By Paola Iuspa-Abbott, President of Top of Mind Public Relations
In today’s AI-driven digital world, building brand authority online isn’t just about having a great product or website – it’s about earning trust across the internet.
Whether you run a law firm, real estate group, nonprofit, or consumer brand, Google and AI search engines determine your credibility based on how consistent and verifiable your business appears across multiple websites. Those independent mentions, known as secondary sources, form the foundation of how your brand is perceived, ranked, and remembered.
This is where public relations (PR) becomes a powerful business tool. A strong PR strategy not only builds awareness but also creates the trust signals that boost Google rankings, AI visibility, and Knowledge Panel recognition.
What Are Secondary Sources – and Why They Matter for SEO and AI Discovery
Search engines and AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot use independent, authoritative sources to verify your identity. They check that what you say about your business matches what others say about you.
These include:
- News articles and earned media coverage
- Mentions in professional directories and industry associations
- Awards, event bios, and speaker profiles
- Business databases like Crunchbase or BBB
- Social media accounts with consistent business data
- Partner websites and third-party references
When these sources align and consistently reference your company name, leadership, and mission, they form a network of credibility. This improves your visibility across both Google Search and AI-powered discovery engines.
How PR Helps Businesses Build That Network of Secondary Sources
1. Earned Media Creates Authoritative Backlinks
Getting quoted or featured in a reputable publication does more than build buzz; it sends a signal of authority to Google. Additionally, each article, interview, or news story about your company adds a high-authority backlink that validates your expertise.
PR professionals identify the right stories, craft angles that resonate with journalists, and secure credible coverage that improves your domain authority and search engine rankings.
2. Consistent Messaging Improves Entity Recognition
Search engines rely on consistent data to recognize your company as a single, trustworthy entity. PR ensures that your brand name, leadership, founding date, and mission are identical across your website, press releases, social media, and media coverage.
This consistency strengthens what’s known as your Knowledge Graph entity, making it easier for Google to display your company in rich search results and Knowledge Panels.
3. Strategic Directory Listings Strengthen Your Online Footprint
PR teams know which industry directories, association pages, and verified databases your company should be listed in, and how to optimize those listings. For instance, whether it’s a law firm directory, Chamber of Commerce listing, or industry award page, each of these references serves as a digital “proof point” that your company is legitimate.
4. Thought Leadership Builds Authority Beyond Your Website
Publishing articles, bylines, and interviews helps your leadership become visible experts in your field. Moreover, when those appearances are published on external sites – with bios and backlinks – they serve as secondary validation sources that reinforce your company’s credibility and improve your AI discoverability.
5. Reputation Management Keeps Your Data Clean and Consistent
The web evolves quickly. As your business grows, old listings, outdated bios, or inconsistent messaging can erode your credibility. PR teams conduct reputation audits – tracking mentions, updating outdated info, and keeping business data consistent across platforms. This consistency boosts Google rankings and AI visibility.
PR’s Role in Earning a Google Knowledge Panel
A Google Knowledge Panel is the digital badge of trust – the structured summary box that appears when someone searches for your company name. In essence, earning one means Google’s algorithms are confident in your brand’s identity and authority.
Ultimately, when your business achieves that level of verified visibility, you’re no longer just searchable … you’re recognized.
PR Is the Engine of Digital Credibility
Every company wants to appear credible, but credibility can’t be claimed – it must be earned and confirmed.
A strong PR strategy connects your brand to credible third parties, creating consistent visibility across trusted sources. This unified presence helps search engines and AI recognize your business as an authority. The right PR partner turns that visibility into measurable digital credibility, aligning PR, SEO, and AI for verifiable results.
About the Author
Paola Iuspa-Abbott is the founder and president of Top of Mind Public Relations, a national PR agency specializing in strategic media relations, thought leadership, and digital visibility. A former journalist with more than a decade of experience in major newsrooms, she brings a newsroom mindset to public relations, helping clients earn meaningful press coverage and build authority across both traditional and digital platforms.
Since launching Top of Mind PR in 2015, Paola has led campaigns for law firms, real estate developers, nonprofits, and national brands, with a focus on securing high-impact media placements, optimizing content for search engines, and staying ahead of how AI and algorithms shape visibility today.
