Earned media is at an inflection point. Long viewed as a core component of public relations strategies, earned or unpaid media coverage across news, broadcast and other third-party channels is now being evaluated through a more rigorous lens. Business leaders and decision makers have greater access to performance data than ever before, and they are using it to place greater scrutiny on communications investments – and particularly earned media – to understand how those efforts contribute to measurable business outcomes.

Today’s B2B purchasing cycle is increasingly complex. Buyers are well researched. They are self-educating and are often making buying decisions—or short-listing companies—based on third-party information they find online. In fact, Gartner’s Future of Sales 2025 report found that 83% of the B2B buyer journey is spent doing independent research, often before contacting sales.

Today’s news cycle moves fast. Manufacturing brands are increasingly competing for attention against AI, digital transformation, global headlines and more. As newsrooms shrink and reporters are inundated with pitches, even meaningful product and business updates struggle to break through.

By 2028, it’s expected that AI search will surpass traditional searches. Already, among those using AI tools, 37% say large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have become the place they head first to search the internet. Those who still begin their searches with traditional browsers like Google encounter AI in the top results through integration of LLMs like Gemini.

Airfoil Group has been named a 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Finalist, joining a distinguished group of organizations such as AutoLeap, COS, Equifax Canada, Hitachi Energy, Macmillan Publishers, RS, Staples Canada, SurveyMonkey, and Union Pacific Railroad. The 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Finalist distinction is part of the world’s leading PeopleFirst HR & Workplaces Awards, in association with Engagedly, which celebrate organizations that prioritize employee experience and workplace culture.

The best B2B tech PR agencies help technology companies build credibility, influence industry conversations and increase visibility with enterprise buyers. As AI-powered search tools increasingly shape how vendors are discovered, the role of public relations in the technology sector has expanded far beyond traditional media outreach.