Media Relations Measurement And Ai What Matters To Pr Muck Rack

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 8:07 AM

media relations measurement and ai what matters to pr muck rack

July 23, 2025 06:45 ET | Source: Muck Rack Muck Rack Miami, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a groundbreaking study analyzing millions of AI-cited links from hundreds of thousands of prompts, Muck Rack, the leading provider of the award-winning PR software, has revealed... The research, titled “What is AI Reading?” set out to answer a fundamental question: Does media coverage materially affect what AI says? The answer, unequivocally, is yes. “This study is an eye-opener for PR and communications teams aiming to understand how media mentions influence AI-generated content,” said Greg Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack. “Until now, we’ve had theories and early signals—but now we’ve got solid evidence that earned media directly influences AI-generated output.

This changes the stakes for PR. The way businesses are represented by AI now ties directly to the media coverage they earn.” Citations actively influence AI output: Controlled prompt testing showed that when citations are enabled, LLM (large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini) outputs meaningfully change. Earned media doesn’t just show up—it affects what is said. This proves that cited content is not decorative. It materially grounds outputs in real-time, dynamic inputs.

Earned media is a foundational input: More than 95% of citations come from unpaid media sources and 85% of those come from earned sources, while another quarter are from journalistic sources. Half of total AI responses included at least one earned media citation. These figures highlight the critical role that earned media strategies play in GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) visibility.What Determines Whether a Brand is CitedThree key variables drive citation inclusion: As public relations professionals navigate an increasingly complex media landscape while preparing for upcoming budget cycles, Muck Rack’s 2025 State of PR report provides critical insights into the industry’s current trajectory and emerging challenges. The comprehensive study examines how PR teams are adapting to rapid technological change, particularly in AI adoption, while grappling with evolving earned media strategies and shifting social media dynamics that are reshaping how communications... AI usage is a trend that is increasing in the PR space.

Muck Rack revealed that 59% of PR pros believe that AI would become more important in five years, highlighting it as a future priority. With AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E already being incorporated into over three-quarters of PR pros’ workflows, AI has showcased itself to be a tool that can be used as an assistant that... However, the most successful AI implementation in PR requires strategic human oversight and sophisticated prompt engineering. While AI excels at generating ideas, drafting initial content and automating routine tasks, the nuanced understanding of brand voice, audience psychology and strategic messaging still demands a human touch. The professionals leading the pack aren’t just using AI – they’re directing it through precise prompts and maintaining quality control that ensures AI-generated content aligns with brand standards and communications objectives. This hybrid approach maximizes AI’s efficiency gains while preserving the authenticity and strategic thinking that define exceptional PR work.

Securing earned coverage has become significantly more difficult for PR professionals, with an overwhelming 98% reporting that earned media is harder to obtain than before. One of the primary culprits is plummeting journalist response rates, cited by 72% of PR pros as a major obstacle, while 62% point to shrinking media lists in their relevant beats as coverage opportunities... The traditional pathways to coverage are becoming increasingly narrow and competitive. The combination of reduced newsroom staff, overwhelmed journalists and fewer specialized beat reporters creates a perfect storm that requires PR professionals to fundamentally rethink their earned media strategies. The near-universal acknowledgment of these challenges underscores the critical need for more personalized and strategic approaches to media outreach in today’s constrained landscape. In 2024 artificial intelligence investment and innovation exploded with $240 billion in total United States market capital spent.

While the numbers and new advancements were impressive, 2025 is set to continue that growth trend with the largest tech companies expected to spend north of $300 billion on new technologies and datacenter buildouts. In the PR and marketing world, 2024 brought a rapid integration of these technologies into team workflows, helping streamline media relations, research, writing, data collection and more. To better understand AI’s real-world impact on PR pros, Muck Rack released a State of AI in PR Report, which dove into how teams are (and are not) using AI, the ethics of using... As an agency owner with more than 25 years of experience creating and running PR and content programs for B2B tech brands, here’s what stood out in the report to me, what feels a... Muck Rack’s report highlights that three out of four PR pros use generative AI at work, nearly triple the amount compared to 2023. Yet, 55% of agencies still lack clear guidelines on how AI should (or shouldn’t) be used.

We saw employees embrace AI tools early on (and encouraged it), which is why we implemented an AI Guidelines Policy in early 2023. We want employees to use these tools to enhance the work they do, but also make it clear that AI-generated content is NOT a replacement for doing actual work. Some key elements to consider in a policy include general usage principles, acceptable use of specific AI tools, a “do-not use” list (and why), best practices for prompts, and an approved tools list. One of the most common AI use cases shown in the report is brainstorming. When it comes to ideation, looking at a blank page can be intimidating and using AI can help spark ideas. That’s fantastic, but don’t let AI be a crutch for all of your creative ideas.

