Ragan Workshop

AI for PR Workshop: Storytelling for PR & Owned Media

Earn trust, citations and visibility in AI search

April 7, 1–3:30 p.m. ET
AI for PR graphic AI for PR graphic
AI for PR graphic

An essential workshop for PR teams at a moment when owned media is becoming the primary source for AI search, trust and visibility.

The internet is drowning in “AI slop:” mass-produced, generic content that sounds polished. For content creators and PR pros, the real risk isn’t that AI will replace you. It’s that AI will make your brand sound exactly like everyone else and push your content out of view. Join us on April 7 for a can’t-miss workshop that will future proof your comms strategy..

AI search engines are already filtering out low-value corporate content in favor of deep, cited, owned sources. Upshot: Brands that rely on volume alone are losing credibility, visibility and narrative control.

To compete, PR teams must move beyond the prompt box and adopt a different model: high-authority storytelling powered by Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This approach uses AI for research, structure and scale, while doubling down on human insight, proprietary data and editorial judgement.

Ragan’s April 7 virtual workshop is designed for PR and brand marketing teams. You’ll learn how to turn owned channels into primary sources that both humans and AI trust while maintaining total editorial control across the PESO model. You’ll leave with practical frameworks, workflows and templates you can apply immediately.

Join your peers for this information-packed workshop where you’ll also meet new industry friends and gain invaluable insights.

REGISTER NOW

Top Takeaways:

  • Slop-Proof Framework: How to audit AI content so it stays captivating, credible and publishable.
  • Story Mining: Using AI research to find human interest stories and proof points buried in your data and leadership.
  • The GEO Advantage: How to structure and tag owned content so AI cites you as the authority.
  • The PESO Cascade: How to turn one high-quality owned story into earned, shared and paid content.
  • Prompt Libraries: How to build an “AI Brand Bible” that encodes voice, standards and expertise.

AGENDA

1–1:35 p.m.
AI Foundations: Building Editorial Authority across Owned Media

Generic prompts lead to generic content. As AI search and answer engines increasingly rely on owned content as primary sources, PR teams can no longer treat owned media as secondary or optional. This session introduces narrative engineering which uses AI to strengthen editorial quality, protect voice and turn owned channels into authoritative sources. We’ll explore how to build a Brand DNA Guide that acts as a quality filter for all AI-generated content. You’ll learn:

  • Why Owned Media Matters Now: How AI search is shifting authority away from headlines and toward first-party content. Plus: what PR teams must change as a result.
  • Source of Truth Framework: How to train AI on your proprietary insights, executive voice and first-party data—so outputs reflect your organization, not generic platitudes.
  • Uncovering the Narrative: How to use AI for deep research to find human- stories and proof points already embedded in your data, leaders and operations.
  • Voice Guardrails: How to develop practical style rules that maintain authority, tone and consistency across all owned channels.
1:35–1:55 p.m.
Breakout: Interactive Exercise

In small groups, you’ll take a piece of generic AI copy and use a template to inject brand-specific data and human emotion.

1:55–2:30 p.m.
Storytelling for the Answer Engines: Creating Citable Sources on Owned, LinkedIn, Reddit and Other Platforms

As AI search and answer engines increasingly decide which brands get summarized, quoted or ignored, PR teams must adjust how their content and thought leadership stories are structured and written. This module introduces Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as a practical framework for making your expertise visible, citable and trusted—without resorting to SEO hacks.

You’ll learn:

  • Why AI Citations Work Differently: How answer engines evaluate authority and why high-intent, expert-level storytelling outperforms volume.
  • Proper Structure for LinkedIn: How to format thought leadership LinkedIn posts and blogs so the content is recognized as a citable source.
  • Attribution for Answer Engines: The dos and do-nots for resources like newsletters, videos, and posts so AI systems can easily extract, summarize and attribute your expertise.
  • Platform Preferences: Why Reddit AMAs and community outreach should be part of your strategy, and how to manage the message so the right quote gets picked up.
  • The GEO Audit: How to assess your existing content through the “eyes” of an AI engine to identify where authority breaks down.
  • Semantic Anchor Strategy: How to define and own topic clusters that signal subject-matter expertise to AI models over time.
2:30–2:50 p.m.
Breakout: Interactive Exercise

You’ll use a “GEO-Restructuring Template” to turn a standard FAQ page into a set of expert answer blocks designed for AI visibility and citation.

