The Digital PR Show

What does it take to be found, trusted, cited, and chosen when people ask AI instead of searching Google? Kendel Lavallee, Director of AI Visibility and Adoption at CIPR, joins Vanessa Arrate and Ryan O’Donnell to explain digital authority and how it works with AI search.

Kendel breaks down the four pillars CIPR uses to measure it: search visibility, editorial credibility, content depth, and digital consistency. She explains how it builds on traditional SEO, why a small business can compete by owning one specific niche (her example is a mountain biking lodge), and what to do first if you suspect a competitor is pulling ahead. She also shares what a Digital Authority Audit tends to turn up, including competitors clients never knew they had, and the misconception she hears most often.

If you run a business, lead a marketing team, or work in tourism, this episode gives you a simple place to start.

Chapters

00:00 Intro
00:52 What Kendel does
01:33 What digital authority means
02:47 Digital authority vs. traditional SEO
03:43 The four pillars
05:27 Does this matter for small businesses?
06:51 What to do first
07:57 What the audit diagnoses
08:38 What the audit process looks like
09:58 The biggest misconception

Keywords

digital authority, AI visibility, AI search, SEO, GEO, digital PR, Digital Authority Audit, CIPR

Two things to check:

• Kendel introduces herself as Director of AI Visibility and Adoption in the recording, so I used that title.
• Vanessa’s intro calls this “our mini series, the PR Playbook,” so it sits in that series, not the Digital Authority Playbook I planned earlier. Chapter times come from the transcript, so adjust them if the published cut is trimmed.

For CIPR's 16th anniversary, CEO Christina Pilarski sits down to talk about how the agency actually started, not the polished version, but the real one: a side hustle off the side of a corporate desk, a logo designed when she was "just a girl with a dream," and the moment in 2015 when leadership changes at her day job pushed her to go all in on her own business.

Christina talks about the imposter syndrome that came with suddenly being the boss, why it took her years to put "CEO" on her business card instead of "strategist," and the mental block she had around being a "comms person" who thought she wasn't good at numbers (turns out she was). She walks through the moment Peter officially joined the company, right as she was starting a family with no maternity leave and no roadmap, and how that partnership became the foundation for CIPR's growth.

She also shares what she'd tell her younger self, what she wants future-Christina to remember on the hard days, and her honest advice for anyone thinking about starting their own business: you have more levers to pull than you think.

The episode closes with Christina's message to CIPR on its sweet sixteen: a thank you to the company and the team that built something different than the agencies she used to work with.

Most businesses have a website. Fewer have one that's actually bringing in clients. In this episode, Vanessa sits down with Web Project Manager Alli Scammell and Marketing Content Specialist Tasha Watson to talk about what it really takes to turn your website into a marketing tool. They cover what's usually missing, how to write for both people and search engines, when to rebuild vs. refresh, and why AI is a tool, not a shortcut. If you've ever looked at your own website and thought "something's off but I don't know what," this one's for you.

What does it actually look like inside an AI-enabled PR agency? And what is Digital Authority?

In Episode 7 "How We Work Now: AI, PR, and What's Next at CIPR" of the Digital PR Show, CIPR CEO Christina Pilarski and AI specialist Kendel Lavallee get honest about what's changed since the agency went AI-enabled, what most people get wrong about working with an agency that uses AI, and what CIPR's shift to digital authority actually means in practice.

They talk about why AI-enabled doesn't mean AI-run, how integrating AI has actually made the team more strategic rather than less, what a press release workflow used to take versus what it takes now, and the biggest mistake businesses make with PR right now. Christina also shares CIPR's shift toward building digital authority for clients and breaks down what that concept actually means using a pretty memorable town square analogy.

If you work with a PR or marketing agency, are thinking about it, or just want to understand how AI is changing communications work from the inside, this episode is worth your time.

What's the difference between a post that gets 400 views and one that gets 36 million?

In Episode 6 of the Digital PR Show, Content That Converts: A Real Talk on Social Media Strategy Scott Timmons, CIPR's Owned Media Manager, breaks down exactly what separates content that converts from content that disappears.

He gets into what social media algorithms actually prioritize in your videos, when it's worth paying to promote content, and what most businesses are getting wrong right now.

If you've ever wondered why your content isn't performing the way you expect, this episode is worth your time.

