On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

Embedded AI: The future of PR and communication workflows

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/593338/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Muck Rack CEO Greg Galant joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how embedded AI is transforming PR and communications workflows. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Greg Galant, CEO and cofounder at Muck Rack. A returning guest on On Top of PR, he is a leading voice at the crossroads of PR, technology, and media. Greg is also recognized as an early champion of generative engine optimization, shaping the emerging frontier of brand visibility in an AI-driven world. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why embedded AI is more effective than standalone assistants in PR workflows 2. How AI preserves messaging consistency and insight accuracy across teams 3. Ways to make PR teams more adaptable in real time using AI 4. How AI-powered media intelligence predicts trends and shifts in reputation 5. Strategies to integrate AI into every stage of PR: discovery, outreach, monitoring, and reporting  Quotables * “Being able to take advantage of AI is knowing what everyone's doing right now and figuring out which stages of our workflow can benefit from AI and having the right tooling to do that.” — @Greg Galant * “The PR profession's been doing generative engine optimization even before generative AI came to be because when these AI systems were built, they were all trained on news data.” — @Greg Galant * “The work we did a year ago or two years ago is even more valuable today than it was then.” — @Greg Galant * “There's two big buckets. One is: How does AI influence PR, and how does PR influence AI?” — @Greg Galant * “We have to look at this from a macro and a micro level and keep testing and tweaking what we're doing and improving upon it.” — @Jason Mudd If 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 [http://buymeacoff.ee/OnTopofPR] or by leaving us a quick podcast review [https://ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr]. Guest’s contact info and resources: * @gregory on X [https://x.com/gregory] * @gregory on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregory/] * Gregory Galant on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/galant/] * Muck Rack website [https://muckrack.com/] * Muck Rack Daily [https://muckrack.com/daily] * Generative Pulse by Muck Rack [https://generativepulse.ai/] * The State of Journalism and PR 2022 reports with Greg Galant [https://youtu.be/cAjSJFS04DI?si=t4HZYF9sEtLRHnyM] If you like this episode, you're going to love this: * 95% of AI citations come from PR content [https://youtu.be/bC5CTYkyrBY?si=rU9c8S-5vD-JPC_D] * How generative AI uses earned media coverage (fueling PR’s resurgence) [https://youtu.be/1XIPRi7qZbk?si=09MDe5AjdkCE3fIi] * Getting more media coverage by making journalists’ lives easier [https://youtu.be/HuWIo_ZqzZ4?si=SFdPpAn01CGCzJsW] * The PR playbook for getting recommended by AI with Unusua [https://youtu.be/RsYv5RAvMHA?si=WQT4ckutDG2P2a4n] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR] * On Top of PR [http://www.ontopofpr.com] is produced by Axia Public Relations [http://www.axiapr.com], 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 [https://www.reviewmaxer.com/pages/on-top-of-pr], the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why isn’t your press release getting any coverage?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/593338/fan_mail/new] In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd dives into why most press releases fail and how to craft news releases that capture attention, clicks, and engagement. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Five reasons your news release isn’t getting coverage 2. Understanding the move from “press releases” to news releases 3. Common mistakes that cause press releases to be ignored 4. How to write headlines and content that attract attention and clicks 5. Adopting an audience-first mindset to make your news releases effective  Quotables “A journalist or reader is asking, ‘Why should I care?’ ‘Why now?’ and ‘Why does this matter now?’ And if you don't answer that in the first few lines of your pitch or your news release, you lose that audience.” — @jasonmudd9 “Safe content doesn't get shared; it gets ignored.” — @jasonmudd9 “Your content now competes in search, AI, and social feeds. Structure matters. You need clear headlines, direct language, and answer-driven content.” — @jasonmudd9 “Shift your mindset from ‘What do we want to announce?’ to ‘What would someone care [about], click, and share?’ Define your audience, validate your angle with data, and write like a journalist.” — @jasonmudd9 “Coverage isn't requested; it's earned. It starts with how you think about the story before writing.” — @jasonmudd9 If 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 [http://buymeacoff.ee/OnTopofPR] or by leaving us a quick podcast review [https://ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr]. Guest’s contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X [https://x.com/jasonmudd9] Jason Mudd on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/] Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast. [https://www.axiapr.com/podcast] Find out more about Axia Public Relations. [https://www.axiapr.com/] Axia Public Relations resources [http://axiapr.com/resources] 1:1 consultations and training with Axia [https://www.axiapr.com/axia-workshops#meetings] 10 2026 press release tips marketers aren’t going to like [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/10-2026-press-release-tips-that-marketers-arent-going-to-like] Additional Resources: What's the difference between press releases and public relations? [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/press-release-and-public-relations] What’s the difference between newswire and press release distribution wire agencies? [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-newswire-and-press-release-distribution-wire-agencies] How press releases are powering generative engine optimization and answer engine optimization [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/how-press-releases-are-powering-generative-engine-optimization-and-answer-engine-optimization] 3 elements of an effective news release [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/3-elements-of-an-effective-news-release] https://www.axiapr.com/blog/11-tips-to-craft-engaging-press-release-headlines Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR] * On Top of PR [http://www.ontopofpr.com] is produced by Axia Public Relations [http://www.axiapr.com], 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 [https://www.reviewmaxer.com/pages/on-top-of-pr], the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Shaping the future of PR with AI: Insights from Microsoft’s Frank X. Shaw

