The search landscape is undergoing its most dramatic transformation since Google’s inception. As artificial intelligence reshapes how users discover information, digital PR has emerged as a critical strategy for visibility in AI-powered search results. Google’s VP of Product for Google Search, Robby Stein, recently confirmed that PR activities directly influence how AI systems recommend businesses—marking a paradigm shift in how brands should approach online visibility.
Key Takeaways:
- AI search behavior mirrors human research patterns, actively seeking third-party recommendations
- Digital PR now ranks as the most effective link-building strategy, with 89.6% of professionals affirming its SEO impact
- The global digital PR market is projected to reach $25.4 billion by 2032, growing at 8.3% CAGR
- Google’s AI Overviews now reach 1.5 billion monthly users across 200 countries
- Multimodal search (image, voice, video) is accelerating, with Google Lens processing nearly 20 billion searches monthly
The AI Search Revolution: Understanding the Landscape
Market Dynamics and Growth Trajectory
The digital marketing ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented disruption. In 2025, AI-powered search engines are projected to capture 62.2% of total search volume by 2030, with revenues approaching $379 billion. Google processes approximately 5.9 million searches every minute—translating to 8.5 billion daily searches or 3.1 trillion searches annually—and AI is fundamentally changing how these queries are answered.
According to recent data, Google’s AI Overviews appeared in only 6.49% of searches in January 2025 but surged to 13.1% by March 2025. Industry analysts estimate that by the end of 2025, AI Overviews will handle close to 60 billion search queries, representing significant growth from just 3% of Google’s annual search volume. Even more striking, 58.5% of U.S. Google searches now end in zero clicks, as AI-generated responses satisfy user intent instantly.
The Multimodal Revolution
Search is no longer confined to text-based queries. The global multimodal AI market, estimated at $2.4 billion in 2025, is expected to explode to $98.9 billion by 2037. This transformation encompasses:
- Voice Search: 145 million total users of voice assistants across smartphones, smart speakers, connected cars, and smart TVs as of late 2023, with 20% of internet users performing voice-based searches by mid-2024
- Visual Search: Google Lens handles nearly 20 billion visual searches monthly, with 20% shopping-related
- Video Search: 30% of Gen Z turns to TikTok instead of Google for certain queries, highlighting dramatic shifts in user behavior
Smart speaker adoption continues accelerating, with the market projected to hit $19 billion in 2025, up from $14.4 billion in 2024. By 2024, approximately 8.4 billion voice-enabled devices were in use globally—outnumbering people on Earth.
Google’s Official Position: PR Activities Drive AI Recommendations
The Podcast Revelation
In a revealing discussion on the podcast with Marina Mogilko, Robby Stein articulated how Google’s AI systems approach recommendations. His explanation fundamentally validates digital PR as a critical SEO strategy:
“The AI thinks a lot like a person would in terms of the kinds of questions it issues. And so if you’re a business and you’re mentioned in top business lists or from a public article that lots of people end up finding, those kinds of things become useful for the AI to find.”
When Mogilko interpreted this as investing in PR, Stein agreed emphatically, continuing:
“So it’s not really different from what you would do in that regard. I think ultimately, how else are you going to decide what business to go to? Well, you’d want to understand that.”
Understanding Query Fan-Out
Stein’s comments reveal a sophisticated mechanism called “query fan-out,” where AI systems issue multiple Google searches to answer complex questions. This behavior closely mimics how humans research decisions:
- Initial Query: User asks AI for business recommendations
- Research Phase: AI issues multiple searches to find authoritative sources
- Synthesis: AI compiles information from highly-ranked, relevant sources
- Recommendation: AI presents findings with citations
This process explains why brands with strong PR presence—mentions in reputable publications, industry lists, and expert commentary—consistently appear in AI recommendations. As Stein confirmed: “That’s actually a good way of thinking about it because the way I mentioned before how our AI models work, they’re issuing these Google searches as a tool.”
