The reporter asked an AI first. It quoted someone else's data.
Your research is careful and your spokespeople know the issue. But journalists, officials and new supporters increasingly start by asking an assistant, and the answer quotes whoever published a clear, dated, sourced page. This playbook shows how to become that source, and how not to miss the call when it comes.
The short versionAdvocacy groups usually go unquoted because their positions and evidence sit in PDFs and press releases that assistants can't cite, their funding and independence aren't explained, and journalists' deadline enquiries wait. Dated, sourced briefing pages, a plain funding page and a fast press route fix that.
1National campaign groupAdvocacy groupNamed first · cited
2Think-tank reportAdvocacy groupNamed · cited
–Your groupAdvocacy groupNot mentioned
Why these three“On accessible transport, National campaign group publishes dated briefings with sourced figures…”
Leak 1No briefing pagesPositions live in PDFs and old press releases.
Leak 2Unclear funding“Who funds this group?” has no answer on the site.
Leak 3Slow press replyA journalist on deadline gets an answer next day.
Start here
Tick anything that sounds like your week.
Eight things advocacy groups commonly describe. Select the ones that apply and we'll show what usually causes them, in the order we'd tackle it. Nothing is submitted.
Tick what applies3 of 8 selected
Why a credible group still goes unquoted
Cited is the new quoted. And assistants cite what they can read.
A journalist writing to deadline, an official preparing a briefing and a person who's just seen a story all ask the same first question now: what are the facts, and who says so? The assistant answers with whoever published a clear, dated, sourced page on the issue. If your evidence is in a PDF and your positions in old press releases, a group with less expertise and a better page becomes the voice of the issue.
01
The answer that quotes someone else
Key facts on accessible transport?
1National campaign groupCited · dated briefing
2Think-tank reportQuoted · figures
–Your groupNot citedResearch in PDFs
Why don't AI assistants cite our advocacy group on our issue?
Assistants and journalists both look for a citable source: a page with a clear position, key facts, sources, a date and an author. A briefing in a PDF or a position spread across five press releases is hard to quote. Dated issue pages with sourced figures are how you become the source.
02
The “who funds you?” question
who funds this campaign group
Your page“Funded by people like you.”Tab closed
Answered pageWho funds us · how decisions are made · what campaigns costQuoted by AI
Should an advocacy group publish who funds it?
For advocacy groups, the cost question is about money and independence: who pays for this, and does it shape the position? If you don't answer it, opponents will. A plain page on funders, how decisions are made and what campaigns cost reassures supporters and journalists alike.
03
The deadline call you missed
Journalist here. Can someone comment on today's report by 4pm?Web form · 11:20 am
Thanks for your message, we'll respond shortly.Next day · 9:15 am
The story ran yesterday with another group's comment.9:40 am
Why do journalists stop contacting our advocacy group?
Journalists usually ask several organisations at once and use whoever replies first with something usable. A press request through a general form, answered the next morning, misses the story. A press page with direct contacts and an inbox someone watches during news hours fixes it.
What we'd do about it
Five moves, in the order that pays.
Fix the leaks first, then grow. Scaling a funnel that loses enquiries just spends more to lose more.
Move
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10W11W12M3+
01Turn research into briefingsA dated, sourced page per issue: your position, key facts with sources, author and review date. Every figure traceable; nothing stated that your evidence doesn't support.Content Marketing
Weeks 1–5
02Open a fast press routeA press page with direct contacts, spokespeople and topics, plus an inbox watched during news hours and alerts for urgent requests.Marketing Automation
Weeks 2–4
03Explain who funds youA plain page on funders, governance and how positions are decided, linked from every briefing and donate button.Content Marketing
Weeks 3–5
04Become the cited sourceTrack which organisations assistants cite on your issues, then fix what they can't find: consistent descriptions, sourced pages and mentions on credible sites.AI Search Optimisation
Weeks 4–10
05Then grow the supporter baseFollow-ups that turn petition signers into regular supporters, and ads where platform issue-ad rules allow. Only once briefings and replies work.SEM & Paid Ads
Month 3 onward
Social presence · where supporters check you
The reporter checked your feed before they read your briefing.
Journalists, officials and supporters check your feed for where you stand and who funds you. Six things decide whether a look turns into a quote or a sign-up.