2:50–3:20 p.m.
Scaling with Authority: The PESO Multiplier and 2026 Metrics

High-quality stories only matter if they scale without losing credibility or control. As AI accelerates content production, PR and content teams must adopt workflows that expand reach while preserving narrative consistency and accountability. This session focuses on human in-the-loop processes that allow you to scale content across the PESO model without turning strong stories into generic outputs.

You’ll learn:

  • The PESO Cascade: How to break one high-quality owned story into earned pitches, executive social posts and paid support, all without diluting the message or voice.
  • The Editor-in-Chief Model: How to manage AI tools as junior contributors while retaining strategic and editorial oversight.
  • Protecting the Narrative: How to maintain consistency as stories move from internal memos and drafts to external executive platforms and posts like LinkedIn and Reddit.
  • Measuring Impact: How to track LLM visibility, citation frequency and narrative share of voice to prove authority, not just output.
3:20-3:30
Top Takeaways & Next Steps

In this fast-paced closing session, we’ll share learnings from the full workshop, as well as discuss next steps for building a distribution and measurement map for one upcoming content initiative. You’ll leave knowing how to measure authority, visibility and (yes!) ROI.

PRESENTERS

Speakers will be announced soon.

MODERATOR: Isis Simpson-Mersha, Reporter/Conference Producer, Ragan Communications READ BIO

BONUS MATERIALS: YOUR DIGITAL TOOLKIT

Every participant receives access to a collection of resources.

INCLUDED MATERIALS
  • AI Readiness Checklist
  • AI in Action: Prompts for Comms Leaders
  • GenAI in PR and Media Relations
  • AI for Content Marketing Blueprint
  • Chat GPT Prompt Flowchart
PRICING
Join Ragan’s AI for PR: High Authority Storytelling for PR & Owned Media Workshop and strengthen your standing as a strategic partner to leadership. Gain the frameworks, tools, and confidence to guide executives with authority across every communication channel.
Rates
Registration $699
Nonprofit/Gov/Edu Registration $675
Ragan Insider Registration $645

Included: 2.5-hour live Workshop, Lab session, 30-day Ragan Training access, and full digital toolkit of bonus materials.

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

You should attend if you spend at least a quarter of your time in any of these areas:

  • Public Relations
  • Media Relations
  • Corporate Communication
  • Corporate Affairs
  • Reputation Management
  • Crisis Communications
  • Issues Management
  • Social Media
  • Storytelling
  • Brand Management

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YOUR RAGAN TRAINING BONUS: HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL SEE

Your workshop registration includes 30 days of complimentary access to Ragan Training, the industry’s only learning platform for communicators with training by communicators.

Explore curated sessions hand-selected for this Workshop topic, including:

  • From Sentiment to Strategy: Using AI to Shape PR Strategy
  • AI + SEO: Elevating Brand Reputation through Intelligent Search
  • Tools to Teams: Creating Sustainable GenAI Systems in PR
  • Future-Proofing Comms: What’s Next in AI, Tools and Technology
  • Brand Storytelling: Harnessing Authentic Narratives in the Age of AI
  • AI & PR: Balancing Innovation, Ethics and Client Trust
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Each course expands your Workshop experience into a month-long professional development plan, connecting daily tactics with strategic communication goals.

WHY ATTEND?

Protect your role and reputation:
Move beyond the “content factory” trap and reinforce your value as the strategic owner of narrative, authority and trust—not just output.
Regain control as AI scales:
Learn practical, human in the loop workflows that use AI to handle research and distribution while you stay firmly in the editor-in-chief seat.
Win in the citation economy:
Ensure your brand becomes the source AI engines quote and summarize, rather than a competitor with weaker content.

WONDERING IF YOU SHOULD ATTEND?

Here’s what past attendees are saying about Ragan and PR Daily Events!

For questions, please contact customer service at
[email protected] or by calling 800-878-5331.