On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

96% of AI citations come from PR content

Send us a textIn this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why 96% of AI citations come from PR content and how brands can lead with media relations in the age of AI.Tune in to learn more!Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Why 96% of AI citations come from PR-driven content2. The six types of content AI trusts most for brand visibility3. How earned media, thought leadership, news coverage, and press releases shape AI search results4. Why reviews, social media, and web content boost generative discovery5. Seven steps to ensure your brand and not your competitors gets cited  Quotables“PR has become the front door to artificial-intelligence-powered discovery.” — @JasonMudd9“PR isn't just part of the marketing mix anymore. It's the backbone of your visibility in 2025, the age of AI.” — @JasonMudd9“AI is shaping first impressions of your brand, and PR determines what AI learns and repeats back to them.” — @JasonMudd9“When you combine earned PR content with the supporting signals, you're feeding AI the content it needs to cite your organization.” — @JasonMudd9“You must feed AI platforms the content they crave that's credible, quotable, and consistent.” — @JasonMudd9If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Jason Mudd, Axia Public RelationsJason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.Contact info and resources:Axia AI VisibilitySupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Rethinking press releases with the rise of AI

Send us a textIn this episode, Serena Ehrlich joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI-powered search engines take data from press releases, and how they decide on what to show their users.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Serena Ehrlich. She’s the go-to-market director at Notified, the parent company of GlobeNewswire, which provides global press release distribution services.Serena helps spread the “good word” of up-to-date, evolving PR strategies to help PR pros navigate an ever-shifting landscape.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How AI ingests press releases and what sticks 2. How the rise of AI-powered search engines parallels the rise of traditional search engines like Google3. Who actually reads press releases and why they’re the most important to your business4. The current and future impact of fake press releases5. How to build a quality press release that will reach your intended audience Quotables@4:20 — “When somebody says a press release doesn’t work, the very first thing I think of is, ‘Oh, you don’t know what it’s supposed to do.’” – Serena Ehrlich@13:33 — “Search, social, and AI.” – Serena Ehrlich@22:21 — “If it’s as easy as you and me releasing a press release and having that impact AI, look at the opportunity.” – Serena Ehrlich@25:35 — “I love you guys, but your press releases are terrible.” – Serena Ehrlich@ - “People read in an F pattern. If you don't have images, you’ve lost them” – Serena EhrlichIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Serena EhrlichSerena Ehrlich is a veteran professional in the fields of investor relations, public relations, and marketing. She currently serves as the director of product marketing at Business Wire. Over more than 25 years, she has become a trusted authority on emerging communication technologies and strategies, helping guide organizations through evolving trends in media and consumer behavior. Her deep-rooted experience began in advertising, where she honed her understanding of large-scale branding before continuing through two decades in the newswire industry. She has driven successful local, national, and global campaigns for major brands such as Kraft, Kohl’s, Avon, Mattel, and more.Serena transitioned into a strategic go-to-market and social media leadership role, currently serving as the go-to-market director at Notified. Known for her dynamic approach to modern media, she blends content creation, data insights, and format innovation to drive education, advocacy, and revenue. Her philosophy encapsulates this approach: Data + Content + Format = Education + Evangelists + Revenues. A recognized thought leader in the industry, she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Mobile to Watch in 2013 and continues to leverage her prSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How earned media is fueling PR’s resurgence in the generative AI search era

Send us a textIn this episode of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd, we welcome Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack, to unpack the findings from Muck Rack’s new report, “What Is AI Reading?” Together, they explore how generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini rely heavily on earned media coverage — especially journalistic content — to shape their responses. Learn why timely, credible PR coverage is more important than ever, how to optimize your brand visibility in AI-driven search, and what PR pros need to do now to stay relevant.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack. As a software engineer, he contributes to building tools that help journalists and PR professionals collaborate more effectively. With a strong background in full-stack development, he focuses on creating scalable, user-friendly solutions in the media tech space.Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How generative search engines source answers from earned media coverage2.  How best to influence AI-generated answers in your brand's favor 3. Why credibility is crucial to consumers and generative AI models 4. How much AI will rely on legacy media going forward 5. The importance of earned media and how to use itQuotables“We’re building tools that PR pros actually use and value every day.” — @mattdzugan“Better media outreach starts with better journalist insights.” — @JasonMudd9“PR is evolving fast. You need the right tools to keep up.” — @mattdzugan“Good PR tech doesn’t replace relationships — it enhances them.” — @mattdzuganIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a professional colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others, buy me a coffee, or leaving us a quick podcast review.About Matt DzuganMatt Dzugan is a senior software engineer at Muck Rack, where he helps develop tools that empower journalists and PR professionals to collaborate more effectively. With a background in full-stack development, he brings a thoughtful, systems-oriented approach to building reliable, scalable software that meets the media industry’s evolving needs. His work spans from backend architecture to user-facing features, all designed to enhance the transparency, speed, and efficiency of media workflows.Beyond writing clean, maintainable code, Matt is known for his collaborative mindset and dedication to continuous improvement. He actively engages with cross-functional teams to ensure that engineering decisions align with product goals, and he’s always looking for ways to optimize performance and user experience. At Muck Rack, Matt plays a key role in helping the company scale its platform to support a growing user base while staying true to its mission of supporting a free and sustainable press.Guest’s contact info and resources:Matt Dzugan on X (@mattdzugan)Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Networking Without an Agenda: The Key to Career Longevity

