A Conversation With Muck Rack About Generative Engine Optimization

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AI platforms are reshaping how people discover information — and therefore, brands need to rethink what visibility means. My friends at Muck Rack are leading the way in understanding how these LLMs work and how GEO now applies to our work. I recently connected with Linda Zebian, their Vice President of Communications, to dig into the new findings from the company’s updated ”What Is AI Reading?” report that came out last week. The report analyzed more than 25 million AI citations across major platforms to understand how citation patterns are shifting and where these systems pull from.

The key takeaway: Our work as communicators is key to winning in the zero-click, AI-powered discovery space — and the details of your strategy matter.

Let’s jump in.

✨ What surprised you the most about your study’s findings?

💬 Linda’s take: What stands out most is how fragmented citations are across models.

Each AI platform has its own sourcing tendencies, and while journalism citations are spread across more than 20,000 outlets, there are a few clear outliers. Axios is the most notable example, appearing in ChatGPT’s top three cited domains across 13 of 17 industries, which is something no other journalism outlet achieves across any model.

But regardless, earned media is overwhelmingly driving AI citations, accounting for 84% of links across ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and that pattern has held steady across three consecutive reports since July 2025. Paid and advertorial content barely registers, making up just 0.3% of citations, while journalism represents 27% of all cited sources.

🧩 Thanks. Given that ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini cite almost entirely different sources, do communicators need three separate strategies?

💬 Linda’s take: The core strategy does not change. Strong, consistent messaging and meaningful relationships with journalists remain the foundation of solid PR strategies. What has changed is the level of visibility we have now.

Communications leaders have access to more granular data that allows them to refine outreach and prioritize the journalists and outlets that are most likely to influence AI-generated answers. The craft itself remains intact, but the tools have improved, which makes it easier to be precise and intentional in how stories are placed and showcase the true impact of PR on the business.

📰 Why is Axios doing so well?

💬 Linda’s take: Axios has built a format and editorial approach that translates well to AI answers. Their Smart Brevity style makes content easy to parse and extract, which aligns with how AI systems ingest and surface information. They also focus on a defined set of verticals such as AI, media and local news, where they have established a strong voice rather than trying to cover every industry broadly.

🏦 You have “Corporate Blog and Content” comprising 24% of citations, just under “Journalistic.” How important are owned content platforms in an AI-first, zero-click world?

💬 Linda’s take: In this analysis, “Corporate Blog and Content” refers to third-party content, such as a PR agency writing about how they use a platform like Muck Rack, rather than content published directly by the brand itself. Owned content (e.g., Muck Rack writing about a new tool on our own blog) is tracked separately.

Owned platforms still play an important role, particularly for direct, intent-driven queries. When someone asks a specific question about a company or product, such as whether Muck Rack offers media monitoring, a brand’s own content is far more likely to surface. That makes owned channels essential for capturing high-intent visibility, even as earned and third-party content drive broader discovery and influence.

🔑 What are two or three things communicators need to be doing differently, strategically or tactically, to account for your findings?

💬 Linda’s take: Communicators should start by building an understanding of generative engine optimization, including how AI systems source and rank information. Investing time in learning the fundamentals, such as through a course or hands-on exploration in a tool, is becoming an important part of the role.

They should also use available tools and data to inform media strategy more directly. That means identifying which journalists, outlets and URLs are most frequently cited and making sure those relationships are being actively developed. The ability to see what is influencing AI outputs creates an opportunity to be much more targeted in outreach.

Finally, it is worth expanding the definition of earned media. Securing coverage in traditional outlets remains challenging, as journalists are managing a high volume of pitches, so communicators should also look to partners, customers and vendors as content collaborators. Creating opportunities for mutual storytelling, such as interviews or shared features that are published on third-party platforms, can generate credible, citable content that contributes to visibility in AI systems.

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Even before AI, our true value wasn’t the weight of our Rolodex. Now, that’s doubly true. Wag The Dog's Philippe Borremans calls out a specific vulnerability: the "little black book" of journalist relationships is a nostalgic fantasy — most reporter outreach is just research, targeting, and personalization. Press releases and holding statements follow templates and structured formats; they’re not our actual “craft.” All of that is “intelligence work” — the stuff centered on researching and factfinding. It’s important but can be operationalized.

The real value was never in the sending; it was in knowing what to say when you have 90 seconds before a statement goes live during a crisis. That’s even more true today than it was even 18 months ago.

Why it’s important: If your role's value proposition is 80% intelligence work (monitoring, content production, distribution, coverage reports) — whether you're in-house, agency, or independent — you need to adapt now, not in two years. This isn't theoretical; it's about honestly auditing where your actual hours and leverage live.

What's next: Communicators need to stop competing on speed and volume of output and start positioning around the decisions that only experience and nerve can make: telling leadership to apologize when every lawyer says no, or admitting uncertainty at 2 AM to preserve long-term institutional credibility. And you’ll need to be comfortable with using (or building!) AI tools to handle the speed and volume-based outputs you’re still expected to deliver on.

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Most internal communicators are using AI — but most employees still want more from their companies’ internal communications. There’s a gap here to address. Ragan Communications and PR Daily are hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, June 3 at 1p et, exploring this divide.

Tune in to get clarity on AI’s role in internal comms and how to build experiences for employees that really connect.

Here are things I’ve built while figuring out how communicators can use AI well — shared here so you can experiment with them too. I’ll keep adding to this list over time.

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Looking for a role at the intersection of communications and AI? Here are some opportunities to check out:

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Until next Wednesday,

Dan

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