Want to Get Cited by AI? Here is the Scoop on where to focus your efforts

If your brand isn’t showing up in AI search results, you’re missing out on the biggest shift in online visibility since Google replaced the phone book.

The good news?

This new era just leveled the playing field for small business owners, creators, and thought leaders. The even better news? You don’t need a massive PR budget to ride this wave, just a smart strategy.

On a recent episode of Strategy Talks, I sat down with communications expert Dan Nestle, host of The Trending Communicator Podcast, and long-time advocate for doing PR in a way that actually works.

We dove into what’s changed in search, how AI rewrites the rules, and what any small brand can do this month to get cited by AI.

Why AI Search Puts PR Back on the Map

Traditional search has always been pay-to-play. Big brands with bigger budgets dominated search engine results pages (SERPs), and the rest of us settled for the long tail. But AI changed the game.

“Everything has changed,” Dan said. “People are leaving Google behind and relying more on their AI buddy.”

And here’s the twist: AI search doesn’t just deliver links. It delivers answers.

When your brand gets mentioned, or better yet, featured, in AI-generated answers, you suddenly become part of the conversation, whether the user clicks through or not.

So how do you show up in those answers? You get cited by AI, and that requires credible, contextual, content-rich mentions across the web.

What AI Looks for When It Generates Answers

Dan broke it down:

“We all have a chance now, not because of some fix to your website, but because of the natural language capabilities that AI brings to search. That levels the playing field.”

AI doesn’t care as much about backlinks, keywords, or domain authority as traditional search engines do. It cares about language, credibility, and context.

That means getting cited by AI is less about sneaky SEO tricks and more about earning your place in the sources AI pulls from. Think:

• In-depth podcast interviews

• Thoughtful blog posts

• Context-rich guest appearances

• Expert commentary in newsletters or Substack articles

As Dan put it:

“It’s the story that matters, not the mention. You want your full beginning, middle, and end in front of your audience.”

What’s a Mention Worth, Really?

Dan didn't hold back here, and I loved it.

“Mentions are BS,” he said. “You won’t remember a fleeting quote two days later. But if you’re interviewed, if you tell a story, that gets remembered.”

This hit home for me. I’ve worked with brands where the PR team chased mentions like gold stars, but no one ever asked: Did this move the needle? Meanwhile, the social media posts we built, the ones people actually engaged with, were bringing in real leads and collaborations.

Mentions might feel good. Stories get remembered. And AI remembers stories.

How Small Brands Can Get Cited by AI (Without a PR Budget)

You don’t need a publicist. You don’t need a paid media strategy. You just need a point of view, a willingness to show up, and a smart content repurposing workflow.

Here’s where Dan says to start:

1. Be Consistent With Content

“Start putting out content that is directed, consistent, and has a point of view,” Dan advised. “Don’t be generic, and don’t be neutral.”

You don’t need to go viral. You need to show up, regularly and with purpose, where your audience and peers already are.

2. Get On Podcasts

According to Dan, “Podcasts are such a goldmine.” And he’s right. They offer long-form content, context, and backlinks, all things AI loves.

Don’t worry about the size of the podcast. Worry about the quality of the conversation and the fact that you’re getting searchable, sharable content.

3. Repurpose Everything

This part really made me smile because it’s exactly what I teach.

Dan said:

“You get the transcript, the video, the clips. That becomes more important and more critical than whatever number of listens that episode had.”

Turn your podcast interview into:

• A blog post (like this one!)

• Several LinkedIn posts

• An email newsletter

• Quotes and audiograms

• A resource page on your site

Get it on your own website. That’s your owned media. Then, when AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity scan the web for credible voices, you’ll be right there, cited as the source.

What Most People Miss (Even the Guests on My Show!)

Here’s the kicker. Dan reminded me that most podcast guests, even the ones with huge followings, don’t actually use the assets they’re given. They get the full video, clips, even quote images… and then they do nothing with it.

So, if you're appearing on shows or being quoted?

Do something with that content.

Dan’s advice: “Use every single piece, every asset that is given to you or that you can ask for, and share the sh*t out of it.”

(Yes, I laughed out loud when he said that.)

AI Won’t Cite You If It Can’t Find You

Dan and I both agree: AI isn’t magic. It can’t read your mind. It can only cite you if your name, ideas, and quotes are out there in the right kind of content.

Here’s what that content looks like:

• Discoverable: It’s online, public, and crawlable

• Context-rich: Not just a quote, but a full idea

• Original: Written or spoken in your authentic voice

• Repeated: You’re showing up consistently in multiple places

As Dan put it, “The magic, especially now with AI search, is in the assets.”

So get strategic. Reuse your appearances. Build your own orbit. Be the voice AI is quoting, not just the user reading it.

Want to Get Cited by AI? Start With This Checklist

If you want to be the expert voice showing up in AI search, here’s what to focus on this month:

• Start or refresh your blog

• Be a guest on one podcast (pitch yourself!)

• Turn your next transcript into a blog

• Post 2–3 quotes from your last interview

• Update your site to include podcast appearances

• Comment on thought leaders’ Substacks and LinkedIn posts

• Pitch yourself to one Substack writer or niche journalist

• Ask for the transcript from your next interview, and use it

• Share your content on your owned channels (LinkedIn, newsletter, blog)

• Repeat monthly

  
  

You don't need fame. You need findability.

10 Smart ChatGPT Prompts to Help You Get Cited by AI

Use these prompts to generate content, ideas, and outreach that boosts your visibility in AI search results:

• “Summarize this podcast transcript into a blog post for my business audience.”

• “Turn this transcript into 5 LinkedIn posts that position me as a thought leader.”

• “Write a compelling pitch email for me to appear on marketing podcasts.”

• “Create a media bio that highlights my expertise in [your niche].”

• “Generate a list of 10 niche podcasts in [industry] I should pitch.”

• “Give me Substack writers covering [topic] I could collaborate with.”

• “Draft a blog post from this podcast episode focused on my key quotes.”

• “Suggest SEO headlines based on my interview transcript.”

• “Create a social media campaign using assets from my last podcast appearance.”

• “Analyze this blog and suggest how I can improve my authority for AI search.”

Let’s get you cited by AI, not someday, but today.

And hey, if you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe to Strategy Talks and reach out if you’re ready to repurpose your podcast content the right way. Let’s get visible together.