Authenticity is the new currency: In 2026, search engine optimization will no longer be about technical tricks

Mihály Tóth, KERKOM Smart founder says brands need to stop “hacking” algorithms and build a layered, “Search-Everywhere” ecosystem where authenticity and conviction go hand in hand.

Digital PR: Building Authority

According to the expert, the basis of a successful presence is Digital PR, which is not just about link building, but also about building authority. This is the layer that gives legitimacy and credit to a brand.

“Digital PR builds the level of authority. It gives brands credibility, legitimacy and something worth trusting” – emphasizes Mihály Tóth.

When authority becomes conviction

It is in vain that a company is considered professional if its name does not come up in decision-making situations – on social platforms or in friendly conversations. This is where Social Search comes into play, transforming the authority built by PR into real conviction.

“Social Search transforms this authority into conviction by embedding the brand in the conversations, platforms, and moments where people make their decisions,” explains the expert. According to Tóth, the two areas are valuable individually, but together they produce exponential results.

The 2026 Strategy: Consistent Signals Everywhere

The winning brands are those that are able to broadcast lasting signals across the entire digital universe.

It’s not the algorithm that needs to be addressed, it’s the person

Many marketers make the mistake of trying to outsmart SEO or the new generative response optimization (GEO) algorithms. According to Mihály Tóth, this is short-term, doomed thinking.

“The goal is not to outsmart SEO or GEO, but to create a real connection. When the audience – and the algorithms – encounter the same authentic narrative over and over again in multiple places, preference naturally develops.”

Discoverability is no longer something that needs to be “hunted” with ads; it’s a status that needs to be earned and then owned by the brand.

Specific suggestions for the “Search-Everywhere” era:

KERKOM Smart experts recommend the following steps to make your brand future-proof:

1. Narrative audit: Check whether the brand’s message is consistent, from the LinkedIn profile to press releases to ChatGPT responses. If the AI ​​cannot clearly identify the brand’s area of ​​expertise, the narrative is damaged.
2. Recycling PR content: An expert interview published in a high-quality business newspaper does not end with publication. Transform it into 3-4 short “native” videos for TikTok and YouTube to validate the brand in social searches.
3. Focus on “Branded Search”: Don’t just target generic keywords. Build campaigns that encourage users to search specifically for your brand (e.g. “[Brand Name] Reviews” or “[Brand Name] Solutions”).
4. Community Feedback (Reddit, YouTube): Be where the decisions are made. Reddit threads and YouTube analytics are now the primary sources for AI systems (like Perplexity or ChatGPT). If your brand isn’t present in a positive context here, the AI ​​won’t recommend it either.
5. Data-Driven Credibility Building: Publish your own industry research and data. Unique data is the best tool for getting other media outlets to reference your company, which is the fastest way to gain digital authority.