On this week’s episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast, Chris Panteli and I discuss earned links, high PR links, trust signals, visibility on LLMs, and what it takes to cite AI reviews in search today. This talk focused on a big change happening online: a single strong media mention can support traditional SEO, build brand trust, and make AI systems more likely to recognize and cite your business.
Chris was a fitting guest for this chat as this was his third appearance on the podcast and he brought the same depth and focus as always. His agency, Linkifi, is approaching half a decade in business, which gives him useful insight into Google updates, the release of AI tools and the more recent shift to AI-powered search experiences.
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Why Earned Media Matters Now
A key takeaway from the interview was that while connections are still important, they are no longer the whole story. Chris claimed that earned links, branded mentions and trust signals now work together in SEO and AI-powered discovery.
Therefore, this topic seems very relevant. The same coverage that can help your rankings can also improve how language models interpret your brand and whether your company appears in AI-generated answers. Here are a few reasons why this is even more important now:
- Earned links still carry strong SEO value
- High PR relationships can enhance perceived authority
- Brand mentions can build trust even without a link
- Valid citations can influence AI review and LLM recommendations
- A placement can support search, visibility and brand recall at the same time
Chris described it as a rare coincidence. Instead of pursuing separate tactics for SEO, AI, and brand building, earned media can support all three.
How Earned Links Support Search and AI Viewing
The best result is not just a backlink from a great site. It’s listed in a reputable third-party publication that describes your company in a way that helps search engines and AI systems associate your brand with a topic, service, and trusted source.
Earned and high PR connections still stand out here. Placing on a high authority site can help with traditional SEO. However, it can also create the third-party verification that big language models rely on when deciding which brands to refer to.
Chris described this as part of a larger trend towards brand survival on the internet. Companies that want to keep showing up need more than rankings. They should be talked about by sources that search engines and artificial intelligence systems already trust. Signals of importance in this environment include:
- Editorial backlinks from certain publications
- Brand mentions on trusted media sites
- Repetitive references to your company in third-party sources
- Clarify the connections between your name, your business, and your area of expertise
- Consistent descriptions of what your company does
This sequence becomes the main trust signal. If the web repeatedly associates your brand with a subject area, it becomes easier for AI systems to replicate that association.
Why Are Trust Signals Important for LLM and AI Reviews?
One of the most powerful parts of the interview was Chris’s explanation of how LLMs manage information. He divided it into two sides.
- Training data side: If the LLM has already mastered enough information to answer the query, it may not need to engage fresh sources at all.
- Search side: When he needs to search the Internet or rely on outside information, he should still choose what he trusts enough to refer to or recommend.
This is where trust signals are very important. If your business is listed on reputable sites, these mentions can shape how AI systems evaluate your brand, both with what they already “know” and what they choose to go live.
Chris cited examples of businesses entering a new market or adopting a new identity. If the internet is still portraying them based on the old version of the brand, LLMs can repeat the outdated look until enough new trust signals appear.
This is why earned coverage is important beyond rankings:
- It can help change the narrative around a brand.
- This may affect how your experience is classified.
- This can increase your chances of being cited in AI-generated results.
- This can create a stronger connection between your business and your niche.
- This can help your name appear in referral-style inquiries.
This is a big deal for brands competing in crowded spaces. Getting mentioned on the right sites can shape what AI reviews say about you months after the article is published.
Why High PR Links Still Have a Special Role
Chris has long been associated with first-rate media relations, and he reveals that they still hold a special place. He called them the “creme de la creme” because they can provide multiple benefits in one fell swoop.
A high PR link from a trusted publication can help classic SEO authority. At the same time, surrounding notes can act as a branding signal for LLM visibility and AI citations.
This is what makes earned media so attractive right now. A single placement can combine link value, topical relevance, brand association, and third-party trust in a way that few other tactics can match. The strongest deployments often include:
- Full name of the expert
- Company name
- The company’s function or specialty
- Citation related to the relevant topic
- Clickable link when publication allows
Chris explained that when these pieces appear together, they present a clean package for both search engines and LLMs to read. It tells them who that person is, what company they represent, and what company they should contact.
