Does Press Release Distribution Work for SEO in 2022?

The most straightforward answer to “does press release distribution work for SEO” is a big YES. PR distribution is part of content marketing, and it’s still effective in 2022 to gain more traffic and increase ROI. That said, distributing press releases requires a strategy and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

SEO has changed dramatically over the past years. Previously it was pretty easy to fool search engines by stuffing keywords and rolling out useless content. It isn’t the same now. Today, if you want your PR to rank higher in search engines, you need to play smart and follow search engines’ guidelines.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of press release distribution for SEO, let’s first look at the fundamental relationship between SEO and PR distribution.

How Press Releases and SEO are Related?

To understand the relationship between the duo, let’s quickly review the terms:

Press Release

A press release (PR) is an official online announcement providing compelling stories about a company and its services/products. The primary goal of press releases is to tell readers about the new things happening at a company.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization or SEO is the process to improve websites’ ranking in search engines. The higher the rank a website receives, the better the results. But it’s a combination of several small elements and requires a solid strategy and patience.

The Relationship Between the Duo

The relationship between press releases and SEO is similar to how SEO has with a website’s content. Search engines like pages with relevant, unique, and valuable content. Not only that, search engines like Google also take page experience into consideration. Certainly, we can’t ignore the value of quality backlinks. Generating spammy or paid backlinks is relatively easy but won’t last forever. 

In older days, it was easy to fool search engines. People used to write spammy content to trick search engines. Keyword stuffing was also one of the norms back in the day. That isn’t the case anymore.

Now search engines demand fresh, valuable, and informative content. And since press releases are a piece of content, you have to follow all the guidelines required by search engines.

Writing an effective press release that works well for SEO is part of this post. We’ll shortly look into that.

What are the SEO Benefits of Press Release Distribution?

There are several benefits of press release SEO, including direct and indirect. First, to the indirect benefits. The indirect value is brand awareness and updating the target audience. If your content has super values, industry experts and other top-ranking sites will give backlinks to it, further helping you gain popularity.

The direct benefits are more. At the top, the press release URL adds value to SEO, helping the content stand above in the niche. And if the content lands in Google’s ‘News’ section, you’re lucky. You’ll gain direct organic traffic, increasing brand awareness and increasing leads.

The list of benefits (direct or indirect) include:

• Backlinks from prominent publishers
• Links from different press release distribution services (if you have one)
• Increased brand awareness
• Brand recognition
• Increasing traffic
• Uplifting leads and sales

Keep that in mind search engines like Google dislikes press releases when it comes to winning backlinks. Matt Cutts of Google said in 2005, ”but the actual content of the press release itself doesn’t directly affect a site.

For example, on 

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/10/prweb296086.php, those hyperlinks don’t help avatarfinancial.com (in Google).”

That could be a downside of writing a press release. But in that same post, Matt said, “I’m not against doing press releases; press releases can be a useful part of getting traffic and building a brand.”

He further added, “For ranking in Google, however, the main benefit of a press release is not direct links or PageRank from the press release directly; it’s primarily the people who decide to write an article and link because of that.”

Now, it would be clear that spammy PR distribution or acquiring inefficient PR distribution services won’t do any good. To get the most from the PR, just remember guidelines as established by search engines.

How to Create an Effective Press Release?

Creating an effective press release is essentially a company’s responsibility. No other person or company knows you better than you. So don’t outsource writing the press release.

When you’re writing an effective press release of the new thing, follow these easy steps:

Announcing an Interesting News

What’s the purpose of distributing a press release if it hasn’t something interesting to share? Everything from the company should be exciting and valuable, so everyone follows that news.

Publishers also need something exciting to rewrite. If they can’t find anything worth sharing, they won’t write news. And you won’t get as many backlinks as you’re expecting. Although if you acquire press release distribution services, you’re most definitely entitled to receive backlinks from several sources.

One such service provider is iCrowdNewswire. They have over 375+ press release distribution channels, translate the PR in 9 different languages, spread across various social media channels, and more.

Creating an Eye-catchy Headline

Like a blog (or any other website content), you need to generate an engaging title. Some press releases have long titles that may not hook the reader’s attention.

Keep it Short

Press releases are different than blogs. They don’t have to be too long. Write shorter news; easy to read and engage. PRs are only an announcement, not explicit content. You may write a blog about that following the release of the PR.

No Need to Share it Everybody

If you’re a tech company, publish the content on tech-related sites. If you’re a real estate company, choose the platforms talking about real estate.

Don’t overdo things. Keep them simple.

There are press release service providers offering niche-specific platforms only. For example, you may check out ReleaseLive for niche-specific industries. This product claims to provide the best press release distribution services.

Don’t Forget Search Engines

Search engines are still far away from human intelligence. You won’t always get what you search for on the internet. So you’ve to remember search engines and write for them as well.

For starters, you may want to read this SEO guide from Google: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide.

Choosing Between Various Press Release Distribution Services

Selecting the best PR services is challenging. But achievable. Selecting the best option is a 2-step process, including:

What’s the Purpose of Distributing a Press Release?

The core purpose of distributing PR is brand awareness and letting readers know about the things happening. Usually, you’ve to write content for the press release. If you hire a company, make sure they understand the purpose of distributing the PR and write accordingly. 

Is the Service Provider Reaching Out to Your Target Audience?

There are tons of PR distributors. Not all will suit your niche or can’t roll out the news to your target audience. You need to know before acquiring the services of a PR distributor if they offer services in your niche and can help you meet your target audience.

What Do You Want to Get from Distributing the PR?

Brand recognition is undoubtedly one of the benefits you’ll get from rolling out the PR. Beyond that, you also need to look into other things, such as generating backlinks and leads. 

Does the PR Distribution Service Provider have Positive Feedback?

Avoid working with rookies. They might not be a good fit for your business. Instead, look for professionals with years of experience and a good reputation. You may compare the about us section from various service providers’ websites, read testimonials, or contact happy clients via social media or Google reviews.

What Else is the PR Service Provider Offering that Others Aren’t?

Check if your preferred press release distributors provide services with top-rated publishers, social shares, additional outreach, geographic & demographic targeting, etc. Select the one with the most prominent features.

Once you know your service provider, don’t delay. Hire the service provider and start distributing your press release.

Bottom Line

As long as you provide newsworthy content, press releases are still an effective SEO tool for 2022. No one likes spammy, irrelevant, and valueless content, especially not search engines. So if you want your press release to rank higher, generate good backlinks, create brand awareness, and help you drive more revenue, follow what search engines guide.

That said, search engines prefer content for humans that turns that ball again in that same court; provide informative, valuable, and unique press releases.