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/593338/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Microsoft CCO Frank Shaw joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI is reshaping PR workflows, strategy, and corporate communications. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Frank X. Shaw, chief communications officer at Microsoft. Frank leads global communications strategy, product PR, media and analyst relations, executive and employee communications, and global agency partnerships. He shares insights on how communicators can leverage AI to focus on high-value work and improve efficiency. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How to identify high-value PR work and apply AI to repetitive tasks 2. Practical AI applications for media monitoring, analyst engagement, and internal communications 3. How autonomous AI agents can enhance predictive insights for communications teams 4. The mindset needed to embrace AI tools without fear of job loss 5. How efficiency gained through AI can drive growth rather than just cost-cutting Quotables “It's not like you can outsource your judgment, but you can augment it.” — Frank Shaw “I don't look at all this technology as something that is going to cut costs. It's going to allow us to do the things that are in front of us that we want to do that we can't get to right now because we don't have the resources and the time.” — Frank Shaw “The mindset has to be one of experimentation, curiosity, trying new things, being willing to fail, at some, grabbing every tool that comes out there and thinking about how we can apply it to the work that we do. “ — Frank Shaw “I think everybody should be experimenting with stuff at home and at work because it's moving really fast, and the way you stay on top of it is just to play.” — Frank Shaw “People say the corporate communication profession has changed over the years. And my argument is it really hasn't changed. We just have better tools. But those same tools require us to be even better practitioners, more strategically minded.” — Jason Mudd If 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 [http://buymeacoff.ee/OnTopofPR] or by leaving us a quick podcast review [https://ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr]. Guest’s contact info and resources: Frank X. Shaw on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fxshaw/] Microsoft website [https://www.microsoft.com/en-ph] LinkedIn Learning: Communicator’s Guide to AI Tools and Mindsets for Modern PR and Media course [https://www.linkedin.com/learning/the-communicator-s-guide-to-ai-tools-and-mindsets-for-modern-pr-and-media/boost-your-impact-and-creativity] Additional Resources: Axia’s AI Relations service [https://www.axiapr.com/services/ai-relations-generative-engine-optimization-service] Microsoft Copilot Studio [https://adoption.microsoft.com/en-us/ai-agents/copilot-studio/] Microsoft Bing [https://www.bing.com/] Get to Know Microsoft Edge [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR] * On Top of PR [http://www.ontopofpr.com] is produced by Axia Public Relations [http://www.axiapr.com], 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 [https://www.reviewmaxer.com/pages/on-top-of-pr], the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media-first PR in the AI era with Storyblok’s Brandon Watts

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/593338/fan_mail/new]  In this episode, Brandon Watts joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to prioritize audience and authenticity in media-first PR during the AI era. Tune in to learn more!   Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Brandon Watts, director of PR and communications at Storyblok. With 20-plus years in shaping narratives for startups and enterprise tech, Brandon brings insights from both the media and PR sides. He’s also contributed to Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Adweek. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How to adopt a media-first approach in PR during the AI era 2. Why quality matters more than quantity when pitching stories 3. How to put the audience before your PR agenda 4. The power of exclusives and timings 5. Tips for pitching original, AI-proof stories Quotables “The biggest challenge here is when we think of what we're trying to tell, the story we're trying to tell, it's usually always framed through our lens. What do we have to say? What benefit do we get from it? That's a lot of we, me — a lot of self-service focus. So we have to reframe this. If it's media first, it means that it's really media first.” — Brandon Watts “Communication with your pitch is so critical because that's really what helps you to sell it, to make it more broad in terms of who's going to want to listen to that and why.” — Brandon Watts “You have to create the stories that AI can't. And all of that is due to your personal experience, what your company's experiencing, what your team is experiencing, and your customers' lived experiences that cannot be hallucinated, that cannot be made up. That's authenticity.” — Brandon Watts “We use AI just in the right way to help you get more power out of your content creation. So you just have to take that extra bit of time to understand that you can't just prompt and run. You've got to give it context and tweak.” — Brandon Watts “Garbage in, garbage out. If you put bad input into a generative AI app, you're going to get bad output from it.” — Jason Mudd If 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 [http://buymeacoff.ee/OnTopofPR] or by leaving us a quick podcast review [https://ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr]. Guest’s contact info and resources: Brandon Watts on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonwatts/] Storyblok website [http://www.storyblok.com] How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/how-to-stay-ahead-of-ai-in-communication-and-marketing] Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast [https://www.axiapr.com/podcast]. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. [https://www.axiapr.com/] Additional Resources: Axia’s AI Service [https://www.axiapr.com/services/ai-relations-generative-engine-optimization-service] AI in PR: Transforming communication stra [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/ai-in-pr-transforming-communication-strategies] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR] * On Top of PR [http://www.ontopofpr.com] is produced by Axia Public Relations [http://www.axiapr.com], 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 [https://www.reviewmaxer.com/pages/on-top-of-pr], the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

HARO’s comeback: Modern sourcing for journalists and brands

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/593338/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Brett Farmiloe joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the comeback of HARO and smarter PR pitching.  Tune in to learn more!  Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Brett Farmiloe, founder and CEO at Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Brett has scaled startups and worked with global brands, and he helps professionals share their expertise online. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:   1. Why HARO was revived and what’s changed since its launch 2. How journalist profiles and “Open to Write” signals improve pitch success 3. Tips for better pitches with fewer blasts to stand out to reporters 4. How HARO is expanding to support journalists beyond sourcing experts 5. How PR pros can measure expert authority instead of vanity placements in the AI era   More About Brett Farmiloe Brett Farmiloe is the CEO of Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a platform connecting journalists with sources to create expert-powered content. An entrepreneur and author, Brett has scaled startups, collaborated with global brands, and helped thousands of professionals share their expertise. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human online. Quotables “Our goal at the end of the day is to connect journalists with great sources for stories.” — Brett Farmiloe “When sources come to us and they're like, ‘What do I do here? How do I be helpful?’ It's really in the HARO acronym: It's be Helpful, be Authentic, be Relevant, and be On time.” — Brett Farmiloe “Be authentic; don't just use 100% AI, and add your own human expertise to things.” — Brett Farmiloe “What comes around, goes around, and I really think that just being helpful and friendly and nice to people goes a long way.” — Jason Mudd If 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 [http://buymeacoff.ee/OnTopofPR] or by leaving us a quick podcast review [https://ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr]. Guest’s contact info and resources: @BrettFarmiloe on X [https://x.com/brettfarmiloe] Brett Farmiloe on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/brettfarmiloe] Help a Reporter Out website [https://www.helpareporter.com/] Featured website [https://featured.com/] Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. [https://www.axiapr.com/podcast] Find out more about Axia Public Relations. [https://www.axiapr.com/] Additional Resources: 6 tips for using HARO to pitch your story [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/6-tips-for-using-haro-to-get-your-story-out] HARO Shifts to Connectively: What does this mean for PR professionals? [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/haro-shifts-to-connectively-what-does-this-mean-for-pr-professionals] A [https://www.axiapr.com/blog/authentic-pr-giving-it-a-human-touch#:~:text=Deliver%20value%20and%20create%20connections,contain%20all%20the%20key%20elements.] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OnTopofPR] * On Top of PR [http://www.ontopofpr.com] is produced by Axia Public Relations [http://www.axiapr.com], 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 [https://www.reviewmaxer.com/pages/on-top-of-pr], the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.