SEO in 2026 looks nothing like it did even two years ago. With 61% of internet traffic now coming from bots and AI tools instead of humans, the rules have changed.

In this episode, Peter Pilarski and Rick Alvarez break down what's actually working right now. You'll find out why your number one Google ranking might mean nothing to ChatGPT or Claude, why content pillars beat keyword stuffing, and why businesses obsessing over perfect design are missing the point entirely.

We cover the fundamentals that haven't changed (user experience, answering questions), what you need to start doing differently (Q&A sections on every page, building real PR instead of chasing shortcuts), and the biggest mistake holding businesses back from getting found online.

If you're a business owner, marketing director, or anyone trying to figure out how to show up in search results in 2026, this episode cuts through the noise and gives you what you actually need to know.

Is PR still relevant in 2026? Not even close.

In the 4th episode of The Digital PR Show, Vanessa Arrate talks with CIPR's Ryan O'Donnell and Christian Oldale about why PR isn't going anywhere, it just evolved. They get into the "AI slop" problem drowning out genuine brand stories, why most influencer marketing feels robotic (and what actually works), and the mistakes businesses make when they're looking for PR help.

The conversation covers how to know if your PR is actually working, what questions to ask before hiring an agency, and why standing out right now means not doing what everyone else is doing with ChatGPT. No scripts, no corporate speak—just honest conversation from people who've worked in newsrooms, launched campaigns, and know what gets results.

New episodes biweekly. Hosted by Vanessa Arrate. Produced by CIPR Communications.

Trust is everything in business, but what does it actually look like in practice? How do you build authentic brand credibility from the ground up, and how is AI changing the way we establish trust with clients and audiences?

Join host Ryan O'Donnell alongside PR strategists Christina Pilarski and Kendel Lavallee as they dive deep into the foundations of brand trust and authenticity. This episode explores the critical intersection of traditional relationship building and emerging AI technologies, offering practical insights for agencies and businesses navigating the evolving digital landscape. From the importance of transparent AI policies to the power of showing your authentic self in virtual meetings, discover why being real matters more than ever.

We unpack the no surprises philosophy, why data backed decisions build credibility, how to have difficult conversations with clients, and the role transparency plays when using AI tools. Whether you're building a brand from scratch or maintaining credibility with long term clients, this conversation offers honest advice on creating trust that lasts.

#DigitalPR #BrandAuthenticity #TrustInBusiness #AITransparency #ClientRelationships #AgencyLife #PRStrategy

The world of search is changing faster than ever. Google's dominance is being challenged, AI-powered search tools are reshaping how people find information, and traditional SEO strategies are evolving into something entirely new. So what does this mean for your business?

Join host Peter Pilarski alongside experts in the field Casey Cleary and Andrew Widdall as we dive deep into the evolution from traditional SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and Search Everywhere Optimization. We unpack Google's recent n=10 update, the rise of AI search tools, and how digital PR is making a powerful comeback.

Discover the critical questions your brand needs to answer to be found by AI search tools, why foundational SEO work matters more than ever, and why small businesses actually have a competitive advantage in this new era.

Whether you're a small business owner, marketing director, or agency professional, this episode offers practical insights and a message of hope for navigating the complexity of modern search visibility.

#SEO #GEO #AISearch #DigitalPR #SearchOptimization #MarketingAutomation #SmallBusiness #DigitalMarketing

Welcome to Season 2 of The Digital PR Podcast! We're kicking off this milestone season with a special look back at 15 years of CIPR Communications. What does it take to build a thriving PR agency when competitors are shrinking and AI is fundamentally reshaping the marketing landscape? Join our co-founders Christina and Peter Pilarski alongside team member Kendel Lavallee as we reflect on building a values-based agency from the ground up. From the early days of social media revolution to today's AI-powered digital transformation, this conversation explores what it really takes to maintain authentic client relationships and stay ahead of industry shifts.

Discover our origin story, from grad school side hustle to full-service digital PR agency, and learn why staying true to our core values, maintaining laser focus on client success, and refusing to chase competitors has been the secret to sustainable growth. Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketing director, or agency professional navigating digital transformation, this episode offers candid insights into building trust, knowing when to pivot, and why being authentically "a vibe" might be the ultimate business strategy.

#DigitalPR #AIMarketing #Entrepreneurship #AgencyLife #DigitalTransformation #Season2Premiere