitching journalistsHow AI systems mirror journalistic trust signalsWhy being quotable is more important than being availableHow earned media influences AI citations and recommendationsWhy promoting your mentions matters just as much as earning themHow digital PR compounds over time, even when pitches don’t convert immediatelyIf you're listening to this and thinking I need someone to lead this for me, that's what I do.I'm an AI search visibility consultant and a fractional content strategist for startups and enterprise brands. If that sounds like the kind of help you're looking for, email me at [email protected]. Or request your 7-Day AI Search Visibility Audit: https://cassieclarkmarketing.com/ai-search-visibility-audit/Let’s connect:LinkedIn → Cassie Clark | AI Search Visibility ConsultantWebsite → https://cassieclarkmarketing.com