The Product PR Revival

There’s a risk of talking in clichés and truisms when it comes to Digital PR nowadays, so I’ll try to spare you the nonsense. You don’t need yet another reminder of how the “digital landscape” has changed “dramatically” and “a new era” of “generative search” is being ushered in. The bottom line is that AI has shaken up how search engines find and retrieve information, and as a result the way we discover and digest that information online has changed. That’s it in a nutshell! 

Google’s AI Overviews alone attracts more than 1 billion global users each month, and tools like this are removing the need for people to scroll through traditional search results. So, how do you make sure your brand and products are included in these AI generated answers and surfaced by LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT and Perplexity? 

Well, if you’re a business selling products online, a strong Product PR strategy could be the difference between being buried beneath AI answers or surfacing right at the top – amongst and ideally above your competitors. That’s because AI tools are trained on publicly available data such as web pages, academic papers and (yep, you guessed it) product descriptions and reviews. 

Like most things, Digital PR tactics have shifted and changed over time. For the past five or six years at least, the focus has been almost exclusively on securing links – and doing whatever it took to get them. This meant that while lifestyle pages and glossy magazine features still mattered, many PR teams shifted focus towards data-driven stories, creative campaigns, and brand-building stunts that earned big media splashes and lots of juicy backlinks. As a result, for the past few years Product PR seems to have been regarded as a bit “old-school” – a secondary tactic rather than a core part of the strategy.

But AI-powered search is changing the game, and product-driven PR is once again moving into the spotlight. 

How are product reviews used by AI Overviews and LLMs?

Securing product reviews in trusted publications has always been a cornerstone of effective brand and product marketing, but I’d argue it’s probably more important than ever. These reviews don’t just influence actual buyers anymore, they feed the very models and AI tools that generate the answers that people are coming to rely on in search. 

AI Overviews and LLMs like ChatGPT don’t “crawl” the web in the same way traditional search engines do, but they are trained on a massive range of publicly available content. So when a user asks a question, these models draw on that content to generate an answer, ranking information based on perceived credibility and relevance. For example, when someone asks “What’s the best eco-friendly water bottle?” or “Which noise-cancelling headphones are worth it?”, AI is drawing on product reviews, expert roundups, and brand mentions across authoritative sites to find and generate the ‘right’ answer. 

On top of this, some LLM tools and AI-powered shopping assistants are beginning to incorporate dedicated product recommendation features. For example, ChatGPT can provide curated shopping suggestions in response to queries, often highlighting products it “knows” are well-reviewed or widely mentioned across trusted sources. While it doesn’t sell products or handle transactions directly, it can include links to retailers where users can purchase them, which helps guide potential buyers from discovery to checkout.

That means every review or feature in a trusted online publication can act as a signal that your product (and overall brand) is noteworthy and reliable. And the more high-quality coverage your products receive, the higher the chances they’ll surface in AI-generated responses. Over time, this gives you an edge over competitors who might be solely relying on their own websites and on-site content to rank in search results and feature in AI summaries. This makes product reviews doubly advantageous because 72% of customers won’t take any action until they’ve read reviews about a business or product, meaning this kind of coverage helps both AI visibility and real-world conversions – win-win!

How do you secure product reviews and features?

As brands grow and develop, product reviews and features tend to pop up naturally, without anyone actively seeking them. Customers might share their experiences online, journalists may include products in round-ups, and bloggers and influencers could feature them in recommendations. This organic exposure is really valuable, but it’s always, always worth building on strategically. Encouraging reviews by pitching to relevant media and building relationships with journalists and influencers can help steer the conversation around your brand and generate more consistent, high-quality coverage.

If you’re a PR professional who has mainly worked on data-led or creative campaigns, or you’re brand-side and wondering how to put this into practice, here are some tips for securing product reviews and features, and integrating them into your wider PR and digital marketing strategy.

1. Identify relevant contacts

   
   

The first step is to identify relevant journalists to get in touch with. Think about the type of outlets your target audience reads and the journalists who cover your niche. Lifestyle writers and shopping editors are often on the lookout for new products to feature, so compiling a really strong media list provides a great starting point. You can do this through a simple Google search, or use specialist tools like MuckRack, Vuelio, or Roxhill to find journalists’ contact information.

2. Craft a compelling pitch

Once you’ve identified who to approach, the next step is crafting a really compelling pitch. Keep it short, tailored to the individual journalist as much as possible, and focused on why your product would be useful or interesting for them and their readers. Keep in mind that most journalists receive hundreds of pitches every week, particularly if they’re working for a national paper or magazine, so clarity and relevance are key.

3. Equip journalists for action

It’s imperative to make your pitch easy to action. Include high-quality images, clear descriptions, links to your website, and all the basic stuff like prices and where to buy, so journalists have everything they need without having to hound you for more. If you can, consider offering samples for review too. Giving writers the chance to try products first-hand can make your pitch more persuasive!

4. Nurture your connections

Finally, don’t forget that relationships are built over time. Following up politely and being reliable when they need quick information will all help you stand out. The stronger these connections become, the more likely your products are to be included in future features and recommendations.

How to make Product PR part of your wider strategy

Product PR shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. While securing reviews and features can boost AI visibility and consumer trust, it’s most effective when integrated into broader PR and marketing efforts. 

You can do this by aligning your product outreach with broader brand campaigns to amplify its impact. The more coordinated your approach, the stronger your signals to both human audiences and AI-powered search tools and algorithms will be. 

You might choose to focus on a different product each month or quarter, or rotate your outreach across different media outlets. To illustrate, here’s a really simple Product PR outreach plan for a skincare brand:

• October

Moisturisers: Pitch best-selling or new moisturisers to beauty editors and lifestyle publications ahead of colder weather. Make sure to highlight hydration benefits and seasonal skincare tips.

• November

Gift Sets: Focus on curated gift sets for Black Friday and early Christmas PR activity and gift guides.

• December-January

Serums & Treatments: Position high-performance serums and treatments as must-haves for New Year skincare resolutions.

• February

Eye & Lip Care: Highlight eye creams, lip balms, and targeted treatments ahead of Valentine’s Day. 

• March

Sun protection: Prepare seasonal campaigns around SPF and sun protection.

Rotating your focus like this keeps your outreach fresh and prevents overloading the same journalists with repetitive pitches. It also allows you to tailor your messaging for each product or media type, which will only increase the chances of securing valuable coverage. 

Over time, you’ll start to build a diverse portfolio of features and reviews that boosts the credibility of your brand and feeds into AI search tools, which will make your brand more discoverable across relevant search platforms – from Google and Bing to ChatGPT and Perplexity.

TL;DR

Here are a few key takeaways for you on why Product PR is essential to master AI visibility:

• Product PR is back in the spotlight. AI-powered search and LLMs have changed the rules of discoverability, but they’ve also created a huge opportunity for brands that get Product PR right. 

• Reviews matter more than ever. Every review and feature in a trusted publication acts as a signal of credibility for both human readers and AI tools.

• Identify and target the right media. Focus on journalists, bloggers, writers, and influencers that are super relevant to your niche for maximum impact.

• Craft pitches that are easy to action. Include high-quality images, clear descriptions, pricing, links, and consider offering product samples if possible.  Journalists love a good product sample!

• Build and nurture relationships. Consistent, polite engagement with journalists boosts your chances of landing coverage in your target publications. Just take care not to overdo it – persistence that tips into pestering can hinder PR x journalist relationships rather than help them.

• Integrate Product PR into your wider strategy. Rotate products and align your outreach with broader campaigns to boost visibility and credibility over time.

This post was written by Laura Bamford, Account Director at Motive PR

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