Send us a textDaniel Mendez of Collective Measures shares how the importance of early and active networking.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Collective Measures’ Daniel Mendez, vice president of earned and owned media. He is a seasoned public relations and corporate communications professional with more than 17 years of experience leading global strategies in employee engagement, executive visibility, and reputation management across industries such as healthcare, energy, and pharmaceuticals.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How networking must be intentional and ongoing2. Why you must give in a relationship before you can take.3. Why PR professionals shouldn’t neglect personal branding.4. The role of PR and communications and how it shapes narratives.5. The role of community in your career and the impact it has on it. Quotables“What you’re trying to do is build relationships” — @DanielMendez“PR people are amazing at promoting others and telling other people's stories, but we forget to tell our own story.” — @DanielMendez“The best opportunities that I've ever gotten in my career didn't come from a job board, they came from people.” — @DanielMendez“People think communications is just sending an email or a poster … It's not. It's so much more than that.” — Jason Mudd“That personal brand is what people remember when they're making decisions about who to bring on board.” — Jason MuddIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Daniel MendezDaniel Mendez is vice president of earned and owned media at Collective Measures, a Minneapolis-based performance marketing agency. With more than 15 years of experience across public relations, content marketing, and media strategy, Daniel helps B2B companies connect PR with business outcomes.At Collective Measures, Daniel works closely with marketing and sales teams to align messaging, support each stage of the buyer journey, and use earned media to drive awareness and credibility in niche markets. His approach bridges strategy and execution, making PR a measurable, impactful part of the demand generation engine.Guest’s contact info and resources:Daniel Mendez’s websiteDaniel Mendez on LinkedInAdditional Resources:Navigating PR and communications hiring with Brooke KrugerHow public relations impacts company reputation, revenue, and recruitingCorporate cSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Managing stress in public relations with Integrated Leadership Systems’ M.J. Clark

Send us a textIn this episode, M.J. Clark joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how PR pros can manage stress and thrive under pressure by adopting better leadership practices.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is M.J. Clark, vice president at Integrated Leadership Systems. With more than 15 years of experience as an executive coach and leadership consultant, she specializes in helping professionals in high-stress industries like PR thrive under pressure. M.J. supports executives in strengthening communication, setting boundaries, and building emotional intelligence. She’s the author of Leading Through Listening and other books on assertive leadership and workplace wellness.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Why PR is among the most stressful careers and what you can do about it2. The five ways people typically respond to stress and how to identify your style3. Ways to manage stress before it leads to burnout4. How tools like journaling, affirmations, and body language influence emotional control5. How assertiveness and boundary-setting help PR pros manage clients Quotables"You don’t realize how much stress you’re taking on when you’re not sharing your thoughts and feelings." — @MJ Clark"PR is high-pressure by nature, but burnout isn’t inevitable." — @MJ Clark"Being a trusted adviser means showing up clearly, confidently, and consistently." — @JasonMudd9"When we reframe our thoughts, we reshape how we lead and respond under pressure." — @MJ Clark"Assertiveness isn’t confrontation. It’s clarity with compassion." — @MJ ClarkIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About M.J. ClarkM.J. Clark is the vice president at Integrated Leadership Systems, where she serves as an executive coach, leadership consultant, and trainer. With over 15 years of experience, she helps professionals and organizations manage stress, improve communication, and develop stronger leadership skills. M.J. specializes in guiding executives through high-pressure situations, teaching them how to set boundaries, build emotional intelligence, and communicate with clarity and confidence.She holds a master’s degree in organizational communication from The Ohio State University and authored three books, including “Leading Through Listening.” Her work blends research-based strategies with real-world applications, making her a sought-after speaker and coach across industries. M.J.’s mission is to help leaders thrive under pressure while fostering healthier workplace cultures through assertiveness, trust, and self-awareness.Guest’s contact info and resources:M.J. Clark on LinkedInIntegrated Leadership System websiteSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.