Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is moving from a niche technical concern to a core PR function as AI assistants increasingly shape how buyers research companies. S99 PR, a public relations agency specializing in guaranteed media placements, has expanded its AEO-focused strategy through its Signal Press framework, responding to a shift in which platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity synthesize information from multiple sources rather than simply ranking links.
That shift has created a new problem for organizations built around traditional search engine optimization. S99 PR said companies are discovering that their carefully optimized websites and backlink profiles don't automatically translate into accurate or favorable AI-generated answers.
"We started hearing the same question on sales calls, and it came from people who had never asked us anything technical before," said Jake Vince, co-founder of S99 PR. "A founder would say, 'I asked ChatGPT about my own company and it either said nothing or it said something wrong.' That question went from rare to constant in about six months."
What the research shows about AI citations
Recent industry studies suggest AI systems weight different signals than traditional search engines. An analysis of approximately 75,000 brands found that off-site brand signals, including page mentions and visibility across third-party platforms, showed stronger relationships with AI visibility than traditional backlink metrics alone.
Separate research examining millions of links cited by major AI systems reported that roughly 84% of citations came from earned media sources, while paid or advertorial material represented approximately 0.3% of citations analyzed. The findings reinforce a basic distinction: what a company says about itself carries less weight than what independent sources say about it.
"Companies have spent years optimizing the assets they directly control," Vince said. "But AI systems also look across a broader information environment. A company's own website remains important, but third-party references can provide additional context about who a company is and how it is described publicly."
Distribution channel matters too. A controlled analysis comparing identical content on owned websites versus third-party news distribution reported citations increasing from approximately 8% to 34%, a 325% increase in that dataset. A broader follow-up study reported a 239% median increase. Citation behavior still varies across AI platforms, topics, and sources, so no single placement guarantees results.
AI-referred traffic converts differently
The behavioral data is also getting attention. Industry research estimates AI-referred visitors convert at roughly 4.4 times the rate of traditional organic-search visitors. In April 2026, G2 reported that 51% of surveyed B2B software buyers begin product research with an AI chatbot more often than with Google.
Strong Google rankings don't necessarily predict AI visibility. Some controlled studies have shown a correlation of just 0.034 between Google positions and ChatGPT recommendations, suggesting minimal overlap between the two ranking environments. Traditional search ranks and organizes pages; generative AI systems synthesize information from multiple sources when constructing an answer.
For professionals working in AI for PR & Communications, the practical implication is that authority must be built consistently across third-party channels, not just on owned properties. S99 PR's Signal Press framework combines recurring editorial placements, wire-distributed press releases, and supporting article coverage to create a more predictable public footprint over time.
"A single article can remain worthwhile for years to a human reader," Vince said. "But AI search impacts people differently. It creates scenarios where the consistency of information matters more because systems may reference more than one source. The outcome is to create a solid and current body of information that both people and technology can encounter when reviewing a company."
The agency works with startup founders, executives, technology professionals, medical professionals, and real estate professionals. It also operates a press practice supporting extraordinary ability visa applicants in coordination with immigration attorneys.
For those looking to understand how AI platforms like Perplexity factor into visibility strategies, Perplexity AI Courses offer practical grounding in how these systems retrieve and cite information.
Why this matters for PR and communications professionals
The takeaway for PR teams is that media placements now serve a dual function: they build traditional brand awareness and they feed the information environment AI systems draw from. S99 PR does not claim recurring coverage guarantees inclusion in ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity - AI visibility depends on each platform's evolving retrieval methods and other factors beyond an agency's control. But the research suggests that a consistent third-party footprint, maintained over time, is becoming a measurable component of how companies appear in AI-generated answers.
PR professionals should treat owned content as only one layer of a broader strategy. Recurring earned media, distinguishable attribution, and consistent messaging across publications are the levers most likely to influence AI citations. The discipline of saying the same thing about a company, consistently, across independent sources, is no longer just good PR practice - it's becoming a factor in AI discoverability.
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