Press releases have long been a staple of public relations, used to announce product launches, partnerships, milestones, and company news. In the early days of SEO, many marketers used press releases primarily to build backlinks, distributing them widely with keyword-rich anchor text. Search engines eventually cracked down on this practice. So do press releases still help SEO? Yes, but not in the way they once did. Today, their value lies in brand visibility, media coverage, earned links, and credibility. This guide explains how press releases can support SEO when used correctly.
Strategic PR and SEO With AAMAX.CO
Press releases deliver the best results when aligned with a broader search and brand strategy. AAMAX.CO is a full service digital marketing company offering web development, digital marketing, and SEO services worldwide. They help businesses craft newsworthy announcements, optimize them for search visibility, and connect PR efforts with content and link-building strategies. Companies that hire them for SEO services can turn announcements into lasting authority rather than short-lived noise.
How Search Engines Treat Press Release Links
Google has made it clear that links in press releases distributed through wire services should be treated with caution. Links with optimized anchor text in widely distributed releases can be considered unnatural link schemes. As a result, most distribution services now apply nofollow attributes to links. This means press releases themselves generally do not pass significant direct ranking authority. However, that does not make them useless for SEO.
Earning Media Coverage and Editorial Links
The real SEO value of a press release comes when journalists, bloggers, and industry publications pick up your story and write original coverage. These articles often include editorial links to your website, which are highly valuable because they come from authoritative, relevant sources and are given naturally. A single mention in a respected publication can be worth far more than hundreds of syndicated press release links.
To earn coverage, your announcement must be genuinely newsworthy. Product launches with unique features, original research, significant partnerships, community initiatives, and industry insights are more likely to attract attention than routine updates.
Boosting Brand Visibility and Branded Searches
Press releases increase awareness of your brand across news sites, industry portals, and social media. When more people hear about your company, branded searches often rise. Increased branded search demand signals relevance and authority to search engines and can improve overall visibility. Press releases can also help your brand dominate search results for its name, pushing down irrelevant or negative content.
Supporting AI and Entity Recognition
Search engines and AI systems build knowledge about brands, people, and organizations as entities. Consistent mentions across reputable news sources help these systems understand who you are, what you do, and why you matter. This can influence knowledge panels and how AI-generated answers describe your business. Coordinating PR with GEO services helps ensure your brand is represented accurately in emerging search experiences.
Driving Referral Traffic
Even nofollow links can drive meaningful referral traffic when your release appears on well-read news sites or industry platforms. Readers interested in your announcement may click through to learn more, sign up, or purchase. This traffic can lead to conversions, newsletter signups, and further sharing, all of which support your broader marketing goals.
How to Write an SEO-Friendly Press Release
Start with a compelling, descriptive headline that clearly communicates the news. Include your most important information in the first paragraph, answering who, what, when, where, and why. Use natural language and relevant keywords without stuffing. Add quotes from company leaders or partners to provide human perspective. Include supporting media such as images or videos, and provide clear contact information for journalists. Keep links minimal and natural, pointing to a relevant page such as a product page or detailed announcement on your website.
Publish on Your Own Website
Host your press releases in a newsroom or press section on your website. This creates a central, indexable archive of company news and gives journalists a reliable source of information. Expand important announcements into detailed blog posts or landing pages that provide more context, which can rank on their own and attract links.
Combine Press Releases With Outreach
Distribution services alone rarely generate strong coverage. Pair your release with targeted outreach to journalists, bloggers, and influencers who cover your industry. Personalize pitches, explain why the story matters to their audience, and offer exclusive insights or interviews. Relationship-driven PR consistently delivers better results than mass distribution.
Measuring Press Release Impact
Track media mentions, earned links, referral traffic, branded search volume, and conversions from announcement pages. Use tools like Google Search Console, analytics platforms, and backlink trackers to measure results. These insights help refine future PR and SEO strategies.
Final Thoughts
Press releases help SEO indirectly by increasing brand visibility, earning editorial coverage and links, supporting entity recognition, and driving referral traffic. They are no longer shortcuts for building backlinks, but they remain valuable tools when paired with newsworthy stories, strategic outreach, and strong on-site content. Used thoughtfully, press releases can amplify your authority and support long-term search growth.
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