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Tips from PR Expert Keith Emmer that Will Help Your Business with AI Search

At Digital Dynamo, we have been examining the qualities of a brand’s online presence that make it show in AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Mode, and Perplexity. Most of the qualities we’ve found are aligned with how we do traditional SEO – well-written, helpful content, website functionality, and digital PR from reputable, relevant platforms. However, digital PR appears to be the quality that has the most impact.

Because Digital Dynamo believes digital PR is highly important for appearing in generative AI search, I interviewed my friend Keith Emmer, a PR expert with 20 years of experience who has helped our clients build PR and backlinks that skyrocketed their search rankings. In this article, he shares tips on how to get journalists to engage with you, creating the kind of digital PR that will elevate your visibility in AI-generated search results.

1. Own a Niche with Laser Focus

“Be known for one thing first,” Keith advises. It’s hard for any business, but especially smaller businesses, to make a name for themselves across many topics. Instead of casting a wide net, focus on a highly specific niche. Then define your niche with extreme clarity. Having a well-defined niche will make you more relevant to the media, which will ultimately expand your PR opportunities. Having a niche bolsters the idea that you’re the expert in that area, which makes you more appealing to media outlets.

2. Prioritize Industry-Specific Outlets

Once you figure out your niche, look at outlets that focus on your industry and area of expertise. “Just be known for one thing first and get very specific, then look for trade publications, podcasts, and other platforms that cater to that,” Keith says.

For example, Digital Dynamo works with a lot of financial advisors. There are great websites that cover general financial topics that could provide lucrative backlinks – Investopedia, Bloomberg, and the Financial Times are just a few of these sites. But a backlink from these sites can be hard to come by. So instead of going after PR and links from a broad-based outlet like the ones I just mentioned, we could recommend to one of our financial advisor clients who works with doctors to pitch an article to White Coat Investor, a website that covers physician-specific personal finance and investing topics.

3. Engage Directly with Journalists

Though you may not know many (or any) journalists in real-life, social media makes it easier to connect with them. “Follow them on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, or industry forums,” Keith recommends. “Reference their recent stories and provide value when you eventually reach out to them. Get into conversations with them and then maybe they’ll come to you as a source.”

Keith also recommends doing research to see which journalists cover the services and industry you work in.

“There are free databases where you can find journalists, and Googling will get you most of the information you need,” Keith says. “See who’s writing about the topics related to your niche. Which journalists and influencers are important in your space? Focus on them when you start to engage.”

4. Pitch with Purpose

When you do start to engage with journalists, you want there to be intention behind your outreach. “You want to offer something of value to the journalist, like a topical story with an expert angle that no one else is providing,” Keith advises. “Focus on how your story fits into broader industry narratives. And don’t just pitch products – pitch perspective. Keep your pitch clear, concise, and rooted in your area of expertise.”

5. Use Your Real Name – Not Just a Company Name

Journalists are interested in speaking with experts, not “companies” or “brands.” “When you do your outreach, present yourself – not your company – as the authority,” Keith says.

From Digital Dynamo’s perspective, AI and search engines favor human bylines, so tie your personal credibility to each piece of thought leadership

6. Be Available & Easy to Work With to build a Relationship

“Journalists work fast,” Keith says. “Make yourself reachable and ready to provide quotes or commentary when needed, and quickly. If you’re a reliable source, it increases your chance of getting quoted and mentioned in online articles.”

Once you’ve established a rapport, no matter how minor, with a journalist, continue to nurture it. Thank them for their consideration of your expertise, provide them with information when it helps, and always get back to them when they reach out.

Final Word

Digital PR isn’t a vanity play; it’s now one of the strongest levers for SEO and AI visibility. A DIY approach to digital PR and backlink building can be done if you’re intentional, methodical, and patient. These tips from Keith Emmer will set you on the right path to building your online footprint.

If you need help with your business’s SEO or GEO/LLMO (optimization for AI search tools), contact Digital Dynamo for a free consultation.