Press release distribution was once a popular link building tactic. Understanding the current reality helps you use press releases appropriately—and avoid wasting resources on SEO tactics that no longer work.
The Press Release Link Reality
How It Used to Work
Historically, press releases distributed through services like PR Newswire or Business Wire would:
- Get syndicated across hundreds of sites
- Create many backlinks to your site
- Pass SEO value through those links
This made press release distribution an easy link building tactic.
How It Works Now
Google has adapted:
- Syndicated press release links are heavily discounted or ignored
- Pattern recognition identifies press release syndication
- Links from press release sites often nofollow
- Duplicate content from syndication has no value
The bottom line: Press release distribution is no longer an effective link building tactic.
When Press Releases Still Have Value
Legitimate Business Purpose
Press releases remain useful for:
Genuine news distribution:
- Major announcements
- Investor communications
- Regulatory requirements
- Industry awareness
Discovery mechanism:
- Journalists use wire services
- News desks monitor feeds
- Stories get picked up
Brand visibility:
- Appears in news searches
- Establishes company activity
- Provides information access
Secondary SEO Benefits
While direct links are discounted:
Journalist discovery:
- Journalists find your news
- Results in organic coverage
- Those links have value
Brand mentions:
- Increase brand awareness
- May lead to natural links
- Support brand search
What Doesn't Work
Link Building Through Syndication
The problem:
- Hundreds of identical syndicated copies
- Links from low-value news aggregators
- Obvious pattern matching
- Often nofollow anyway
SEO value: Near zero
Press Release "Link Building" Services
Red flags:
- Promises of "X hundred links"
- Focus on link quantity
- Low-cost distribution + "SEO benefits"
- Guaranteed coverage metrics
Reality: This is ineffective or potentially harmful.
Keyword-Optimised Anchors
Old tactic:
- Embedding keyword-rich anchor text
- Optimised links in press releases
- Multiple links to various pages
Now: Looks manipulative, no value, potential risk
Using Press Releases Effectively
When to Distribute
Appropriate uses:
- Major product/service launches
- Significant company news
- Industry-important announcements
- Partnership or acquisition news
- Noteworthy research or data
Not appropriate:
- Minor updates
- Link building purposes
- "News" that isn't news
- Regular promotional content
Distribution Best Practices
Quality over quantity:
- Major wire services (if warranted)
- Industry-specific distribution
- Targeted journalist outreach alongside
Content quality:
- Genuinely newsworthy
- Well-written and formatted
- Proper media assets
- Clear contact information
Link approach:
- Natural links to relevant pages
- No keyword optimisation
- Focus on information, not SEO
The Better Approach
Focus on Coverage, Not Links
Goal: Get journalists to write about you Method: Make your news genuinely newsworthy Result: Editorial links from coverage
Supplement with Direct Outreach
Don't rely on wire services alone:
- Identify relevant journalists
- Pitch directly (before or alongside distribution)
- Provide value (exclusive angles, interviews, data)
- Build relationships for future coverage
Consider If Distribution Is Needed
For smaller announcements:
- Direct journalist outreach may be sufficient
- Social media distribution
- Email to industry contacts
- Company blog/newsroom
Wire distribution isn't always necessary.
Evaluating Press Release Services
Legitimate Services
Major wire services:
- PR Newswire
- Business Wire
- Globe Newswire
Appropriate for:
- Significant company news
- Investor relations
- Broad distribution need
Cost: £200-1,000+ depending on distribution
Services to Avoid
Link building focused:
- Emphasise SEO benefits
- Promise specific link counts
- Very low cost
- Target "high DA sites"
Red flags:
- Guaranteed links
- Focus on SEO metrics
- Suspiciously low pricing
- No journalist verification
Measuring Press Release Success
Wrong Metrics
Don't measure:
- Number of syndicated pickups
- Total links created
- Syndication site DAs
- Press release page rankings
Right Metrics
Do measure:
- Journalist coverage (actual articles)
- Quality of resulting coverage
- Editorial links from coverage
- Traffic from coverage
- Lead/sales from coverage
Success Definition
A successful press release:
- Generates genuine media coverage
- Results in editorial (not syndicated) links
- Drives relevant traffic
- Serves business communication goal
Summary
Press release links have limited SEO value in current environment:
What doesn't work:
- Syndicated links from distribution
- Link building through press releases
- Keyword-optimised anchor text
- Low-quality distribution services
What still works:
- Genuine news distribution
- Journalist discovery and pickup
- Editorial coverage that results
- Brand awareness support
Best approach:
- Use for legitimate business purpose
- Supplement with direct journalist outreach
- Focus on getting coverage, not links
- Measure editorial results, not syndication
Press releases remain a business communication tool. They're just not a link building tool anymore.