Last week, I did a tiny experiment that turned into a full-body lesson.
I opened an AI search and typed in the name of an expert I know well. She is someone with a strong website, a beautiful headshot, a thoughtful bio, and a book that is genuinely helping people.
The AI answer came back with confident answers and included a long list of sources.
And almost none of those sources were her own website or other owned assets.
Instead, the AI pulled from third-party places where she has been mentioned, interviewed, quoted, or referenced. In other words, it trusted independent confirmation more than her own information that she has posted.
Earned media won over owned media by a landslide.
Now, I want to say very clearly that owned media is important. There is no question that your site, your newsletter, your email list, your platform, your voice, your intellectual property, and your home base count. That is where people fall in love with your work and take the next step with you, whether that is buying your book, attending your program, or whatever your business model is.
But when it comes to showing up in AI answers, earned media carries much more weight.
Here is what has changed:
Many AI “answer engines” are built to show where their information came from, with clickable sources and citations. So they tend to lean on pages that look like third-party validation, not marketing copy, and certainly not advertising.
That is why earned media has become the credibility accelerator in the AI era. It is not just nice to have. It is public proof that you exist in the wider world, and that other people (media) consider you worth referencing.
And it explains the frustration I keep hearing from authors and experts, such as:
“I post great content. I have a website. I have a book. Why am I invisible in AI results?”
Often, the answer is not more content. It is more corroboration.
Here is the main point to keep in mind. Owned media is still essential, just for a different job. Think about it like this…
Earned media is all about discovery and trust. It is where people first learn about you and start to get to know you. It’s that third-party endorsement that makes you credible. It’s what helps AI systems and humans say, “Other people vouch for this person.”
Owned media is all about depth and conversion. This is where you control the narrative, capture leads, and build a relationship that does not depend on any platform.
You need both.
Earned media in 2026 is not just a big glossy feature, although yes please. It can be interviews on reputable sites, articles where you are quoted, podcast episode pages with show notes and links, guest columns, and credible speaker pages for conferences, associations, and universities.
We live in a new search environment where your owned media explains you, but earned media validates you.
Media Darling Moment: AI does not reward your best self description, it rewards third-party verification.
Here are a few things you can do this week as you are getting earned media attention and publicity:
- When you are interviewed, ask for one clean link back to your preferred page (not five different links).
- Prefer earned opportunities that create indexable pages (not just a social post that disappears).
- Keep the media page on your website current with logos and links to the coverage you have received. If you don’t have a media page yet, now is the time to build one.
A while ago, I was looking for a contractor to do some home improvements. I did not start with their website. I started with what other people said about them. Then, once I trusted the references, I went to the website to see if I liked the feel of the work.
That is exactly how AI behaves, and honestly, it is how most humans behave too.
First we look for proof, which is why reviews are so popular, and then we decide whether to commit.
So yes, build the beautiful home base that is your website and other assets. Keep them. Own them and nurture them.
And then, go earn the coverage and third-party proof that helps the world discover it.
To your success,
Joanne
P.S. Update your media page with logos and links. That is your credibility glow-up. Then cue Lizzo.
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