The Digital PR Market: Statistics and Trends
Market Growth and Investment
The digital PR industry is experiencing explosive growth:
- Market Size: Global digital PR agency market valued at $2.98 billion in 2025, with broader digital PR services reaching $7.98 billion
- Growth Rate: Projected 10.03% CAGR from 2025-2033, outpacing traditional PR
- Search Interest: Online searches for “digital PR” grew 120% between 2024 and 2025
- Budget Allocation: 66.5% of digital PR teams work with budgets under $10,000 per month
- Industry Value: Broader public relations market stood at $128.92 billion in 2024, expected to reach $304.73 billion by 2033
Effectiveness Metrics
Professional consensus strongly supports digital PR’s value:
- Link Building Champion: 89.6% of professionals believe digital PR is the most effective tactic for building backlinks
- Improved Effectiveness: 48.6% of PR professionals in 2024 reported digital PR was more effective than the previous year
- High Authority Links: Average Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) of digital PR coverage in 2024 was 61—exceptionally high compared to other link-building methods
- Elite Coverage: 20.62% of backlinks acquired had a DR between 70-79, with 7.83% having a DR of 90 or above
Industry Challenges
Despite its effectiveness, digital PR professionals face mounting challenges:
- Increased Competition: 72% believe digital PR is more challenging in 2025 than in 2024
- Measurement Difficulties: 31% cite measuring impact as the most challenging aspect
- Creative Demands: 30% struggle with ideation
- Stakeholder Buy-In: 45% report it’s harder to sell to clients and stakeholders in 2025
- Journalist Targeting: 61% say finding relevant journalists is more challenging
Expert Perspectives: John Mueller on Digital PR Value
Breaking the Link Building Stigma
Google Search Relations coordinator John Mueller has been remarkably explicit about digital PR’s legitimacy and importance. In a widely-cited statement, Mueller proclaimed:
“I love some of the things I see from digital PR; it’s a shame it often gets bucketed with the spammy kind of link building. It’s just as critical as tech SEO, probably more so in many cases.”
This endorsement carries significant weight, effectively separating high-quality digital PR from manipulative link schemes. Mueller has consistently emphasized:
- Quality Over Quantity: “I don’t think we differentiate like that in our systems” when asked about total link counts versus unique referring domains
- Relevance Paramount: The relevance of each backlink matters far more than numerical metrics
- Natural Editorial Links: Digital PR earns editorial backlinks from trusted publications, which Google’s algorithms recognize and reward
- Context Matters: “Google does use the content around the link for a secondary signal but the real ‘strong piece’ of context comes from the anchor text of a link”
The Domain Authority Myth
Mueller has also debunked persistent SEO misconceptions:
- “Domain authority is not a ranking factor” in Google’s systems
- “High domain authority with backlinks does not guarantee high rankings in Google”
- Google evaluates links individually based on relevance, authority, and context
AI Search Behavior: How Content Gets Selected
The Content Best Practices Paradigm
Stein emphasized that traditional content quality principles remain essential in the AI era:
“In the same way that you would optimize your website and think about how I make helpful, clear information for people? People search for a certain topic, my website’s really helpful for that. Think of an AI doing that search now. And then knowing for that query, here are the best websites given that question. That’s now… will come into the context window of the model.”
Key content principles for AI visibility:
- Helpfulness: Content must genuinely answer user questions
- Clarity: Information should be easily digestible and well-structured
- Specificity: Address detailed, long-tail questions comprehensively
- Authority: Demonstrate expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
- Freshness: Keep statistics, data, and information current
AI Overviews Citation Strategy
To appear in AI Overviews, content should:
- Answer Directly: Provide clear, concise answers in one or two sentences
- Structure Strategically: Use headers, bullet points, and modular content blocks
- Cite Sources: Include credible data and proper attribution
- Optimize Metadata: Alt text, file names, captions for multimodal content
- Build Trust Signals: Author bios, publication dates, transparent data sources
Research shows AI Overviews typically cite 3-8 sources that deliver direct, extractable answers. Appearing as a cited source represents a new visibility benchmark as AI-generated answers cover more queries.
Multimodal Search Optimization: The Next Frontier
Understanding Multimodal Contexts
Stein explicitly highlighted emerging search modalities:
“A lot more of people’s time and attention goes towards not just the way people use search too, but in these areas that are growing quickly, particularly these long specific questions people ask and multimodal, where they’re asking with images or they’re using voice to have live conversation.”
Strategic Implications by Modality
Voice Search Optimization:
- Natural, conversational language patterns
- Long-tail question keywords
- FAQ-style content structure
- Featured snippet optimization
- Local SEO emphasis (46% of Google searches have local intent)
Image Search Optimization:
- Descriptive, keyword-rich alt text
- Optimized file names
- Image sitemaps
- High-quality, original visuals
- Schema markup for images
Video Search Optimization:
- Keyword-focused titles and descriptions
- Clear chapters with timestamps
- Accurate transcripts for accessibility
- Eye-catching thumbnails
- Platform-specific optimization (YouTube, TikTok)
Integration with Gemini 2.0
Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash represents the first Google LLM capable of handling rich, multimodal input simultaneously:
- Processes text, images, audio, and video
- Understands context across different data types
- Provides precise, relevant summaries with source references
- Launched AI Mode in mid-2025, turning search into interactive chat
Brands that adapt assets for multimodal understanding gain significant advantages in AI-generated answers.
Research Tools and User Behavior Analysis
Google’s Recommended Tools
Stein provided specific guidance on understanding search behavior:
Google Trends: “Google Trends is a really useful thing. I actually think people really underutilize that. Like we have real-time information around exactly what’s trending. You can see keyword values.”
