Are Press Releases Still Good For SEO?

Every public relations professional knows the power of a press release.

Whether you’re launching a new product, announcing a merger, or have any other high profile information you want to share, a press release is a great way to distribute that information.

But does it have any impact on your SEO efforts?

If you’ve been around long enough, you might remember when SEOs used it as a way to pack keywords into their sites. Does this still work?

And what’s more – if there is a link between search rankings and high-quality press releases, how do you walk that line between optimizing it for search engines while still adhering to press releases?

Obviously, these are not simple questions to answer, but fear not; We are here to guide you.

Read on for more information about press releases and how to employ them as part of your online strategy.

What is a press release?

You probably already know that a press release is an official statement that provides information to journalists about a noteworthy event.

It allows you to quickly distribute news (and help shape the narrative around it) to a network of journalists, with the end goal of displaying it on a reputable news platform.

This is an example of a press release from Google Cloud:

You see, this press release gives readers a quick overview of the news in the headline, clarifies that information in the subheading, and then dives into the details as the piece continues.

Students and fledgling journalists are often instructed to write them in what are known as “inverted pyramidWhere the most important information is given up front.

In case you haven’t found out by now (and we’re sure you did), organizations send out press releases for a variety of reasons, including:

• to build a reputation.
• To get media coverage.
• To take control of the crisis – Posting your own story first is helpful when things go wrong.

As media technology improves and we move to a shorter news cycle, companies have gained a new reason to submit press releases: to get links from reputable news websites.

Thus, enhancing your search engine optimization.

A (brief) history of SEO press releases

While the press releases were there Since 1906When Ivy Lee released the first film covering a railway accident, they took on a new significance in the digital age.

And like everything that boosts SEO success, press release links start out well.

Then came the abuse. (Shocking, right?)

As soon as people discovered links from high-profile new sites that could help rank, they started writing all kinds of press releases for all kinds of things—even on unrelated events like Recruitment of new employees (unfortunately, it is still common) or change the color of the carpet. (True story. I seriously saw this!)

All spam has led to Google noticing and penalizing sites that carry these links.

Results?

Newswire has added the nofollow attribute to links.

So yes, you can still get links from the press releases.

But since they will be nofollow links, it may not help your SEO.

Here’s what Google’s John Mueller says said about it in 2018:

(W) We try to ignore links from things like press releases because we know, in general, companies put out press releases themselves. So any links out there are put out on their own.

But if those links happen and they are there, you don’t have to worry about it, because you really can’t get them all back.

I wouldn’t rely on the press release type as a strategy for building links for a website, because, as I said, we ignore most of them.”

Are press releases still valid today?

So if you don’t get SEO credit for links from news sites, is it still worth including press releases in your digital strategy?

Short answer: yes.

However, there is one important thing that you should absolutely keep in mind. it’s a Why You send a press release.

Is it:

• Letting people know about a big event your company is hosting?
• Announcing the launch of a new product or service?
• Attracting attention to your brand?
• Prevent the crisis from exploding?

If you can answer “yes” to any of those, go ahead and write this press release.

But if you are doing it to get links to your new site, stop immediately.

Even if “newswire” links to you, the link may not do anything to help you with Google’s SERPs.

But here’s the thing: the last sentence isn’t strictly TRUE. There is a way that press releases can be used to boost your SEO; Just not the way you think.

How to Optimize a Press Release for SEO

While press releases do not directly It influences search rankings, it can boost it indirectly.

For example, it could appear on a news site and get people interested.

Intrigued by your release, they flock to your site, increasing your traffic.

If they like your site, they will stay and click through to different pages.

And if your content is amazing, they’ll share it on social media or link to it on their own sites, earning you (you guessed it!) quality links.

And This will reinforce your SEO.

So spam backlinks gained through low-quality news?

number.

Lots of traffic and backlinks from new fans?

yes.

This is how you “optimize” your SEO press release.

How to create and share a press release

Now that you’ve been sold on the importance of using press releases in your digital marketing efforts, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty of creating and sharing them.

Writing them is much easier than you might think. To create your first one, Follow these three easy steps:

1. Do something newsworthy

No, changing the color of your carpet does not matter. Unless you work in the Oval Office – that might be of little use.

But “newsworthy” doesn’t necessarily mean “huge.”

You can simply host an event.

Or you could conduct a study on something your audience is interested in.

You can also modify a product or service to make it better.

Once you’ve decided on your news event, be sure to overdeliver.

Give him all you got.

2. Write an engaging press release

Start with an attention-grabbing title your audience will be interested in.

like this who Starbucks.

Make sure the press release is short and Reads like a newspaper article.

Journalists love when they can copy and paste directly from it when writing their story.

Important tips to keep in mind when writing your press release:

• Write in the third person.
• Keep it short (400-500 words is a great rule of thumb).
• Add screenshots and other interesting media.
• Go straight to the point (kill the fluff).
• Speak directly to your readers (cut the jargon).

3. Share your press release with the right journalists

Whatever you do, don’t spam a hundred journalists, hoping someone will write about you.

Do your research first.

For example, I just conducted a study that revealed that 56% of mothers are not satisfied with their school’s lunch program.

Instead of handing out your press release to anyone whose email address you can look up, find someone who writes in a related field.

using a tool like BuzzSumo Great way to get this information.

3 examples of successful press releases to emulate

Ready to write your press releases?

Check out these three examples for inspiration.

Mars pledge press release

This press release was so successful that many websites picked it up and Story books on him.

Boston Beer Company New product announcement

This press release from Sam Adams brewery was so successful that many large sites, incl CNBCpick it up.

Trolleys “Stranger Things” line

Capitalizing on the hit Netflix show, Vans’ Stranger Things collection has received plenty of coverage in sneaker trade publications, including Sports news.

How to use a press release for SEO

Hopefully, at this point, it’s been made clear: Press releases can be a useful SEO tool, but only if used correctly.

Spamming media sites, journalists, and bloggers with versions of everything in the hope of getting some publicity won’t help.

On the other hand, if you are contacting relevant publications (often niche) or other people who are likely to be interested in your news event (never forget this point) to drive traffic, fans and following links, then they are very useful.

Just remember what you learned in this piece: make your releases relevant (again, rug colors don’t change) and distribute them to the right people; They can play an important role in pushing your site to the top of the rankings.

More resources:

• The Best Press Release Distribution Services: 6 Important Features to Consider
• Digital PR Strategy: Building a Kickass Campaign
• Content Marketing: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

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Featured image: Pressmaster/Shutterstock