The second placement is a perfect example of how this works. Someone types “can you recommend a 50th birthday gift under $200” into ChatGPT. The CNN article surfaces and Virgin Experience Gifts gets the citation.
The content doesn’t need to be exclusively about your brand. It just needs to include your brand in the right context, on a publication the model trusts.
Research supported by consumer data and studies
Research-driven content carries more weight than standard brand messages because it gives the model concrete evidence to reference.
We see this consistently with data-driven studies and campaigns. For example, one of our clients, a Fortune 500 dog food brand, did a study on the most dog-friendly cities in America. Time Out has collected the research and it is now emerging in AI overviews for related searches.
Journalists are also prioritizing data-driven sources to gain exposure in LLMs. When you pitch a study with great data and a credible source, you’re giving them the information they need to make their content citable in response engines.
Thought leadership and expert commentary
Thought leadership is one of the most impactful ways to create visibility in AI-driven research and is often underutilized.
