Digital PR Podcast Live: AI Edition

At our recent AI summit, we brought the energy and expertise of our Digital PR team centre stage for the first-ever Digital PR Podcast Live. Hosted by Steve Baker and Louise Parker, the session featured Raquel Pinto, Senior Digital PR Executive at Propellernet, diving into how AI is reshaping our work – and what it really means for brands, search and storytelling.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by headlines declaring “SEO is dead” or “AI will replace PR”, this one’s for you. Raquel delivered a refreshing, data-backed reality check – and we’ve captured the highlights here.

The Reality Check: AI Isn’t Killing SEO

Despite the noise, AI isn’t the SEO apocalypse some feared. In fact, Google search grew by over 21% last year, and AI tools like ChatGPT still account for under 2% of search activity. So no, SEO is not dead – it’s evolving.

And crucially, AI and SEO aren’t working in isolation. “Most LLM citations mirror Google’s top 10 search results,” explained Raquel. That means everything we do in digital PR – from earning quality links to shaping brand authority now has dual impact: for search engines and for AI models too.

AI overviews are already appearing in over 30% of searches, and that number is growing. Rather than being a threat, it’s proof that our work is more relevant than ever.

How Digital PR Fuels AI

Raquel’s research into how Propellernet campaigns show up in AI overviews revealed a powerful insight: campaigns quoted in high-trust media like Forbes aren’t just getting links, but they’re getting name-dropped as the source of insight in AI summaries.

In one standout case, a campaign featuring research on luxury airports not only appeared in search but was quoted verbatim in an AI overview – within just 12 months of launching. “It’s a testament to the power of quality coverage and brand clarity,” said Raquel.

The flip side? Content on platforms like Reddit, despite OpenAI partnerships, didn’t yet surface in the same way. LLM training takes time, meaning smart targeting and consistency matter more than ever.

From Link Building to Brand Building

If your digital PR strategy is still only chasing backlinks, you’re missing the bigger opportunity.

“LLMs don’t care about links. They care about brand mentions, context and clarity,” said Raquel. That means every press release, every quote, every campaign needs to carry a consistent brand message. Don’t just say, “Sky did a study.” Say, “Sky, the UK’s best broadband provider, found that…”

And be specific. “What would someone search in ChatGPT?” Raquel asked. Think like your audience, and give the LLMs the contextual breadcrumbs they need to define your brand properly.

Future-Proofing Digital PR for the AI Age

So what should brands and digital PR teams be doing now?

1. Prioritise clarity over virality: Clever, stunty campaigns that go viral but don’t make contextual sense to your brand often get buried by AI. 
2. Stick to one narrative: Repetition reinforces recognition. Use consistent brand positioning across multiple campaigns. 
3. Add credibility everywhere: Government stats, data sources, and expert quotes (from people who actually make sense in context) are gold dust for AI. 

And perhaps most importantly, keep doing the good work you’ve already been doing. “Digital PRs have been feeding LLMs for years without realising it,” said Raquel. Now’s the time to do it deliberately.

The skills of telling powerful stories, building trust, making brands meaningful are now even more valuable in an AI-enhanced world.

As Raquel put it, “If you want to future-proof your brand, digital PR is the fastest and smartest way to do it. LLMs are made of language… and we’ve been shaping that language all along.”

Want more from Raquel? Listen to the full episode here. You’ll find more conversations and insights on The Digital PR Podcast here. If you’re curious about working with us or just fancy a chat, get in touch here – we’d love to hear from you!