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

As search evolves from links to language, the humble press release is experiencing a powerful resurgence. Not as a tool for vanity metrics or mass wire spam, but as a strategic asset that feeds both generative AI models and answer-based search engines. Smart brands are rediscovering how to use news releases to shape how they’re understood, quoted, and recommended by machines.

The shift from SEO to AEO to GEO

Traditional search engine optimization focused on rankings and backlinks. Then came answer engine optimization, where the goal became earning placement in featured snippets or “People Also Ask” boxes. Now, with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Bing AI dominating the information landscape, the discipline has evolved again:

Generative engine optimization is the process of optimizing your content — especially structured, high-authority content like news releases — for how AI systems ingest, store, and summarize brand narratives.

Why news releases work so well for GEO and AEO

Press releases, especially those distributed via reputable commercial newswires like GlobeNewswire, BusinessWire, or PR Newswire, meet all the key criteria for influencing both generative AI and search:

• Structured content
  With headlines, subheads, boilerplates, quotes, and multimedia, press releases aren’t basic Word docs. They're structured, electronic news packages designed for AI platforms to easily read and parse.
  
  
• High authority
  Wire-distributed content often appears on high-trust domains, improving indexing and AI visibility.
  
  
• Trust signaling
  When press releases appear on platforms like Yahoo Finance, Google, and LLMs, it helps signal that the content is validated instead of simply published, increasing the content’s credibility and answer inclusion.
  
  
• Consistent messaging
  Repeated themes, executive bios, and boilerplate language help train AI to associate correct facts with your brand.
  
  
• Freshness signals
  AI systems prioritize recent, authoritative content. News releases often top the freshness hierarchy.
  
  

Press releases as landing pages for AI-educated buyers

The customer journey has changed. Before visiting your website, prospects are reading AI-generated summaries, scraping news portals, and consulting investor platforms. Your release might be the first and only branded content they encounter, making it your de facto landing page.

That’s why modern releases must educate, differentiate, and convert. It’s not just about coverage; it’s about content that performs in a machine-led funnel.

Best practices for GEO-optimized press releases

To ensure your press releases feed LLMs and rank in AI-generated answers:

1. Write headlines that answer questions.

Use natural language aligned with search queries, and test phrasing with Google
Trends.

2. Format for readability.
   
   Use paragraph headers and bulleted lists to improve readability and AI parsing.
   
   
3. Signal relevance in boilerplates.
   
   Expand boilerplates to list industries, audiences, and services — LLMs crawl this for relevance signals.
   
   
4. Add FAQs or summaries.

Structured Q&As mirror how AI models extract answer-worthy content.

5. Use hyperlinks strategically.

Link to owned content that reinforces your authority and message.

6. Include alt-tagged, properly named images.

AI and image search prioritize well-labeled visuals. Rename image filenames to match
target keywords (e.g., ai-news-release-optimization.jpg).

7. Publish on both wire services and your owned domain.

Cross-post the full release to your company newsroom for canonical authority.

8. Distribute your release internationally.

Multilingual releases help AI models build broader semantic context.

The bottom line

News releases are no longer just a media relations tool. They should be a central pillar of your digital visibility strategy. When properly structured and distributed, they:

• Inform AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini.
  
  
• Appear in answer-based search experiences.
  
  
• Reach high-intent, mid-funnel buyers.
  
  
• Shape how machines describe and rank your brand.

GEO and AEO are not just SEO buzzwords. They’re mandates for modern PR, and the opportunity is now. Generative AI’s reliance on structured content like press releases is an open door for communicators, but that window may close as models evolve. Now is the time to train these systems with your brand’s voice and facts.

At Axia Public Relations, we specialize in writing and distributing press releases that perform for human and machine audiences alike.

Want to ensure your brand is seen, quoted, and trusted in the AI era?

Explore our media relations services or contact us to optimize your next announcement for maximum AI visibility.

Clients love Jason’s passion, candor, and commitment as well as the team he has formed at Axia Public Relations. He's advised some of America’s most admired brands, including American Airlines, Dave & Buster’s, Hilton, HP, Pizza Hut, and Verizon. He is an Emmy Award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner, speaker, author, and entrepreneur and earned his certification in inbound marketing. He founded the PR firm in July 2002. Learn more about Jason.

Photo by Arina Krasnikova