Companies today can’t rely on a paid advertisement in an industry publication to be believed. According to Gartner, your customers are now increasingly conducting independent research, relying less on sales teams and more on digital and AI-assisted discovery. And they are being inundated by information when what they need is transparency and direction.
Awareness, credibility and trust (ACT) are distinct, but connected layers in the B2B customer Awareness ensures your brand is discoverable, credibility determines whether audiences believe your company (or product) is authoritative and reliable, and trust is built over time through consistent proof points. Together, they shape buying decisions.
We recently explained how B2B brand awareness is shifting. Now we’ll look at how credibility has become the new differentiator in capturing the attention of AI-powered discovery platforms (B2AI) as well as people. Today you must understand the credibility signals recognized by both humans and AI.
How Buyers and AI Systems Evaluate Credibility
95% of hidden decision-makers say strong thought leadership makes them more receptive to sales and marketing outreach. 56% of decision-makers and 55% of hidden buyers actively use thought leadership to evaluate potential vendors and partners.
While this relates to human buyers, credibility is increasingly shaped by AI-generated search responses. So, it’s worth knowing that both humans and AI respond to three core signals: validation by third parties such as analysts and media; proof; and message consistency across all the channels you use.
Signal 1: Leverage External Validation by Third Parties Including Analysts and Media
Earned media* accounts for 84% of all AI citations. Paid and advertorial content accounts for 0.3%. Journalism alone makes up 27% of cited sources.
*Note: Earned media includes editor or journalist-written news articles, thought leadership and business media, public analyst coverage, independent reviews and research, and government sources.
Independent third-party validation also increasingly shapes credibility, in both buyers and AI, making analyst and media relations activities even more vital.
Signal 2: Prove Claims in Company-Created Content
‘Owned’ content (company-created collateral) that incorporates third-party endorsements and credible, evidence-based data can also be cited by AI – as long as it’s public information. This could include customer newsletters, independently supported research, benchmark data and industry award news.
Last year, during an Edelman panel at a B2B event, Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain reminded marketers that “Authenticity starts with noticing the small details.” Edelman says this means sharing genuine stories of people, problems, and progress without being overly polished. Long-form, honest storytelling still matters, especially as decision-makers crave depth over noise. Brands that showcase vulnerability and purpose will earn credibility, not just clicks.
Long-form storytelling uses formats such as white papers, feature articles, case studies, thought leadership articles, or other in-depth content to explain industry shifts and technology through expert insights, customer experiences and other evidence.
Ultimately content must demonstrate expertise rather than be purely promotional. Advertising or paid-for articles are less likely to be cited.
Signal 3: Ensure Consistent Storytelling
AI synthesizes information across multiple channels, making message inconsistency across sources highly visible in AI-powered search results. Mixed messaging confuses buyers and reduces credibility.
Consistent storytelling is key to building credibility. Companies should be careful when adjusting their messages and rebranding. Positioning and messaging should be clearly defined by experienced storytellers, shared with all spokespeople and marketing teams, and woven across every internal and external channel. Executive, sales, partner, analyst, media and other industry influencers must see the same credible company narrative, repeated across the company.
The actions and language of company leaders can either undermine or support storytelling and in turn credibility. Clothing firm Patagonia is seen to consistently act on its values, while Salesforce built philanthropy into brand strategy to help strengthen reputation and credibility. Conversely, if you say you prioritize ethical and sustainable practices, news stories that uncover unethical leadership decisions could result in backlash.
Measuring the signs of company credibility
To do this, use AI-powered search sites to ask the questions your buyers would, to understand:
Citation Frequency: How often is your company cited as an authoritative source? Which industry influencers are becoming the most authoritative and most cited sources, and what they are saying about your company, compared to your competitors.
Message Consistency: How is your brand represented in AI-generated responses? Does that align with positioning and messaging? Message accuracy should be the goal, and you should correct where necessary.
Topic Association: What industry topics do AI-powered discovery platforms associate your brand with? Identify whether your company is connected with meaningful expertise or AI reflects generic messages that don’t address buyers’ challenges. Correct by defining your ideal response and distribute evidence-based and third-party validated content that explains the story better than your competitors. Ensure all content is optimized for traditional and AI-powered search.
Relationships still matter
Use AI to assist measurement while investing time and budget into relationship building. AI is constantly adapting the way we conduct PR and marketing activities, but trusted industry influencers, analysts and media will continue to play a vital role as AI systems look for reputable and authoritative sources.
Who are your most important PR relationships with?
To support clear message dissemination, cultivate and leverage existing relationships built with analysts and the media. And ensure that all relevant internal stakeholders and spokespeople are aware of and use consistent positioning and messaging for EVERYTHING.
We track how AI is impacting our clients’ credibility and how they can adapt their marketing and PR strategies accordingly. Talk to us about ensuring your company and products are represented consistently, confidently and authentically for both human buyers and AI systems, to build the credibility signals that drive trust, a topic we’ll be exploring soon!