9:41●●● 5G
yourcampaign
YCYour Campaign GroupAdvocacy group
Campaigning for accessible transportFunded by members · funders listed ↓Press: briefings & contact ↓
JoinMessageCall
BriefingsFundingPressAct now
Our three asksSourced chartSpokesperson · DevWhat the bill meansSupporter storyWrite to your repWho funds usPublic meetingMyth vs evidence
XDated positions and sourced charts journalists can quote.Trust
LinkedInPolicy posts by named staff, read by officials and funders.Trust
InstagramPlain-language explainers and actions for supporters.Join
FacebookLocal groups, events and supporters who share actions.Join
WhatsAppOpt-in action alerts before votes and consultations.Remind
A week that books, not just posts
Social Media Marketing Included in Zero to Hero (2 platforms) and Own The Answer (4 platforms).
MONBriefing postOne sourced point, dated and linked.
WEDEvidence chartOne figure, with the source on the image.
THUSpokesperson clipA named expert on this week's news.
SATAction postOne clear ask and a link to act.
DAILYPress repliesJournalists answered within the hour.
What we'd watch
Your dashboard, minus the vanity metrics.
Six numbers that show whether the work is turning into supporters and press requests — each pulled from a system you already own. The audit fills in your baseline; every sprint after shows the trend.
Campaign reach · weeklyYour dashboard after the free audit
Issue answers citing youAI visibility tracking
Baseline—
Briefing page visitsWebsite analytics
Baseline—
Press reply timePress inbox
Baseline—
Media mentionsMedia monitoring
Baseline—
Action to second actionSupporter CRM
Baseline—
Supporters to regular giversDonor CRM
Baseline—
Your numbers, not ours
What is the slow reply actually costing you?
Three inputs only you know. We don't know your business yet — so nothing here is a benchmark, just your own arithmetic.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent.
What you may be losing
$2,598a month in supporters who book somewhere else — worked out from your three numbers above.
6 × 4.33 weeks× 1 in 2× $200
The fix is a press route, not more press releases. Direct contacts and a watched inbox — weeks 2 to 4 of the plan.
Free with any monthly plan from $499. Domain, hosting and paid tools are bought by you and stay in your name; shops and booking systems are quoted separately. The 48-hour clock starts once your plan is active and the launch checklist is done.
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Questions advocacy groups ask
Straight answers, no sales script.
Straight answers. If yours isn't here, a 30-minute call is the fastest route — no pitch, no deck.
Why would an assistant cite us rather than a news outlet?
It often cites both. Where it needs the underlying facts or a position, it tends to cite the clearest primary source: a dated page with sourced figures. That can be you, if your evidence is published that way. We can't guarantee citations.
We already send press releases. Isn't that enough?
Press releases are useful on the day and hard to find later. Briefing pages keep the position, facts and sources in one current place that journalists and assistants can come back to.
Do we have to publish who funds us?
Rules on disclosure vary by country and status. Even where it isn't required, a clear funding page usually helps more than it costs, because the question gets asked anyway.
Can we advertise our campaign?
Often, yes, but ad platforms treat issue and political advertising separately, with rules that differ by country and may require verification. We check those before spending, including any grant credits.
How do we keep facts current?
Each briefing gets an owner and a review date. When figures change, the page is updated and the date moves; superseded pages are marked as archive rather than left looking current.
How long before we notice a difference?
A faster press route can change who gets quoted within weeks. Being cited in AI answers on your issue usually takes a few months. We don't guarantee mentions, coverage or rankings.
Which social platforms matter most for an advocacy group?
X and LinkedIn for journalists, officials and policy people; Instagram and Facebook for supporters and local action. Post dated, sourced positions so they can be quoted, and say who funds you. Issue and political ads need platform authorisation and disclosures in many countries, so check those rules before you boost anything.
Do we get a free website for our group?
Yes. Every monthly plan includes a free 5-page website for your group — fast, AI-readable and yours to keep. It goes live within 48 hours once your plan is active and the launch checklist is done. Your domain, hosting and any paid tools sit outside the offer and stay in your name; online shops and booking systems are quoted separately. What's included
Free · one business day
Tell us about your group. Get a plan back.
A strategist reads your brief and replies within one business day with what we'd fix first for your group, a timeline and the real cost.
Reply in 1 business dayFrom a strategist, not a bot
Ask an assistant about your issue and see who it cites.
We'll check who assistants cite on your issues, how quotable your research is and how fast a journalist's request gets answered, then send you what we found.
Social presence · where supporters check you
The reporter checked your feed before they read your briefing.
Journalists, officials and supporters check your feed for where you stand and who funds you. Six things decide whether a look turns into a quote or a sign-up.
yourcampaign
Is your profile ready to sell?
Tap what's already true.
Where your supporters look
A week that books, not just posts
Social Media Marketing Included in Zero to Hero (2 platforms) and Own The Answer (4 platforms).