TMCnet Feature Free eNews Subscription
January 08, 2019

Does Press Release Distribution Still Work to Help SEO in 2019



You sure have heard about press releases although there’s a good chance that you haven’t tried using them yet. Press releases used to be very famous in the SEO community. Now many people are wondering if they are still relevant in this day and age. Is it really worth spending your time with?



Yes, definitely, it’s still very relevant today and will probably remain relevant for a long time not only in the SEO community but also for marketing purposes. Yet, a lot of webmasters aren’t able to fully grasp the concept behind it, and they end up doing things that could potentially put their websites in jeopardy.

What Are Press Releases?

Press releases refer to the process of announcing certain events to the media or the press. In the World Wide Web, a press release is defined as an official statement issued to news agencies to provide information about a certain matter.

They are usually issued in a written format although they can also be in video or audio format. If someone is trying to organize an event and wants to let everyone know about it, sending press releases is the best way to get everyone’s attention about that particular event.

With a press release distribution, a piece of content will be written about the event and will then be distributed to news agencies and publishers who might be interested in it.

It usually adheres to this particular line of events:

The event is planned – a press release will be written – the press release is distributed to various news agencies - news agencies will pick up the press release – a news report will be published.

However, it’s a bit difficult to get the attention of the media, and it’s even more difficult for the editors who are often bombarded with many news reports from various sources. They have to go through the process of filtering and curating all these reports to publish only the best and most interesting news.

This is why press release platforms were created. Instead of distributing your press release to publishers, these platforms will post your press release to some of the most popular distribution platforms where several publishers and reporters tend to hang out to look for subjects that might interest them.

Unfortunately, these platforms have become a favorite hangout place for spammers. But before we talk about how these platforms could harm your website, it may be best to check out the many ways these platforms can actually do your website well.

How Can Press Releases Help SEO

Getting some big news sites to publish information about your company or an event you’re organizing will not only benefit your brand but your SEO as well.

So how is this possible, you might ask? It’s basically all about backlinks. If some of the most popular news websites will be talking about your brand, you’ll get backlinks from these news websites that usually hold a huge amount of equity. You’ll also score a high amount of backlinks from some webmasters who are going to read the news.

Yet, building backlinks are among the most difficult tasks in SEO, and we all know that. What’s more, coming up with high-quality backlinks is an even more difficult task. Doing this naturally without buying links or using tricks can make it more challenging.

You’ll actually get all the three above with press releases, which is why it’s considered the best link-building tool available.

You might ask how?

For one, press releases help you build links very quickly, and they are not just any kind of links. Instead, they are high-quality backlinks that are completely natural so you can rest assured that there won’t be any penalties.  

If the press release is done right, it’s definitely going to work. Otherwise, it will be a complete waste of time and might even result in you getting penalized.

Press Releases and Penalties

Going online to research about press release tactics could get you to the right track. But people have learned quickly that it’s much easier to obtain links from the press release instead of getting them from news publishers who will most likely ignore news stories that are poorly written.

Press Release Spam

Some people, instead of focusing on the important stuff and looking for ways to improve their business, end up distributing as many press releases as possible to the numerous press release platforms.

There are platforms that are free to use since they make money from advertising. Therefore, anyone can go there and post anything they want.

But there are also paid platforms that are filled with many irrelevant articles. With many webmasters asking for money in exchange for a backlink or guest posts, publishing a press release is a more practical way to get backlinks.

However, some of the posts are actually way too long to be considered a press release, and they are often filled with keywords and anchor text links that will only trigger penalties. Because of this, the quality of press release websites has started to decline. Yet, there are a few websites that have managed to keep their content relevant. These sites don’t index their press releases and are only available to users who are logged in on the site.

Users of these websites don’t post press releases only for the sake of acquiring backlinks. Instead, they focus on posting press releases that will also attract the attention of news websites.

Using No-Follow Links

Others might find the “no-follow” links to be useless. But these links are definitely not useless. In fact, they could help rank your website. Furthermore, these no-follow links are only going to be used for press release sites since these sites tend to index their content on Google (News - Alert). All the other links that you’re going to get as a result of a successful press release are usually a combination of do-follow and no-follow links, although this also depends on the internal policies of the websites that are linking to you.

So why is there a need to use no-follow links? It’s because no-follow links minimize the risk of getting penalized. Google doesn’t want you to build or buy backlinks. Because the links from the press releases are usually built manually and are paid for, Google’s guidelines require that these links be “no-follow” links.  

We aren’t really a fan of Google, but if you don’t want to risk anything, you might as well follow what it wants.

Again, no-follow links can also help rank your website higher.

If you already have several published press releases, you should check them using a detection tool just to make sure they aren’t suspicious and that they don’t come from any suspicious domains.

Can You Still Benefit from Press Releases?

Unless the Internet is dominated with some highly advanced artificial intelligence that’s capable of watching our every move, then publishers will always find these news topics highly beneficial. If you will not push yourself out there, there’s almost no chance of ever becoming popular on the Internet.

Press releases are capable of starting a chain reaction not just with backlinks but with social media likes, comments, and shares as well. For as long as there are news reports, press releases will remain useful.

But how come press releases have become less popular than they were 10 years ago?

