Your brand’s discoverability problem starts with trust

If you’ve felt overwhelmed by the pace of change in search (AI Overviews, fragmented journeys, new platform behaviours all in the last 12 months) you’re not alone. As Vic Morton, Senior Director, PR shared at our recent event, the brands that win in this new world aren’t the loudest, they utilise their expertise in the best way. The core message? Expertise is the new SEO power move. Here’s why your brand might be falling behind, and what to do about it.  

Challenge 1: “We’re spending more on performance, but getting less back.” 

Performance can’t work without brand. 

Search has changed SO much, it’s quite overwhelming. But you need to be driving your strategy forward too. In a fragmented, AI-shaped landscape, the line between performance and brand no longer exists. Google and users alike are making decisions based on trust. That trust is built by the brand, not the bid… What to do: Make brand trust a performance metric. Layer SEO strategy with brand-building tactics: PR, expert content, and community. Look beyond what ranks traditionally. Focus on what gets chosen by LLMs, lean into your expert voices.  

Challenge 2: “Our content’s not getting clicked, quoted or shared.”

Generic content doesn’t cut through, you need a human voice.

AI Overviews, journalists, and audiences now prioritise content that shows real human insight. As Vic put it, “Expertise is a timeless investment. Like a Prada bag – it never goes out of style.” What to do: Bring your experts to the front: think tips, quotes, video explainers. Build a “press kit” for each expert: headshot, bio, credentials, contact. Make sure each piece of content answers: “Why should I trust this person?”  

Challenge 3: “Our PR isn’t improving our search performance.”

You need to link credibility with discoverability.

Vic reminded us that PR has always been about using experts to shape behaviour. From Edward Bernays to today’s SEO-fuelled landscape, expert-led campaigns still outperform across every media and backlink metric. What to do: Make expert quotes a core part of your PR pitch. Try using video as your base format: then transcribe and adapt it for other media placements Focus on quality, not just quantity: 79% of top-performing coverage achieved by our PR team delivered in 2024 involved expert insight.  

Challenge 4: “We want to use our experts – but they’re too busy.”

Your internal experts are your brand’s best asset, but getting time with them is tough.

You’ve got smart people but maybe they are impossible to pin down? One of the biggest blockers for expert content is time, that’s why you need to plan smart, get organised and allow time for a pipeline of content. What to do: Run quarterly content days: capture interviews, demos, and commentary in one session. Slice and repurpose: videos → blogs → press releases → quotes. Build a content pipeline from one day of filming.  

Challenge 5: “Our audience is everywhere. We don’t know how to show up.”

Your audience doesn’t move in a straight line and so your brand needs to travel too.

Search journeys today span TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, WhatsApp, Google, media outlets—and back again. Most brands only show up in one channel or worse, one format, and in 2025, you won’t achieve overall business growth if you’re only winning in one place. What to do: Understand your audience’s micro-ecosystems: where they look for validation. Make sure expert content travels: from SERPs to social, communities to media. Repurpose with intention. If it performs on TikTok why not turn it into a PR hook?  

Challenge 6: “We’ve got a following on social media but no real connection .”

Community is your untapped trust engine.

Nowadays, tracking followers is a vanity metric. Communities are active, they’re buzzing and and they’re where trust is built at scale. Vic called this the most underused tactic: owned communities where audiences get direct access to expertise. Think WhatsApp groups, Instagram Channels, or private broadcast lists. What to do: Build a branded community space led by real experts, key influencers or founders. Drop timely, helpful, human insights—voice notes, video tips, personal commentary. Be authentic, and watch loyalty, trust, and engagement skyrocket!   If you’re ready to make expertise your performance edge, using SEO to PR and community, let’s talk. We’ll help you build a plan powered by credibility, not just clicks.