Tech check: the midyear comms download

Tech communications rarely stands still – and the first half of 2026 has been no exception.

From AI fatigue in the media to the growing importance of earned coverage for SEO and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), there’s been plenty of developments to keep up with.

Here are some of the trends that have stood out to me, and the rest of Clark’s tech PR team, over the past eight months and what they mean for Scottish tech communications.

Journalists are tired of general AI stories

“I’m through with AI for now” was an email I received earlier this year in response to a pitch. “We have too many blogs being pitched to us, especially about AI,” noted another.

While I can understand the exhaustion that comes from receiving waves of AI-generated pitches – journalists have been quite clear about it – seeing them grow tired of AI stories themselves was surprising. Especially when the technology now underpins so many sectors and conversations.

Of course, AI fatigue doesn’t mean the media won’t publish anything that relates to AI. A strong story is a strong story. But with such an oversaturation of automated pitches, it’s becoming increasingly hard to stand out.

As PR professionals, this gives us an opportunity to do what we do best; find a more creative way into the story.

Sometimes that means looking beyond Artificial Intelligence altogether, towards research, reports or other innovations. Other times, it means finding new ways into the AI conversation.

Tech businesses looking to build out their media strategy can find interesting insights in their own data. It can come from places like:

• Customer behaviour
• Search and website trends
• Sales figures

These sources are frequently overlooked by tech companies looking to secure media coverage, silently accumulating in the background. But when you look closely, there’s a treasure trove of stories waiting to turn a familiar industry conversation into something genuinely new.

One example that I always come back to is when we analysed the sales data for a client dealing in refurbished technology hardware. At the time, there was a lot happening in the enterprise tech sector, particularly around AI and the growing strain on data centres. Opting for refurbished technology was a relevant discussion point but it was tricky to land that argument with journalists without being seen as self-promotional.

By scanning the client’s sales figures over the previous months, we noticed a sharp spike in demand for GPUs because of the pressures of the industry. Suddenly, we weren’t just offering an opinion on a trending topic; we had our own evidence of how it was playing out in the market.

That gave us a timely, credible story – and a way into the AI conversation that wasn’t simply another AI pitch.

Even with a topic as saturated as AI, there are plenty of ways to uncover a compelling story. I’ve shared a few more here, if you fancy a nosy. But data is, and probably always will be, my favourite.

SEO and GEO strategies are essential for visibility

Regardless of whether or not you’re telling AI stories, everyone should be thinking about AI as part of their search strategy.

While SEO helps content rank in traditional search engine results and drive traffic to owned channels, GEO is about increasing visibility within AI-generated answers. Both depend on relevance and authority, but GEO places even greater emphasis on content being clear, structured and credible in order to be easily pulled through by AI search engines.

SEO and GEO shouldn’t be treated as separate strategies, particularly as traditional search engines increasingly incorporate AI-generated summaries into their results.

That means digital, search optimised content nowadays should include:

• Consistent and high-quality messaging that showcases your expertise
• Valuable information that is of use to your audience
• Credible, accurate and up-to-date data points
• Digestible information that is presented in an accessible way

We’ll never write something for our clients without considering these elements.

Earned media is becoming a powerful part of your search engine strategy

The number of new technology companies in the UK surged to a record high at the start of 2026. And while that’s encouraging, particularly amid such economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it means that any one tech company can easily become a drop in an increasingly crowded ocean.

So how do you stand out from the crowd when everyone is talking about tech?

PR has always played an important role in building brand awareness and credibility through the media. What’s changing is that earned coverage can influence more than just the people reading it. As AI becomes part of how people search for information, the publications talking about your business can also influence how – and whether – your brand appears in AI-generated answers.

According to AuthorityTech, third-party publications are at least five times more likely to be cited by AI platforms. In fact, 84-86% of AI citations come from earned media.

Granted, the importance of earned media isn’t new. But its role is evolving. As PR, marketing and search become increasingly interconnected, AI visibility is yet another factor to consider when deciding which stories we tell, where we tell them and what we want them to achieve.

For integrated digital comms agencies, like Clark, that means thinking beyond the immediate piece of coverage. Is the story communicating what the company wants to be known for? Does it demonstrate genuine expertise? And does it reinforce the topics and messages the wider marketing strategy is trying to own?

The tech comms landscape is quickly evolving. But with the right PR support in place, you can stay ahead of the trends and cut through an increasingly crowded market.

Clark is a leading Scottish tech PR agency with decades of experience helping tech companies build their profile and craft stories that connect with clients, investors, partners, press and the public. If you want your company to stand out, get in touch with us today – we’d love to chat.