As more people turn to generative AI tools to search and make decisions, communicators are finding new ways to leverage them. On the “PR’s Top Pros Talk…” podcast, Mike Bako, Vice President of Media and Content Strategy at D S Simon Media, spoke with Doug Simon, CEO of D S Simon Media, about how the AI-Powered Broadcast Media Tour™ can help organizations stay visible.

Doug opened the conversation by addressing a question that is top of mind for many communicators: Does an organization’s earned media need to be AI-optimized? His answer was clear. “The answer to your question is absolutely,” he said. As he explained, improving generative engine optimization, or GEO, has become essential. GEO, he noted, “is the fastest growing way to get your organization discovered. Earned media is one of the key drivers of improving GEO. “So, now it’s imperative that the content that you’re putting out there and the news coverage you generate is optimized.” That shift in how audiences find information is exactly what inspired the agency’s AI-Powered Broadcast Media Tour™. When Mike asked what distinguishes this approach, Doug explained that it “takes the satellite media tour to the next level.” Traditional satellite media tours already generate great earned media coverage, but the landscape has changed. “Because satellite tours are so effective at generating earned media on a wide scale, the need to optimize them for AI search becomes incredibly important.”

At the core of the process is a deep understanding of how people search for information using AI tools. “What we do is identify the key questions people are asking when they are using large language models, such as ChatGPT, to search for information relevant to your product or service,” Doug shared. These insights don’t sit on the sidelines; they shape the entire campaign, helping spokespeople and stations address the topics that AI models already surface for users. As the conversation continued, Doug walked through how the AI-Powered Broadcast Media Tour™ works. “It starts by identifying the keywords that are driving your campaign initiative and your organization’s sales growth,” he said. From there, the team determines “the top ten queries customers and B2B prospects are asking on the eleven top large language models, LLMs.”

The D S Simon Media team produces tailored content that aligns with top search queries. “We create additional video content specifically designed to have your spokesperson answering the top queries,” Doug noted. This content is fully transcribed and distributed to help with search visibility. The impact is valuable, as stations are more likely to feature the content on their websites. “They’ll be provided with the information that we know these AI search engines are responding to, further improving your discoverability on their websites.”

Mike also asked a question about what the report will include. “At the start of the project, you’ll receive a report that scrubs the top LLMs to determine the key queries your customers and prospects are asking,” Doug explained. The reporting doesn’t stop there. “We’ll also provide competitive intelligence on how your organization ranks against the top 30 brands across these LLMs,” along with a full media report detailing broadcast airings, web placements, dates, times, and audience reach. Mike touched on pricing, asking why the company chose not to raise rates despite integrating advanced AI capabilities. Doug’s answer was direct: AI optimization isn’t optional anymore. “AI optimizing all your earned content isn’t a luxury, it’s a must-have,” he said. D S Simon Media’s investment in the platform allows the team to enhance every tour without raising fees. As Doug put it, “You can reach millions of people while increasing AI discoverability.”

The conversation wrapped with a look toward what this means for communicators going forward. Mike highlighted how impactful this will be, “not only for D S Simon Media, but with the brands and organizations that we work with.” The AI-Powered Broadcast Media Tour™ demonstrates how strategic optimization can help organizations meet audiences not just where they are, but where they search.

***

View all of the interviews in the “PR's Top Pros Talk” series. Interested in taking part? Contact Doug Simon at [email protected].

***

Josh Moed is a Marketing Specialist at D S Simon Media, a leading firm specializing in satellite media tours.