It’s mainly because of spam. As more and more people are relying on the Internet and SEO, journalists and editors are spammed every single day. As a result, they decided to filter new stories more, and this has made the press releases to become a less effective strategy not only regarding SEO but also regarding how accessible it will be.

Another reason would be the penalties.

Several years ago, press releases were mostly popular not only because they helped with news coverage but also because they helped provide easy links coming from various distribution sites.

Because the SEO community has started to pull away from mass link building, press releases also became less and less popular.

But if you are going to focus on the most appropriate things, such as improving your website, your products, and services, and then create a press release that’s focused on getting the attention of the media instead of merely grabbing backlinks, then press releases are definitely going to be highly valuable in 2019.

For the press releases to be useful not only this year but for the many years to come, you should put your focus in getting the attention of the media instead of merely grabbing just another backlink out there.

The reality is that to be successful, you’re going only to need just one reporter who will pay attention to your company. This reporter must come from a renowned site, and the rest will definitely work out in your favor. There will actually be more chances of you getting featured if you’re going to target individual reporters for your press releases.

For instance, you can come up with great news about graphics cards and then look for a reporter who is a gamer. Do you have exciting news about childcare? Then look for a reporter who’s a devoted parent and can relate to the topic.

There is really no need to use any press release platforms just to make your press release successful. You can also send an email to reporters or message them on social media through Twitter or LinkedIn (News - Alert).

Making Press Releases More Effective

There are many ways on how you can come up with a more effective press release. But generally, to make your press release more effective, it should:

  • Be distributed to several relevant places.
  • Feature an interesting news piece.
  • Come with a killer headline.
  • Be written short but straight to the point

We aren’t elaborating how a press release can be specifically effective for SEO but on the things that you should generally do or not do when it comes to press releases.

Check out the three things you need to avoid doing if you want your press release to be useful:

1. Do not just write about anything for your press release. You don’t have to post monthly press releases about your company just for the sake of doing it. Post only if you have something exciting and original to write about. Otherwise, you will only be wasting your precious time.

2. Avoid spamming editors constantly. If you do this, you’re going to end up in their spam box, and you will not be considered ever again. These days, people absolutely hate spamming. So if a reporter notices that your content is being distributed over and over again, then they’ll eventually filter you out.

3. Avoid posting to numerous press release platforms. Instead, focus on the more relevant platforms and post there. Sure, you will find several other places that are suitable to your target audience and your location, but it is best to focus on platforms that are more relevant. For instance, even if a site is very good, it may not serve well for those who are targeting specific audiences.

For those who are incapable of coming up with good press release articles, there are lots of services out there that you can hire to write one for you.

Pros and Cons of Free Press Release Distribution

Pros:

  • It’s great for those who have no money to spend on marketing campaigns since there’s no need to pay newswires or news websites to publish your press release.
  • They allow social media posting of press releases.
  • It’s a great medium to test your story’s newsworthiness without spending any money.

Cons:

  • They look attractive but just like with anything, you’ll get what you pay for.
  • Your press releases will only be published, but they will not be distributed.
  • There’s only a limited amount of time for your press release to remain visible on the website and you’ll have to pay if you want it to be displayed for a much longer time.
  • Your press release will come with Google Ads and other links that could discourage your audience from reading.
  • You will not have any access to customer support so you cannot rely on anyone if you need help with anything related to your press release.
  • You will not receive analytics or reports, which means that there’s no way for you to know how far your releases have reached.
  • There’s a possibility that your press release will come with ads belonging to your competitors.
  • Free distribution services are often looked upon by Google as spam, and this could lower your website ranking and affect your SEO.

Pros and Cons of Paid (News - Alert) Distribution

Pros:

  • It’s more cost-effective in the long-term.
  • Your press releases will be distributed to various news media sites, search engines, and portals. They may also publish it to the industry that you are targeting.
  • Most of these paid services provide customer support.
  • You’ll be given analytics and reports which allow you to monitor the performance of your press release. These reports will show you the number of people who have viewed your press release, the number of page views per month, and many more.     
  • You will have the option to choose the reach of your press release. You can go for local, state, regional, or national, depending on how much you’re willing to spend.

Cons:

  • Some of the paid PR services may not be able to provide your desired publicity in the media. Despite providing reports and analytics, the ROI is somewhat questionable.
  • These paid services might provide graphics and charts of figures and numbers. However, the sales and conversions are not really geared towards positive reports.
  • Page views do not often lead to conversions, and this is something that must be considered. These paid services may guarantee that your press releases will be viewed, but they cannot provide assurance that these views will convert to revenue.
  • If you feel that the paid services are just too expensive, you might as well pitch directly to journalists to save on PR costs.

Conclusion

Press releases are beneficial for your SEO campaigns and are expected to be useful for many years to come, provided that you don’t abuse their means of distribution. They may not be that popular in the field of SEO nowadays, but if it’s done right, then even a single press release could lead to great results. If you are thinking of incorporating press releases to your marketing campaigns, make sure you consider the dos and don’ts above. Above all, keep in mind the advantages and disadvantages that come with using the free and paid press release platforms.

If you have ever issued a press release or have done so lately, we would like to know how was your experience. Were journalists interested in your content or you just wasted your time? Please let us know in the comments section below.



 
 
» More TMCnet Feature Articles
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE

LATEST TMCNET ARTICLES

» More TMCnet Feature Articles