Observed Signal · Sep 11, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: https://marketingtechnews.net/feed/ · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
AI Search & GEO Market: PR Emerges as New SEO for AI Search Visibility
Fashion brands are increasingly turning to public relations (PR) as a key driver of visibility in AI-powered search engines, as generative engine optimization (GEO) gains prominence. Data analytics provider Launchmetrics, in collaboration with PR agency KCD, has introduced a new metric, AI Visibility (AIV), to measure a brand's presence in LLM responses on platforms like Google Gemini and ChatGPT. This metric complements the existing Media Impact Value (MIV) rankings, providing brands with a dual score to compare traditional media impact with AI-driven discoverability. The initiative highlights that earned media, such as press coverage and influencer mentions, significantly influences AI citations, with research indicating that over 80% of AI-cited links come from earned media. As consumer research increasingly starts with AI assistants, brands are expected to reallocate budgets from SEO towards PR and GEO strategies to enhance their AI visibility and overall brand awareness.
This product launch introduces a novel metric (AIV) for measuring brand visibility in AI search, signaling a shift in marketing strategy toward GEO and earned media, which is highly relevant to AdTech/MarTech evolution.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Launchmetrics and KCD launched a new 'AI Visibility (AIV)' metric to measure brand impact in LLM responses.
- Muck Rack research found that 82% of links cited by AI come from earned media.
- Launchmetrics predicts PR budgets could double as brands seek to influence AI-generated answers.
- The new metric allows brands to compare traditional MIV scores with AI-driven visibility.
- Fashion brands are integrating GEO into PR strategies during New York Fashion Week.
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