How To Optimize Press Releases for AI and Why It Matters More Than Ever

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, "Aren't press releases dead?" I'd be retired by now. The truth? In the age of AI, press releases matter more than ever.

PR Newswire reports that press releases distributed through their platform receive 4x more large language model (LLM) citations than competing platforms. I've seen this play out in real time – clients getting outranked by competitors whose only edge was a smarter press release strategy.

The brands showing up in AI search results aren’t there by accident. Many of them have a strong press release strategy behind them. If you’re not optimizing your press releases for AI, it’s time to start.

Here are my top recommendations based on press releases I’ve done this year:

DISTRIBUTION STILL MATTERS

Even the most optimized press release won’t perform if no one sees it. Platforms like PR Newswire carry a domain authority that LLMs recognize and trust. If cost is an issue, consider working with a PR firm that has discounted newswire rates.

RELEVANCE TO THE REPORTER YOUR PRESS RELEASE TITLE IS PRIME REAL ESTATE

KEEP THE BODY OF THE RELEASE SHORT

PR Newswire's AI Amplifier tool recommends keeping press releases between 400–500 words. That may sound limiting, but it's actually a forcing function for clarity. Cut the fluff and stick to the essentials – who, what, where, when, and why – to better improve Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) performance. If it doesn't serve the story you’re trying to tell, it doesn't belong in the release.

DON'T BURY YOUR HYPERLINKS

Hyperlinks should appear in the first paragraph of your release. LLMs pull from the top of content first, which means links buried at the bottom are often ignored entirely. Every hyperlink is a potential traffic source, and every unlinked release is a missed opportunity to drive visitors back to your site.

USE SECTION HEADERS AND BULLETS

Walls of text get skipped by humans and AI alike. Breaking your release into clearly labeled sections like "Key Findings," "Key Takeaways" or "Awards and Recognition" with bullets underneath makes the content scannable and digestible. More importantly, it mirrors how LLMs prefer to organize and extract information when generating responses.

DON'T WASTE YOUR QUOTES 

Keep quotes concise. The sweet spot for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) performance is three to four sentences. A mentor once told me that quotes should provide value, not just echo the body copy. Use quotes to do what the rest of the release can't: explain why the news matters, who it helps or what problem it solves.

USE KEYWORD-RICH BOILERPLATE

That “About Us” section at the bottom of the press release? LLMs read it. Your boilerplate is a great opportunity to reinforce your brand's SEO keywords, industry positioning and key offerings.

Press releases have always been a credibility tool. Now, they’re a visibility tool too. The rules have changed, and the brands winning in AI search are the ones that recognized this shift early. Start treating press releases as a core part of your AI visibility strategy and you'll start showing up in places your competitors aren't even thinking about yet.