Google Ads Insights: “The ads has a really fantastic estimation too. Like as you’re booking ads, you can see kind of traffic estimates for various things.”
Search Console: Essential for understanding how your content performs in search results, tracking impressions, clicks, and positions.
Studying AI Use Cases
Stein emphasized a critical point often overlooked:
“If you think about what people use AI for, a lot of it is how to for complicated things or for purchase decisions or for advice about life things. So people who are creating content in those areas, like if I were them, I would be a student of understanding the use cases of AI and what are growing in those use cases.”
High-Intent AI Search Categories:
- Complex how-to queries (multi-step processes)
- Purchase decisions (comparison shopping)
- Life advice (health, relationships, career)
- Technical troubleshooting
- Educational research
The Digital PR Strategy Framework for AI Visibility
1. Data-Led Content Creation
Data-led campaigns dominate digital PR, accounting for more than 42% of activity. This approach involves:
Original Research and Surveys:
- Conduct industry-specific studies
- Generate newsworthy statistics
- Create visual data assets (infographics, charts)
- Publish comprehensive reports
Data Analysis and Insights:
- Analyze existing public data sets
- Identify trends and patterns
- Provide expert interpretation
- Create predictive models
Success Metrics:
- Average DR of 61 for digital PR placements
- 20.62% of links achieving DR 70-79
- High-authority publications citing original research
2. Expert Commentary and Thought Leadership
93% of digital PR professionals use expert commentary as a primary tactic:
Positioning Strategies:
- Develop executives as industry experts
- Respond to breaking news in your sector
- Contribute to journalist queries (HARO, Qwoted)
- Publish opinion pieces in trade publications
Content Formats:
- Expert interviews
- Podcast appearances
- Webinar presentations
- Conference speaking
- Media briefings
3. Media Relations Excellence
Despite challenges (61% find identifying relevant journalists harder), effective media relations remain crucial:
Relationship Building:
- Research journalists’ beats and recent articles
- Personalize pitches to specific interests
- Provide exclusive access or data
- Maintain ongoing relationships
Pitch Best Practices:
- 73% of journalists reject pitches due to irrelevance to coverage area
- 77% agree spamming with irrelevant information leads to blocking
- Understanding target audience is the #1 way to make journalists’ jobs easier
4. Strategic Link Building Through PR
Moving beyond traditional link building to earned media:
High-Value Opportunities:
- Industry roundups and expert lists
- Award programs and recognitions
- Case study features
- Product reviews and testing
- Research citations
Quality Indicators:
- Editorial placement (not paid or traded)
- Contextual relevance to your industry
- Authoritative publication (high DR)
- Dofollow link when appropriate
- Valuable referral traffic potential
Measuring Digital PR Impact in the AI Era
Traditional Metrics
SEO Metrics:
- Domain Rating (DR) of acquired links
- Number of referring domains
- Organic traffic increases
- Keyword ranking improvements
- Featured snippet appearances
PR Metrics:
- Media impressions and reach
- Share of voice
- Sentiment analysis
- Social media engagement
- Brand mention frequency
AI-Specific Metrics
New Measurement Criteria:
- AI Overview citation frequency
- LLM-generated recommendation appearances
- Multimodal search visibility (image, voice, video results)
- Conversational search performance
- Zero-click impression value
Tracking Methodology:
- Monitor AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)
- Track brand mentions in AI responses
- Analyze source attribution patterns
- Measure citation authority scores
Business Outcomes
Ultimate Success Indicators:
- Lead generation quality and quantity
- Conversion rate improvements
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC) reduction
- Lifetime value (LTV) increases
- Revenue attribution from organic channels
The SEO and AI Optimization Overlap
Converging Strategies
Stein confirmed significant overlap but noted important distinctions:
“I think there’s a lot of overlap. I think maybe one added nuance is that the kinds of questions that people ask AI are increasingly complicated and they tend to be in different spaces.”
Key Differences:
| Traditional SEO | AI Optimization |
|---|---|
| Keyword-focused queries | Conversational, complex questions |
| Short-tail keywords | Long-tail, specific phrases |
| Page ranking | Citation/mention in AI responses |
| Click-through rates | Zero-click impression value |
| SERP features | AI Overview appearances |
Shared Fundamentals:
- High-quality, helpful content
- Authoritative source signals
- Technical optimization
- User experience focus
- Mobile responsiveness
- Page speed and Core Web Vitals
Search Behavior Evolution
Search queries are becoming longer and more specific:
- Complex, multi-part questions dominate AI queries
- “How to combine,” “compare,” “best way to” trigger AI Overviews
- Users expect comprehensive, nuanced answers
- Context and intent matter more than keywords
According to research, 91% of marketers said SEO helped improve their website performance and marketing objectives in 2024, while 68% of marketing executives confirmed positive ROI from AI investment.
