As AI continues to transform online search, the need for financial service brands to adapt their digital strategies is more urgent than ever. We recently hosted a webinar titled “How to Drive Better AI Search Results Using Digital PR”, led by Balance co-founder, Alex Murphy and Digital PR specialist Emma Hull. The session explored how brands can maintain visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search landscape by leveraging the power of digital PR.
Watch it here, or read the rest of this article to unpack our findings and suggestions.
The rise of AI in search
We are seeing a shift we’re seeing in search behaviour. AI-generated answers are beginning to dominate search engine results pages (SERPs), and by 2026, traditional search activity is expected to decline by 25%. As users increasingly engage with AI-generated snippets, like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) or Microsoft’s Bing AI. Brands that fail to appear in those summaries risk losing visibility.
AI summarises and presents answers using data pulled from multiple sources. This means brands need to focus not just on ranking in traditional results but also on being mentioned in the sources that AI draws from.
Where traditional and AI search differ
To better understand this shift, we partnered with Similarweb to compare traditional and AI-generated search results. You can watch that talk by clicking here.
Many top-performing websites in classic search didn’t appear in AI summaries at all, suggesting a growing disconnect and a new opportunity. This gap highlights the importance of being cited by authoritative websites. AI pulls from trusted sources. If your brand isn’t being mentioned in those, you’ll be invisible in AI-driven search.
Why backlinks still matter
Despite AI’s rise, one thing remains clear: backlinks still play a fundamental role. The PR team at Balance believe that high-quality, relevant backlinks are a strong indicator of trustworthiness and authority. These remain just as critical for visibility in AI results as they are for traditional SEO.
Backlinks from reputable media and niche industry sites are particularly valuable. These are the kinds of sources AI models tend to trust and prioritise when generating answers.
Practical Digital PR Strategies
So, how can brands improve their chances of being mentioned in AI-generated content?
- Use media databases to build targeted journalist lists.
- Monitor news trends daily to spot timely PR opportunities.
- Offer exclusive content to publications, increasing your chances of getting high-value mentions.
- Create data-driven stories or expert commentary that naturally attract backlinks.
These efforts, when part of a consistent strategy, can significantly increase your brand’s visibility, not just in search engines but in the AI tools that are becoming gatekeepers to online information.
Next steps
To capitalise on this evolving landscape, we’ve outlined several action points for the Balance team and our clients:
- Conduct an audit of current AI search visibility to identify gaps.
- Refine our outreach strategy using journalist databases.
- Prioritise high-authority backlinks as part of our SEO efforts.
- Keep an eye on emerging AI search behaviours and adapt accordingly.
AI is reshaping how users find and interact with information, and brands must respond proactively. Digital PR is no longer just about awareness; it’s about ensuring your brand is part of the datasets AI relies on.
As we continue to explore this topic in future sessions, one thing is certain: staying visible in an AI-first world starts with smart, strategic digital PR. If you need support with getting your brand in more AI results, please get in touch here.
