What if the future of brand discovery isn’t about ranking on page one of a search engine, but being the answer an AI tool delivers in a split second? In 2025, this isn’t a hypothetical. With platforms like Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT dominating how people seek information, users aren’t clicking through links—they’re consuming instant summaries. This seismic shift challenges marketers to rethink visibility in a world where algorithms decide what’s relevant. The solution lies in an often-underutilized framework: the PESO model, blending paid, earned, shared, and owned media to secure a spot in AI-driven responses.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. As generative search tools pull from vast digital ecosystems to craft answers, brands that fail to adapt risk disappearing from the conversation entirely. Traditional SEO tactics alone no longer cut it. Visibility now hinges on how consistently and credibly a brand appears across multiple channels. This narrative explores why PESO has emerged as a critical strategy for navigating AI search landscapes, offering a roadmap to ensure a brand isn’t just seen, but prioritized by intelligent systems shaping modern discovery.
The AI Search Revolution: Why Old Tactics Fall Short
Generative search has flipped the script on how information is accessed. Unlike the days when a top Google ranking guaranteed eyeballs, today’s AI tools like Perplexity and Claude synthesize data from diverse sources—news, forums, and beyond—to provide direct answers. This means a brand’s presence must extend far beyond its website. Algorithms prioritize context, authority, and relevance over mere keyword density, creating a complex battlefield for marketers aiming to stand out.
Moreover, the shift in user behavior adds another layer of urgency. People increasingly trust AI summaries over scrolling through endless results, expecting quick, reliable insights. For brands, this translates to a pressing need: to be the source AI deems trustworthy enough to cite. Without a strategy that addresses this multi-dimensional challenge, even well-established names can fade into digital obscurity.
Unpacking PESO: A Framework for AI Visibility
Enter the PESO model, a versatile approach that integrates paid, earned, shared, and owned media to amplify a brand’s digital footprint. Each element serves a unique purpose in signaling credibility to AI systems, ensuring that a brand’s narrative is picked up and presented in summaries. This framework isn’t just about casting a wide net; it’s about creating a cohesive presence that resonates with the way generative tools evaluate information.
Think of PESO as a symphony where every instrument must play in harmony. Paid media fuels reach, earned media builds trust, shared media drives relevance, and owned media provides a solid foundation. When orchestrated effectively, these components create a powerful signal that AI cannot ignore. The following sections break down how each piece contributes to cutting through the noise of AI-driven search.
Paid MediInvesting in Influence
Paid media may not directly appear in AI-generated answers, but its impact is far from negligible. Strategic campaigns, such as sponsored content in reputable publications, drive traffic to key assets while boosting engagement metrics that algorithms notice. A targeted ad pushing a thought leadership piece, for instance, can elevate a brand’s perceived authority when paired with other efforts.
This indirect influence is where paid media shines. By amplifying content that aligns with audience needs, it sets the stage for other PESO elements to build on that momentum. The investment isn’t just about impressions; it’s about positioning a brand as a player worth noticing in the crowded digital space, subtly nudging AI systems to take note through increased visibility and interaction.
Earned MediThe Credibility Cornerstone
When it comes to AI citations, earned media reigns supreme, with studies showing up to 89% of references in summaries originating from this channel. Data from industry reports highlights a fascinating trend: despite a 41% drop in overall media mentions from 2024 to 2025, brand reach still grew by 10%. This suggests AI values depth over volume, often favoring niche trade publications or in-depth analyses over fleeting viral hits.
Substance is the name of the game here. Thought leadership, particularly original research, gets surfaced in 26% of AI responses for executive-level queries. A cybersecurity company, for example, found its whitepaper cited repeatedly in AI tools after securing coverage in a specialized journal. This proves that credible, well-researched content can outweigh social buzz, with only 4% of citations stemming from platforms like X or Instagram.
Shared MediShaping Relevance Through Conversations
Shared media, encompassing discussions on platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit, operates in a more subtle yet vital capacity. While rarely quoted directly in AI summaries, these interactions train algorithms on what’s topical and resonant with audiences. A brand actively debated in industry-specific Slack channels or forums gains contextual weight, influencing how AI perceives its significance.
This dynamic underscores the power of community engagement. Even if a LinkedIn thread isn’t cited verbatim, the buzz it generates can nudge AI systems to associate a brand with trending issues. Shared media acts as a cultural pulse, ensuring that a brand remains part of the broader conversation, even in indirect ways.
Owned MediBuilding an AI-Friendly Foundation
Owned media, primarily a brand’s website and content hubs, remains the bedrock of visibility—but only if optimized for AI consumption. Structured data, schema markup, and formats like question-answer pages make content easily digestible for generative tools. Blogs that tackle common user queries, for instance, are far more likely to be pulled into summaries than generic corporate updates.
This isn’t merely about technical tweaks; it’s about intent. Content must anticipate what users ask AI platforms and deliver clear, authoritative answers. A tech firm revamped its blog to address specific pain points with detailed guides, resulting in frequent mentions in Google AI Overviews. Owned media, when done right, becomes the anchor that ties all PESO efforts together, ensuring accessibility and relevance.
Real Impact: PESO in Action
The tangible benefits of a unified PESO strategy are evident in real-world outcomes. Industry data reveals that AI platforms consistently prioritize recent, credible content, with thought leadership and owned whitepapers among the most cited sources for high-level queries. A cybersecurity client’s story illustrates this perfectly: after securing earned media coverage in a trade outlet, amplifying it through LinkedIn discussions, and reinforcing it with owned blog content, the brand appeared in AI summaries for related topics within weeks.
Experts in digital marketing echo this observation, noting that consistency across channels creates a compounding effect. When PESO elements reinforce each other, they send a clear signal to AI systems that a brand is a definitive authority. This cross-pollination isn’t just beneficial—it’s often the difference between being featured or forgotten in the generative search landscape.
Looking Ahead: Harnessing PESO for Future Success
Reflecting on these insights, it became clear that brands had to act decisively to adapt to the AI-driven search paradigm. PESO offered a proven pathway, enabling marketers to build visibility through integrated media efforts. By mapping audience queries to content across all channels, reinforcing messages with consistency, and auditing for trust signals, companies started to see their names surface in AI summaries with greater frequency.
The journey didn’t end there, though. Continuous monitoring of how content appeared in generative tools allowed for fine-tuning strategies over time. As algorithms evolved, so did the need to prioritize recency and relevance in every piece of content. Brands that embraced PESO as a dynamic, ongoing framework found themselves not just visible, but influential in shaping the narratives AI delivered to users. Moving forward, the focus shifted to innovating within this model, ensuring that every paid ad, earned mention, shared discussion, and owned asset worked in tandem to secure a lasting digital presence.