Practical Implementation Guide
Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3)
Content Audit and Gap Analysis:
- Identify existing high-performing content
- Map content to user intent and AI query types
- Find gaps in coverage of key topics
- Assess technical optimization status
Digital PR Infrastructure:
- Develop media kit and brand assets
- Create executive bios and headshots
- Build journalist database
- Set up media monitoring tools
Tool Setup:
- Google Search Console
- Google Trends tracking
- Analytics implementation
- Citation monitoring systems
Phase 2: Content Creation (Months 2-4)
Strategic Content Development:
- Original research initiatives
- Comprehensive topic pillar pages
- Long-form FAQ content
- Multimedia asset creation
Expert Positioning:
- Thought leadership articles
- Industry commentary pieces
- Data-driven insights
- Case studies and success stories
Multimodal Optimization:
- Video content production
- Podcast episode creation
- Infographic development
- Interactive tools and calculators
Phase 3: Outreach and Amplification (Months 3-6)
Media Relations Campaign:
- Targeted journalist outreach
- Expert commentary placement
- Industry publication contributions
- Award and recognition submissions
PR Activations:
- Press release distribution
- Media briefings and events
- Interview opportunities
- Partnership announcements
Social Amplification:
- Cross-platform content distribution
- Influencer partnerships
- Community engagement
- User-generated content campaigns
Phase 4: Optimization and Scale (Months 6-12)
Performance Analysis:
- Track AI citation patterns
- Analyze successful placements
- Identify high-ROI tactics
- Refine targeting strategies
Continuous Improvement:
- A/B test content formats
- Iterate on pitch approaches
- Expand journalist relationships
- Scale winning strategies
Advanced Tactics:
- Programmatic PR campaigns
- AI tool for efficiency
- Automated monitoring
- Predictive analytics
Future Outlook: 2025-2030 Projections
Market Forecasts
Digital PR Growth:
- Market to reach $25.4 billion by 2032 (up 106.5% from 2023)
- Continued integration with SEO and content marketing
- Increased technology adoption (AI tools, analytics platforms)
- Greater emphasis on data-driven strategies
AI Search Evolution:
- AI search projected to capture 62.2% of total search volume by 2030
- Zero-click searches continuing to rise
- Multimodal queries becoming standard
- Personalization and contextual understanding improving
Technology Trends
Platform Developments:
- Google’s AI Mode expanding nationwide
- Gemini capabilities deepening across search ecosystem
- On-device AI search integration (Samsung, other manufacturers)
- Voice assistant proliferation (projected 89% of new devices by 2026)
Competitive Landscape:
- ChatGPT search function increasing pressure on Google
- Perplexity processing 5+ billion queries annually
- Social search gaining traction (TikTok, Instagram for Gen Z)
- Specialized AI search tools emerging for niche markets
Strategic Imperatives
For Businesses:
- Invest in digital PR as core SEO strategy
- Develop multimodal content assets
- Build brand authority through media coverage
- Track AI citation and recommendation patterns
For Marketers:
- Study AI use case evolution
- Understand platform-specific optimization
- Integrate PR, SEO, and content strategies
- Measure beyond traditional metrics
For Content Creators:
- Focus on expertise, authority, trust (E-E-A-T)
- Create comprehensive, helpful content
- Optimize for conversational queries
- Maintain freshness and accuracy
Conclusion: Embracing the PR-AI Convergence
The insights from Google’s Robby Stein represent more than tactical advice—they signal a fundamental shift in how online visibility is achieved and maintained. Digital PR is no longer supplementary to SEO; it’s integral to how AI systems discover, evaluate, and recommend businesses.
As John Mueller articulated, digital PR is “just as critical as tech SEO, probably more so in many cases.” With 89.6% of professionals recognizing digital PR as the most effective link-building strategy, and Google’s AI Overviews reaching 1.5 billion monthly users, the case for investment is compelling.
The convergence of PR, SEO, and AI optimization creates both challenges and opportunities. Brands that understand this ecosystem—building authority through media coverage, creating helpful content for complex queries, and optimizing for multimodal search—will thrive in the AI-first search landscape.
Key Success Factors:
- Authority Building: Secure mentions in reputable publications that AI systems trust
- Content Excellence: Create genuinely helpful, clear, comprehensive content
- Multimodal Readiness: Optimize for text, voice, image, and video search
- Continuous Learning: Study AI use cases and evolving search behaviors
- Strategic Integration: Combine PR, SEO, and content in unified campaigns
The future of search visibility lies at the intersection of earned media, authoritative content, and AI-optimized experiences. Organizations that embrace this convergence—investing in digital PR, understanding AI search behavior, and adapting to multimodal contexts—will achieve sustainable competitive advantage in an AI-powered search ecosystem.
As Stein concluded: “More and more people are searching in these new ways and so the systems need to better reflect those over time.” The time to adapt is now.
