The Art and Science of Earned Attention - with Stephanie Grober

Authority-building has entered a new era—visibility hinges on context and credibility, and your expertise must be discoverable not just to humans but to machines. In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle explores these seismic changes with Stephanie Grober, Marketing and PR Director at the Horowitz Agency and a true trailblazer in legal and professional services PR. Stephanie has mastered the art (and science) of making experts both visible and quotable, securing more than 200 high-impact media placements in a single year while connecting the dots between traditional PR and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). She was already making her clients discoverable to the machines before most of us had even heard of ChatGPT. Listen in and hear about: How traditional media relations thrives by blending strategic expertise with authentic human connection Why building credibility and visibility is essential for experts aiming to shape public narratives What role generative engine optimization (GEO) plays in making experts visible to AI-driven search How the definition of newsworthiness is shifting amid a relentless, minute-by-minute news cycle Why earned media placements influence discoverability but are not a magic bullet for GEO How leveraging both personal and firm branding helps legal and professional services stand out What opportunities and risks AI introduces for PR professionals, reporters, and the stories they tell Notable Quotes On the rapidly changing news cycle: "Evergreen stories...there’s no room for them right now. Think about how much news, how much breaking news is coming at us. The news cycle doesn’t even feel like 24 hours. It feels like 24 minutes." [00:12:09 - 00:12:27] On the human element in PR (and reluctance to let AI take over): "PR is still very human...We aren’t using it to pitch. And I’ll say that there are some agencies that may be writing their pitches with AI. We are not. And that is a choice. We want to stand out as being authentic and human." [00:19:36 - 00:20:58] On why traditional PR isn't dead—it's evolving: "It’s a science and an art is what I like to say. Every time we try to make it a science, it shows us that it is an art and vice versa." [00:27:25 - 00:27:45] On discoverability in the era of AI: "We’ve been training the LLMs this entire time without realizing it. So for us, you know, some of the ways our clients have been referred to colloquially, you know, now that’s how they’re being discovered in a generative summary." [00:46:47 - 00:47:14] Resources and Links Dan Nestle Inquisitive Communications | Website The Trending Communicator | Website Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack Dan Nestle | LinkedIn Stephanie Grober: Stephanie Grober | LinkedIn Horowitz Agency Timestamps 0:00:00 Authority Building’s Evolution & AI’s Role in Visibility 0:06:12 Legal & Accounting PR in a Fast-Moving World 0:12:09 Shifting News Cycles, Pitching for Relevance 0:17:30 Traditional Media Relations: Still Vital? 0:22:35 AI, Authenticity, and Human-Centric PR 0:27:25 Art vs. Science in Media Outreach 0:33:49 GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Disrupts PR Strategies 0:39:06 Earned Media’s True Influence in GEO 0:44:34 Discoverability, Signal vs. Virality for B2B & Legal 0:50:56 Pivoting Expertise—Challenges in AI Search 0:57:30 Human Relationships, Strategy, and ROI in Legal PR 1:02:00 Supporting Journalists and the Future of Media (Notes co-created by Human Dan, Claude, and Castmagic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices