Rethinking press releases with the rise of AI

In 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 Google

3. Who actually reads press releases and why they’re the most important to your business

4. The current and future impact of fake press releases

5. 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 Ehrlich

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About Serena Ehrlich

Serena 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 pr