Why AI has made pitching both easier and harder
AI has made it easier to send more noise, which means journalists are now bombarded with more noise than ever before. Chris clearly described the development. In the early days, AI tools were clumsy and weak, but they helped speed up small tasks. Today, the challenge is different, because a polished AI recording can make thousands of sounds clean, common, and nearly identical.
This creates a more challenging environment for anyone trying to secure coverage. Journalists sort through more answers, more fake authority, and more subtle commentary. Some of the current issues he mentioned are:
- Journalists are being buried under AI-powered assistance
- Many of the answers now sound the same
- Fake profiles made journalists even more suspicious
- Some workflows use AI detection tools
- Subtle online personalities can lead to mistrust
Chris noted that tools like Pangram are being incorporated into parts of the process, and he noted that some platforms can check AI-like submissions before a journalist reads them. This raises the bar for anyone who wants to stand out.
Why Being Trustworthy Is As Important As Being Smart
A strong theme throughout the episode was that earned media now depends on credibility at every stage. You can’t just write a clever word and hope for the best. Chris talked about the damage done by fake expert profiles and AI-generated personas.
Therefore, journalists now pay more attention to whether the source is real or not on the Internet. This means that your social presence is important. If you’re trying to earn records, your online footprint is part of the pitch even before you post a word. Here are some signs that help build trust:
- Complete and reliable page
- Multiple active social profiles
- Continuous business and practice descriptions
- Podcast views and industry features
- Numerous photos and public references on the Internet
Consensus is important. LLMs rely on repetitive, consistent information, so confusing or conflicting descriptions can weaken your authority.
Why Local Media Can Be A Fast Track To Earned Reach?
One of the smartest tactical parts of the interview was aimed at the local media. Chris claimed that local reach is one of the most overlooked avenues for earned links, brand mentions and trust signals. The fit for local businesses is obvious. A realtor, lawyer, plumber or local service provider often provides relevant commentary on stories affecting the area they serve.
What makes local media attractive is that it’s often easier to access. Chris noted that many businesses may only have five, 10 or 15 local publications worth targeting, which makes building relationships more manageable than national publications.
Here are the reasons why local media works so well:
- Less competition from the national press
- Easier matching for local experts
- Stronger odds for repeat coverage
- Useful signals for local SEO
- A good training base for broader PR efforts
He also pointed out that it could go beyond plumbers and lawyers. A founder with a visible business profile can comment on local business stories, even if the company serves national clients.
Where AI can help without hurting your chances
Chris was not against AI. It drew a clear line between useful use and lazy use. Artificial intelligence can be useful for generating ideas, background research and organizing data, he said. What it shouldn’t do is create a final buzz that sounds like everyone else.
This distinction is important because AI works better as a support rather than a replacement for your expertise. If everyone uses the same tools to give the same answers, no one will be selected. Better uses for AI in this process include:
- Before you answer, research the story angle
- Organization of notes and source material
- Review of topics in journalistic applications
- Preparing internal outlines for human editing
- Changing coverage after going live
This last point is easy to overlook. Chris emphasized that once you’ve earned a record, you shouldn’t let it die on the publishing page.
Why should one mention lead to more visibility
Chris closed with a point that deserves additional attention. Once you’ve gained coverage, keep using it. That means sharing it with your audience, posting it on social media, sending it to your email list, and turning it into additional trust signals where your audience is already paying attention.
One earned connection or high PR note can continue to support brand growth after the initial spike in attention. He also shared a useful data point from Linkifi’s own business. This year alone, the company has seen more sales calls by LLMs than in the last quarter or two of the previous year, by several calls per day.
This makes it easy to recognize the opportunity:
- Visibility in LLMs can turn into sales conversations
- Valid records can influence future discovery
- Good coverage can pay off even after publication
- Reuse across channels can expand the revenue of each win
Final Thoughts
This episode proved that earned links are still one of the best assets a business can build, but their role has expanded. High PR connections, trust signals, visibility in LLMs and the chance to be cited by AI reviews now sit in the same conversation.
Therefore, this topic is very relevant now. A business that gains credible coverage doesn’t just help an SEO campaign; it also helps the brand. This makes a stronger case for why search engines, AI systems, journalists and future customers should trust what this brand says.
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