In the Digital Arms Race, Your Brand's AI Reputation Is What Really Counts
Brands used to measure online success by clicks, followers, or Google rankings—SEO ruled the strategy. Now, generative AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini have changed how people find and trust information. This shift introduces new metrics that focus on how AI perceives your brand, not just traditional web traffic or social media numbers.
The key question for PR and communications professionals: If someone asks AI about your company, what answer will they get? Will AI highlight your brand’s value and reputation? Or will your brand be lost in generic responses or outdated information scraped from the web?
Introducing Share of Model (SoM): The New Metric That Matters
Share of Model (SoM) measures how well a brand is represented within dominant language models. It’s becoming the gold standard because AI now plays a central role in consumer and B2B decision-making. According to a recent study by Yext, 62% of consumers trust AI to guide brand decisions, putting it on par with traditional search.
Many users don’t even visit original websites anymore—a trend called “the death of the click.” As Tim Sanders, VP of Research Insights at G2, puts it, “If your brand doesn’t show up in that LLM-first discovery moment, you’re not even in the conversation.” Falling web traffic and fewer press release clicks are symptoms of a deeper issue: declining share of model.
AI bot crawls have more than doubled recently, growing from 20 million daily in January 2025 to 45 million in June, according to Botify at CommerceNext. SoM goes beyond mentions. It checks if generative AIs correctly understand and present your brand’s unique proposition, facts, and differentiation. When AI lists “best CRM systems” or “leading energy innovators,” which brands lead? SoM is the scoreboard now discussed in boardrooms and investor updates.
Changing the Rules of Digital Influence
Traditional digital strategies aren’t enough anymore. Websites and press releases serve less as destinations and more as crucial inputs for AI training. A 2024 study analyzing 500,000 corporate press releases found that 24% of the content is directly cited or adapted in large language model results.
Third-party sources like Wikipedia, LinkedIn, .edu/.gov domains, and trusted review sites such as G2 and Reddit carry disproportionate weight. AI models prioritize accuracy, consensus, and authority over sheer volume or freshness.
This has led to new content practices: embedding structured summaries and AI-friendly metadata in press releases, bios, and product pages. Market reputation now demands constant attention because inaccurate or outdated information can resurface immediately. Auditing content across partner sites, directories, and review portals is essential. A single outdated Wikipedia entry or old quote can skew how millions see your brand through AI.
AI-First Branding in Action
Brands actively managing their SoM see clear benefits. For example, a leading energy company improved its AI representation by 20-45% year-over-year after optimizing digital assets, enhancing third-party content, and preparing AI-ready materials. These gains outpaced declines in web visits and social impressions, proving AI visibility now drives brand perception even as traditional metrics fall.
Earned media strategies are also evolving. Major publishers like The Washington Post (partnering with OpenAI), Bloomberg, and Yahoo now ensure their stories appear not only in search results but also as answers inside AI interfaces. Placement, credibility, and narrative framing matter more than backlinks alone.
For communicators, SoM offers a clear, defensible metric that resonates with executives. Reporting on web sessions is no longer enough. The critical question is: Are your messages shaping the AI narrative? Are you among the leaders surfaced during key moments like acquisitions, hiring, crises, or product launches?
Winning Brand Relevance with an AI-Driven Mindset
Beyond tactics, SoM represents a mindset shift for brand building. Web traffic and clicks still matter, but brands must now influence how AI synthesizes their reputation. This means adopting new measures like embedding AI summaries, investing in authoritative partnerships, refining storytelling, and regularly checking how models perceive the brand.
The brands that succeed will be those that establish authority, trust, and clarity where AI decides which voices matter. Measuring and managing Share of Model will separate meaningful signals from background noise in this new landscape.
Your membership also unlocks:
