How to Build Authority That AI Tools Trust
You need to do more than just optimise content to feature in AI searches - it requires a strategic digital positioning of your brand. As generative AI reshapes visibility, establishing authority through third-party validation has become a cornerstone of effective LEO (Language Engine Optimisation).
In LEOPRD’s Reputation to Revenue report we demonstrate that LLMs (Large Language Models) ‘read’ brands differently. It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach for each platform, your brand needs a tailored approach to be visible across the AI ecosystem:
- ChatGPT: The most well-known generative AI platform prioritises editorial coverage, awards and conversation-defining thought leadership. Brands must maintain a strong PR presence in top-tier media organisations - such as the Australian Financial Review and Forbes.
- Perplexity Sonar: Featuring here requires recency factors, customer reviews and sentiment. Encouraging positive and timely feedback on sites such as G2, TrustPilot and Reddit will increase visibility on the platform.
- Copilot: Microsoft’s LLM favours well-structured content, combined with owned media and Wikipedia coverage. Ensuring your website is packed with FAQs and clean metadata as well as company profiles matters to Copilot.
- Gemini: This platform looks for academic reports, industry rankings and evidence-backed data. A strategy that concentrates on promoting your proprietary research and partnering with institutions will drive visibility.
Getting coverage in trusted sources
As mentioned above, over 60% of AI brand citations come from earned media. For larger companies, AI visibility is built on years of accumulated reputation signals.
For instance, Unicorns such as Canva and Culture AMP benefit from strong LLM visibility through:
- Legacy PR campaigns: Coverage from reputable media outlets will help to build citations in AI models over time and create content that LLMs will surface long after the initial campaign has ended.
- Major industry awards: A nomination is enough to lend your brand credibility. Being shortlisted can mean media coverage and increased visibility. AI models will see the recognition as a reason to associate your brand as a leading voice in your industry.
- Established media relationships: Consistently engaging with journalists and media outlets helps build strong, mutually beneficial relationships. This ongoing visibility can lead to features in expert roundups and thought leadership content. As AI tools prioritise reputable sources, appearing in trusted media boosts your chances of being referenced in responses to relevant prompts.
- Founder recognition: Becoming a recognised and trusted industry voice elevates both your personal and company’s brand. This increases the chances of both a founder and their business being featured in AI-generated recommendations, summaries, or comparisons.
Consistency across mentions matters. When your brand repeatedly appears within the same topics, such as innovation, reliability, or expertise, AI systems learn to associate you with these qualities. This makes it more likely you will appear in their search results.
Encourage detailed customer reviews
84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, making customer feedback essential for AI visibility. AI tools such as Perplexity Sonar now scan reviews for representative sentiments and specific language patterns.
When media coverage is difficult to generate, smaller companies can focus on social proof to feature on AI tools. Growing companies like Hampr and Nexl have seen success through:
Customer reviews
With AI tools trained to detect patterns in consumer sentiment, positive reviews are vital. You can generate more feedback by engaging customers at peak satisfaction moments - think post-purchase emails or after successful customer support (for instance). By directing consumers to structured platforms such as G2 or Trustpilot or asking for Google reviews, you can generate easily crawlable data.
Content marketing
A well-structured blog will help your brand to build a content trail that AI can easily follow. You can create topic clusters, which consist of a core blog or ‘pillar page’ with supporting content around it. This demonstrates expertise and builds the trust of AI tools. Adding structured data in the form of a schema markup also helps search engines to understand, categorise and display your content in a more digestible way.
Thought leadership
It takes time to build a reputation as a named expert or credible source, but brands can start small. Begin by speaking on webinars or panels, which are often transcribed or mentioned in trade media. Partnering with PR firms to pitch your insights through quotes or op-ed articles will also get you cited, shared and ranked.
Targeted industry media
Gaining topical authority comes from earned media in trusted outlets. It builds credibility with the major AI tools. Journalists love being offered access to research that offers unique insight on data or trends within your industry.
There’s a huge opportunity for startups and scaleups to increase their visibility and authority through earned media placements. Even something as simple as being consistent with your language patterns so AI learns and recognises your expertise is a great place to start. Combine this with proactive PR efforts and a push for customer reviews will ensure coverage across the major AI platforms and enhance trust for human customers too.
