the new media tiers (and why tier 1 just got demoted)
generative visibility is the new metric that matters.
hi, team pr@ctical.
this week we’re rewriting the entire idea of what “tier 1 media” even means.
because here’s the thing:
✨ your brand might be getting great press—and still be invisible in chatgpt.
🧠 the real media hierarchy in 2025 isn’t about prestige.
it’s about retrievability.
introducing: the new media tiers (rewired for generative ai)
most people are still chasing old-school “tier 1” logos.
but if you want your brand to actually show up in the tools decision-makers are using—
you’ve got to structure content for generative ai.
let me break it down for you 👇
tier 1a → embedded generative visibility
the gold standard. your brand is cited inside AI answers.
“according to [your company]...”
this includes:
structured coverage from trusted outlets
ai-optimized podcast transcripts
linkedin posts that rank in chatgpt/gemini
content that’s designed to be referenced
high trust. low noise. major impact.
tier 1b → structured content that feeds the models
media that trains large language models (even if it doesn’t cite you directly—yet).
think:
trade pubs with clean formatting
substack or beehiiv newsletters
seo’d blogs and bylines
linkedin > twitter > other social
these sources get scraped. indexed. remembered.
tier 1c → reinforcement content
this is the AI breadcrumb trail.
social proof
listicles and expert quotes
repurposed media into carousels or shorts
transcribed or subtitled short-form video
all of it builds the case for your brand behind the scenes.
tier 2 → traditional press with no ai strategy
you got quoted. it looked great.
but it wasn’t structured for search.
no schema. no recap. no amplification.
so it vanishes.
the new question isn’t “did we get coverage?”
it’s:
will AI surface this when someone asks a question we should own?
and if you missed last week’s edition on automation vs instinct?
go catch up. because both matter more than ever in this new comms economy.
—
stay sharp, stay visible,
sarah
🪄 pr@ctical—where sharp taste meets sharper tools.