Aligning PR with public trust in media

You know when you Google something and the first thing you see is that shiny new AI Overview summary feature at the top? Yeah… the one that doubled in two months, wiped out 55% of publisher traffic, and quietly decides who looks like the authority. We need to talk about this right now. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth for PR, public affairs, and reputation work: Mentions ≠ trust. Mentions ≠ relationships. Mentions ≠ reputation. AI Overviews strip answers from across the web, stitch them together, and serve them to the user. Sometimes you get cited, sometimes you don’t. And even if you do, it can vanish tomorrow. That’s what LinkedIn mega marketing influencer Chris Donnelly calls “Zero-Click Economics”: Your content → Extracted by AI → User satisfied → Zero clicks → Zero relationships. So what do we do? Stop chasing vanity visibility and double down on what AI can’t take away: 1. Be the source. Publish original data, benchmarks, and definitions. Make yourself the must-quote authority that both reporters and AI are forced to reference. 2. Own your authority. Keep super definitive answers — policies, FAQs, values, purpose — on your own sites in clear, structured formats. When stakeholders search, they should ideally find your version first. 3. Earn credibility in high-trust outlets. From niche trades to the WSJ — and yes, highly reviewed newsletters and podcasts too — earned media still shapes perception and policy. I will die on the hill that it matters way more in the GenAI era, because these engines lean on trusted, authoritative sources over the keyword-stuffed SEO content of the past. 4. Build real relationships AI can’t scrape. Journalists, policymakers, employees, investors, communities. Those ties endure long after a fleeting AI citation disappears. At the end of the day, reputation isn’t built on “we showed up once in an AI box.” It’s built on assets, coverage, and trust that no algorithm can erase. Do you agree that earned and owned media are more important than ever in the age of GenAI? Drop your take in the comments. (And if you ever want to talk about trust in the ephemeral AI age, DMs are always open.)

Even the biggest brands can get it wrong—when they misread the masses. We’re in 2025. The audience is sharp, connected, and well-informed. They don’t just watch campaigns—they analyze them. That’s why the backlash around Blue Origin’s recent all-female spaceflight offers an important lesson for PR and marketing teams everywhere: 🚨 Messaging without alignment creates mistrust. The campaign used words like “historic,” “astronaut,” and “mission” that—intentionally or not—created expectations far beyond what the event truly was: an 11-minute space tourism trip. It wasn’t the trip itself that triggered backlash .. 👉 .. It was the perception mismatch. When you frame an experience as something groundbreaking, but audiences see fashion over science, celebrity over substance, or marketing over meaning—credibility takes a hit. Memes follow. Speculation spreads. Public trust drops. This isn’t about attacking a brand. It’s about acknowledging that authenticity, clarity, and context matter more than ever. In 2025, the public: ✔️ Has access to information ✔️ Knows how to investigate ✔️ Can sense spin instantly If your messaging doesn’t align with reality, it won’t just fall flat—it might backfire. So here’s the reminder for all of us in PR, branding, and communications: 👉 Don’t over-glorify the story. 👉 Don’t market to the masses if your product is built for a niche. 👉 Don’t forget—honesty is strategy. Because in today’s world, transparency isn’t just the right thing—it’s the smart thing. #BlueOrigin #PR #MarketingStrategy #BrandTrust #CrisisManagement #Communications #AudienceEngagement #Storytelling #PublicRelations

Mainstream media is collapsing. Your PR strategy needs to evolve now. The facts are clear: Trust in traditional media has plummeted 10 points since 2018, according to Reuters. Factor in the recent election, and trust is evaporating even faster. Meanwhile, niche publications are thriving. Top Substack newsletters alone generated $29M+ in annual revenue. This isn't just a channel shift. It's a complete transformation in how trust is built and maintained. When your press release lands in traditional media, it enters a skepticism ecosystem. Your carefully crafted message gets filtered through institutions your audience increasingly distrusts. Compare this to niche publications: Readers have actively chosen to trust that specific voice. They've opted in. Paid money. Made a commitment. Your message arrives pre-validated by association. The smartest PR teams are partitioning stories strategically: - One angle for mainstream outlets - Another for trade publications - A third for niche publications and newsletters Each crafted for how that specific audience builds trust. The PR playbook from 2024 is obsolete. The most effective teams aren't chasing vanity metrics anymore. They're obsessed with relevance and engagement quality, not raw numbers. They know exactly which voices influence their specific audience segments. If your PR strategy doesn't include targeted pitches to emerging channels, you're missing out on some serious ROI.

What a time to be in this business, right? The rules are being rewritten in real-time. Long-time 60 Minutes Exec Producer Bill Owens told staff today he can no longer make independent decisions based on what is right for the audience. So what does this mean for all of us in PR and comms? First, we need to recognize that editorial decisions now exist within complex corporate ecosystems. Prepare your comms strategy with multiple stakeholders in mind - not just journalists but also their parent companies and regulatory considerations. Second, we're operating in an increasingly polarized media environment where the same content can be interpreted wildly differently by different audiences. This requires much more nuanced audience segmentation and message development. For communicators navigating this landscape, here's my initial advice: ✅ Develop an integrated PR pov that consider legal, regulatory and corporate dimensions ✅ Build stronger direct-to-audience channels that you control ✅ Focus on transparent, fact-based communications that can withstand heavy scrutiny ✅ Prepare leadership for principled decision-making when values and business interests clash In this new reality, our role as communicators has never been more vital. Truly. We must serve as ethical bridges between corporate interests and public trust. I believe the most successful among us will ultimately help define what responsible communication looks like in an era where information itself has become a battleground. The question isn't whether we'll adapt, but whether we'll lead. Thoughts? 👇 https://lnkd.in/gmY6Y8Yt

In PR and comms, reputation comes down to one thing: trust. I recently spoke with Narrative Strategies CEO Ken Spain on our Clipbook webinar about what it takes to earn - and maintain - trust in today’s fast-paced media environment. Some key takeaways from our conversation: ➜ Rely on data, not assumptions. Ken stresses rigorous testing - whether it’s focus groups, interviews, surveys - to understand what truly resonates with your audience. It’s the best way to test and validate your messages before going public. ➜ Know your audience. Your most critical stakeholders may not be who you expect. Make sure you map out all relevant stakeholders, even those on the edges who can quietly influence how others see your brand. ➜ Be deliberate with your message delivery. Does earned media - or paid ads - make sense? Targeted digital campaigns or influencer marketing? In any scenario - make sure your channels fit your audience and goals. ➜ Build alignment internally. Comms pros are often the connective tissue across functions: marketing, investor relations, legal, risk, digital, and more. They must create strong internal consensus - otherwise external trust will fall short. Master these four strategic pillars, and you’ll be equipped to protect your brand and navigate any reputational challenge that comes your way. Link to our full conversation in comments below 👇