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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

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Guest’s contact info and resources:

Jason Mudd on X

Jason Mudd on LinkedIn

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Axia Public Relations resources

1:1 consultations and training with Axia

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Additional Resources:

What's the difference between press releases and public relations?

What’s the difference between newswire and press release distribution wire agencies?

How press releases are powering generative engine optimization and answer engine optimization

3 elements of an effective news release

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.