Building and learning your own creative process and applying that to PR is incredibly valuable. Encourage your teams to find a balance. On the flip side, it’s surprising that only 21% of PR pros use AI for journalist research. When used properly, AI can help find previous coverage from reporters, identify their interests, and recognize patterns in their articles. And tools like Muck Rack, Cision, Propel and others are rapidly rolling out tools that apply AI to media relations workflows, trends and research. Teams can lean into these features, while still validating the results.

The future of search will take center stage at the SEO & GEO Outlook 2026 Breakfast, where leading search and digital marketing experts will explore how AI-powered generative search is reshaping online visibility and... The event, co-produced by... From the outset of the annual Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit and ADWKDC, communicators were told they are facing a "world of constant change." Perhaps, said a speaker at the opening session, what communicators really need,... The annual Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit and ADWKDC will be held on Thursday, October 9, at the Convene Conference Center in Arlington, VA. Advertising, marketing, public relations and media thought leaders will share their expertise on the current and coming trends that... The latest group of speakers are listed below for the October 9 Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit and ADWKDC.

The summit will be held in Arlington, VA at the Convene Conference Center in the Rosslyn district of Arlington. Sessions will include a broad range of topics for... TIME has launched the TIME AI Agent, an artificial intelligence–powered platform designed to help readers engage more deeply with its journalism. The new system, built on TIME’s reporting and generative AI technology, allows readers to interact with content in real... As public relations professionals navigate an increasingly complex media landscape while preparing for upcoming budget cycles, Muck Rack’s 2025 State of PR report provides critical insights into the industry’s current trajectory and emerging challenges. The comprehensive study examines how PR teams are adapting to rapid technological change, particularly in AI adoption, while grappling with evolving earned media strategies and shifting social media dynamics that are reshaping how communications...

AI usage is a trend that is increasing in the PR space. Muck Rack revealed that 59% of PR pros believe that AI would become more important in five years, highlighting it as a future priority. With AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E already being incorporated into over three-quarters of PR pros’ workflows, AI has showcased itself to be a tool that can be used as an assistant that... However, the most successful AI implementation in PR requires strategic human oversight and sophisticated prompt engineering. While AI excels at generating ideas, drafting initial content and automating routine tasks, the nuanced understanding of brand voice, audience psychology and strategic messaging still demands a human touch. The professionals leading the pack aren’t just using AI – they’re directing it through precise prompts and maintaining quality control that ensures AI-generated content aligns with brand standards and communications objectives.

This hybrid approach maximizes AI’s efficiency gains while preserving the authenticity and strategic thinking that define exceptional PR work. Securing earned coverage has become significantly more difficult for PR professionals, with an overwhelming 98% reporting that earned media is harder to obtain than before. One of the primary culprits is plummeting journalist response rates, cited by 72% of PR pros as a major obstacle, while 62% point to shrinking media lists in their relevant beats as coverage opportunities... The traditional pathways to coverage are becoming increasingly narrow and competitive. The combination of reduced newsroom staff, overwhelmed journalists and fewer specialized beat reporters creates a perfect storm that requires PR professionals to fundamentally rethink their earned media strategies. The near-universal acknowledgment of these challenges underscores the critical need for more personalized and strategic approaches to media outreach in today’s constrained landscape.

Miami, Aug. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fifty-nine percent of PR professionals reported that AI and automation will grow in importance over the next five years, with 77% already using tools like ChatGPT in their workflow,... When asked how to improve PR’s perceived value, 67% of respondents pointed to producing measurable results. Other strategies, such as creative solutions (12%) and executive visibility (11%) lagged far behind. “For years, PR teams have struggled to prove their direct impact on business outcomes, but AI is changing that,” said Gregory Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack. “It’s not just a tool for writing faster or working smarter; it's becoming the attribution engine PR has never had.

With solutions like GEO, communicators can finally connect earned media to real results. That’s a fundamental shift for the industry.” Media relations remains a core responsibility, with 84% citing it as a top job function. Yet, securing media coverage is becoming increasingly difficult. Seventy-two percent of respondents cited low journalist response rates, and 62% pointed to shrinking media lists within relevant beats. Nearly half pitch more than 20 journalists per campaign, but 36% noted limited relationships with their contacts.

While 70% say they personalize pitches to some extent, most only update a few lines to tailor the message. Just 11% say they fully customize each pitch.

Media Relations Measurement And Ai What Matters To Pr Muck Rack

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