2026 is the year of the Fire Horse (representing energy, independence, bravery and resilience) and the year of pantone color “cloud dancer” (symbolizing calm and clarity). It is also being referred to as a year of nostalgia, humor and reconnection. Sign me up! And I’d like to add one more thing to the list: 2026 is also the year of earned media.
For years, maybe even decades, I’ve heard that earned media is on the way out: “the press release is dead, media is too fragmented, mainstream media outlets have lost their influence.”
And yet, earned media is undergoing a profound transformation in response to changes to technology, making it more important than it has been in a long time. Consider these data points:
- Google searches per U.S. user fell nearly 20% year over year, according to a new Datos/Spark Toro report .
- Pharmaceutical companies are seeing a dramatic decline (around 30%) in website visits driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered searches (according to Ominus AI Search Industry report and other sources), while, anecdotally, healthcare professionals have reduced their visits to traditional pharma sites by roughly 65-70%.
- According to Muck Rack, 89% of the links cited by AI are sourced from earned media; 95% of AI citations come from non-paid media.
So, because large language models (LLMs)—advanced AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude that are trained on massive datasets—rely on earned media sources to gather data, how can your organization get better at earned media? While I have dozens of ideas, here are four to consider right now:
1. Everybody wants top tier media coverage but please do not overlook the power of trade media, particularly in the age of AI when LLMs are using trade media sources often. Furthermore, many top tier reporters and influencers are reading trade media. And finally, the audiences you want to reach can often be reached the best through a targeted trade outlet versus a larger, “general audience” outlet.
2. Offer a unique point of view. Whether through a letter to-the-editor, an op/ed or a follow up note to a reporter: do you or your company expert or a customer have a unique take or a unique vantage point?
3. Bring your story to life through your proof points and assets: data, statistics, customer success stories, personal testimonials, pictures and video. These can not only help you “sell” your story to a journalist, but can also help the journalist paint a compelling picture for their readers/listeners/viewers.
4. Be quick and be brief. If you are reaching out to a reporter on a trend or a new report, do it fast—if possible, before others. If it takes days to get approval on a pitch note in response to “news of the day,” you’ve missed the window. Equally important: be brief. If it takes more than a few sentences to provide the reporter with a compelling interview opportunity, you will lose them. Always start with the “so what?”
Looking Ahead
AI is deciding which brands deserve visibility and that means media relations is not just building reputation, it is helping shape brands. When leveraged through an integrated communications strategy that also includes owned, digital and paid media along with thought leadership, investing in earned media will provide a measurable return on investment in the short term and the long term. Earned media is not going away; it’s going to be a relevant and important brand builder in 2026 and beyond.
