There’s a moment in every campaign where the story clicks. For this one, it was a simple human truth: homeowners miss the early signs of damp, and it costs them. We turned that into a newsworthy hook, paired it with an expert voice and watched it travel.
This is how a single Digital PR campaign lifted brand authority and visibility across AI search. No gimmicks. Just smart storycraft, tidy execution and relentless follow-up.
The brief in one line
Use Digital PR to build authority, earn quality links and increase the brand’s presence inside AI answers. That is Generative Engine Optimisation in practice.
The story we told
We built a feature around early property risk signals with a clear consumer angle. Think: “spot this before it gets expensive.” We positioned a named specialist as the expert, packaged the advice, and made it effortless for journalists to run.
Why it worked:
- Broad appeal for national consumer media.
- Pre-written, fact-checked copy and data points.
- A credible expert who adds trust and quotes on tap.
Distribution and coverage
We targeted mainstream consumer outlets plus sector titles. Seven publications ran the story. Four included followed links. Three required link-reclamation outreach, which is normal with larger newsrooms.
Authority snapshot:
- Coverage spanned domain ratings from mid-20s to 90+.
- National and lifestyle press delivered the widest reach.
- Niche finance and property titles drove the most qualified readers.
What moved in search and AI
We tracked traditional SEO signals and AI visibility side by side.
AI visibility
- Total AI citations in assistants and overviews: 289 as of 15 August 2025
- New assistant-specific mentions since launch: ChatGPT 44, Microsoft Copilot 35, Perplexity 12
- Visibility lifted first in June, dipped slightly in July as construction insurance queries softened, then rose again on structural warranty terms
Authority signals
- Domain rating: 31 → 41, then stabilised at 38 during an algorithm wobble
- Referring domains: 329 → 365
- Backlinks peaked at 770, then normalised to 712 as syndications settled
Direct traffic from the articles was minimal. That is expected. The job here was reputation, references and retrieval. In a GEO world, brand mentions and clean citations help AI models choose you as a source.
Why Digital PR accelerates GEO
Generative engines prefer crisp facts, clear structure and credible sources. Digital PR delivers all three:
- Clarity: story-led content with quotable lines that summarisation models can lift.
- Credibility: expert attribution plus high-authority references.
- Context: consistent brand mentions that help engines cross-reference entities.
When your content is easy to quote and your brand is easy to verify, you show up more often inside AI answers. That is the point of GEO, and it complements SEO rather than replacing it.
The playbook we used
- Pick a human problem: Consumer-first angles travel further than brand-first claims.
- Package it for journalists: Headlines, subheads, quotes, stats, imagery and source notes. Make it publish-ready.
- Lead with an expert: A named specialist lifts trust. Keep bios and headshots handy.
- Pitch in waves: Tier 1 consumer press first, then long-tail verticals and newsletters.
- Reclaim links: Thank every editor, request a fair link where missed, track responses.
- Close the GEO loop: Publish an on-site explainer, FAQs and schema. Interlink related pages. Keep answers tight and scannable so AI can cite you.
- Repurpose smartly: Turn media quotes into social posts, email snippets and supporting blog FAQs.
What we learned
- Authority beats volume. A handful of strong placements outperformed dozens of lower-quality mentions.
- AI momentum compounds. The first lift arrived quickly. Subsequent assistant mentions came as we expanded into adjacent topics.
- Traffic is a lagging indicator. This work sets the table. Conversions increase when your site is primed with clear, question-led content and strong CTAs.
What’s next
Run the next Digital PR sprint instead of traditional link building. Repeat the formula with a fresh consumer angle, double down on link reclamation, and expand the on-site knowledge hub so AI assistants have more to cite. We’ll keep answers short, structure tight and sources clear. That is how you build durable visibility across search and assistants.
