Let’s be clear: the rules of the game have changed. Generative AI isn’t a passing trend. It’s now a very important lens through which people discover, filter and evaluate your content. That means your brand no longer competes solely with other companies in your space. You’re competing with algorithms that decide whether your ideas even make it into the conversation.
Too many marketers are still playing by yesterday’s rules – pumping out generic blog posts, stale press releases, and keyword-stuffed SEO copy. That might have worked in 2015. But in 2025, it’s a recipe for invisibility. If you want your brand to matter in this new environment, you need to think differently.
Here’s how.
The generative AI and marketing secret? Stop faking it, invest in real expertise
AI models are getting better at sniffing out fluff. They prioritize content that demonstrates real authority. If your content looks like it could have been stitched together from the first page of Google, it will be ignored.
What to do instead:
- Put experts at the center. Interview your internal SMEs, bring in outside voices and elevate the people with real experience. Not every piece needs to come from your CEO or CMO. Sometimes the engineer, nurse, or data analyst is the most credible voice.
- Publish insights no one else has. Think original surveys, proprietary data, unique points of view. Generative AI thrives on inputs it can’t find anywhere else. Feed it something new, and it will reward you.
- Be relentlessly current. AI values freshness. Outdated whitepapers and forgotten press releases are dead weight. Treat your content like produce that spoils if left too long on the shelf.
Takeaway: If your thought leadership could be replicated by ChatGPT in 30 seconds, it’s not leadership. It’s noise.
Structure like you respect the reader
Here’s a dirty secret: most people don’t thoroughly read all of your content. They scan it. And so does AI. If your material is a wall of jargon, you’ve lost both audiences.
How to fix it:
- Lead with the answer. Summaries and executive takeaways aren’t optional anymore. Put the gold upfront.
- Build for queries. Use Q&A structures to mirror the way people (and AI) ask questions. This isn’t dumbing down. It’s making sure you show up when it matters and are playing by the new rules of the game.
- Chunk don’t dump. Break information into bullets, sections, and frameworks. Think like a teacher, not a lecturer.
Advice: If your content is a slog to get through and not easily digestible, you’ve already lost. Respect your reader’s time, or AI will find someone else who does.
The future of marketing? Dare to be original
The internet doesn’t need another regurgitated 10 tips for success. Generative AI is already overflowing with average. If you want to win, you need to create content that makes people stop, think, and maybe even argue a little.
How to break out of the copycat cycle:
- Tell stories, not specs. Case studies and narratives stick because they humanize your point. A story about how a client solved a problem is more valuable than another listicle.
- Challenge assumptions. It’s okay to have a strong (even controversial) point of view. AI may surface your content because it’s different, not despite it.
- Show don’t tell. Share demonstrations, experiments, visuals – anything that proves your claims are more than just talk.
Point to consider: If your content feels safe, its impact might be muted.
Optimize for algorithms without selling your soul
Yes, mechanics still matter: keywords, metadata, SEO hygiene. But don’t confuse tactics with strategy. Think of these as table stakes. The bigger play is making sure AI understands and respects your authority.
Practical steps:
- Use metadata with intention. Don’t just fill out tags. Frame them as mini-positioning statements. They teach AI how to contextualize you.
- Map content to search intent. Ask yourself: what question is my audience asking that this content answers better than anyone else? Build around that.
- Don’t chase the algorithm; teach it. If you consistently publish deep, high-quality material in your area of expertise, AI will start associating you with authority.
Word to the Wise: Generative AI search optimization without originality is lipstick on a pig. It might get you indexed, but it won’t get you remembered.
Put more real news in your press materials
Let’s be real. Most press releases and statements are chock full of puffery. Companies pound their chests in exaggerated superlative hyper-speak. Everything is world-class and groundbreaking. Every company is proud to announce, or excited to share. There are so many references to solutions that it’s hard to believe there are still problems in the world.
What to focus on:
- Stick to the facts and to what’s truly newsworthy.
- Use concrete examples, data and support to back up any claims you make.
- Write in a style that’s similar to real stories written by real journalists. If your release doesn’t read like the publications you want to land in, you’re probably not going to get covered.
- Building on the above, eliminate industry jargon and buzzwords. They’re a buzzkill for anyone trying to understand what you do that might be important.
- And one final word on quotes. Don’t bloviate. Don’t tell people how wonderful something is or how proud you are of an accomplishment. Make your quotes meaty – filled with facts and attribution. AI models are looking for facts attached to expert sources. You’re missing an opportunity to appeal to AI scraping tools with empty congratulatory quotes.
How will AI change marketing? The final word
The rise of generative AI for content marketing and media relations isn’t the death of content marketing or media relations. In fact, AI weighs those two mediums as among the most trustworthy sources to draw upon. Companies should lean into these two strategies now more than ever.
If you’re interested in making your content and earned media strategies more appealing in the AI world, let’s connect.
