In today's competitive landscape of digital marketing, very few strategists have carved out a niche quite like Randy Rohde. As the founder of The News Guy and 38 Digital Market, Rohde has built a reputation as a nationally recognized PR expert who assists companies build authority, achieve top search visibility, and land placements across more than 900 media outlets.
A Journey From Retail to Digital PR
Rohde's career path took several unexpected turns. Holding degrees from institutions including Michigan Ross, he launched his professional life in retail operations — running national retail stores, handling multi-unit management, and eventually overseeing operations at two national retail companies.
The itch to create something from scratch never went away. Together with a group of collaborators, he launched a national service provider, sold it, started another, then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he grew a business across five states — and sold that company also. In the midst of all this that he became captivated by digital marketing.
What The News Guy Brings to the Table
Now, Rohde leads 38 Digital Market, a digital marketing agency operating out of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Via his signature brand "The News Guy," he delivers a robust lineup of services engineered to move the needle for businesses.
His core offering is press release distribution, publishing content across prominent news platforms such as AP News, Yahoo Finance, Benzinga, and Business Insider. Complementing that core service, Rohde offers high-profile article placements on leading publications, SEO and local SEO optimization, authority-boosting backlink services, and PPC advertising.
A Forward-Thinking Approach to AI and PR
What truly sets Rohde apart is his expertise in AI search visibility. He treats press releases as a form of influence over AI systems — helping brands shape what AI tools including Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity say about their business. This forward-looking methodology offers brands a distinct advantage in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
A Renaissance Man of Media and Marketing
Rohde's impact stretches well beyond just his marketing services. He runs a pair of podcasts — "Hot Off The Press," a daily show covering press releases, SEO, and digital PR boasting 400-plus episodes, and "Running the Bases with Small Businesses," an interview series featuring entrepreneurs and small business owners.
As a conference presenter, Rohde has presented at industry conferences both domestically and internationally, including SEO Rockstars, the YACSS SEO Conference in Aalborg, website Denmark, and Digital Unfiltered. He's lent his expertise to numerous podcasts such as The Virtual CMO Podcast, the Million Dollar Agency Podcast, and the SEO Video Show.
Adding yet another dimension, Rohde carries IMDB credits as a producer, actor, and director — demonstrating his ability to tell compelling stories both on screen and off.
The Bottom Line
As he's fond of saying: "Visibility without credibility is a missed opportunity." For companies seeking to establish trust, improve their visibility online, and stay ahead of the curve, Randy Rohde and The News Guy offer a proven path forward.