How Useful are Press Releases for SEO Today?

[Hawker]

It' been a long time since I've used press release sites to build awareness of my site/product.

I used to use them quite a lot about 5 years ago and they had interesting results.

But obviously a lot has changed since then with all the updates.

So I'm just wondering how "effective" or "useful" they are from an SEO perspective.

Do you still make use of press releases and see good result from them by way of any ranking boost from using them?

I've got a list of around 100 free press release sites. So I'm going to give them a bash anyway regardless.

I'm just fishing for feedback from anyone that still uses them or uses them today and asking if you've noticed any improved SERP rank from doing so?

 

[SEOPub]

I would not bother with a list of "100 free press release sites". They are likely just spammed with total junk by wannabe IM'ers.

If you are going to do a press release, do it right and do it with a reputable outfit like PRWeb.

They are effective, but not as an article dump. They are effective if you actually have something useful to write a press release about.

They are especially useful in reputation management type projects where you can often get them ranking themselves.

How useful they are for ranking a specific site... it really depends on how widely the press release is picked up, which again is why you only want to do it if you actually have something newsworthy to say.

 

[Hawker]

What are you trying to say then that I don't have a newsworthy story to release a press release about? lol just joshing.

Yeah that's pretty much what I was thinking. A lot has changed in 5 years!

PRWeb used to have a free service but these days even their basic package costs $99 and can't include social links etc.

I really wish I'd have started a PR service back then they had the right idea at the right time and its paying off now.

I did used to see some interesting results using them, a lot of them, used to rank high on their own and send me organic traffic.

The good thing about them is that for some niches they are very underused, underrated and overlooked.

So you can use that to your advantage. Like you said, as you know, they rank high on their own.

The downside is that's only in news searches not on the 1st page results.

I still think if done right, it could have some benefit from an SEO/TF/CF perspective, even if using free pr sites, but I'm an optimist!

 

[SEOPub]

Just remember those free press release sites are spammed to death by dirt cheap want to be SEO's, and I think we have all seen the quality of work they provide.

I would bet most reputable news outlets don't even look at those releases at this point.

If you go with PRWeb, use their package that is around $300. Might be $299. I forget right now.

 

[Hawker]

Press Releases is one of the most important way to improve your site health....

Sorry Lisa, but could you explain what you mean by "site health" and how Press Releases improve your "site health"?

Thanks.

 

[Miguelito203]

I still occasionally see them getting ranked in the SERPs, but everyone I know says that you pretty much have to use the paid ones to get good results. I've never actually done it myself, though.

Joey

 

[emilywhite]

Yes, Press Release is helpful for SEO. If you get backlinks from high authority and popular Press Release then it will be more beneficial for your website. Google has significantly downgraded the authoritative power of links from press releases.

 

[Web Marketing Tool]

Just to add my 2 cents since a few minutes ago I just posted a list of 175 free PR sites in the other thread.

Most PR sites are just sites loaded with spam of a slightly higher quality than blog or forum spam. There is very, very, very little benefit in submitting to them and not worth the time. There are a couple dozen decent ones out there that are worth posting to. And for sure using PRWeb's paid service is worth it if you have the budget for it. If not, pick the best sites and submit to them.

Unfortunately the list I sent in the other post I put some of the better ones at top that I had someone submit for me, but the half dozen best ones I think I submitted myself and didn't put on the list. But the best ones aren't hard to find and if you already submitted around a hundred I'm sure you got them.

I have seen success in the past couple of years from PR articles, but just from a few sites, and not a big response, just clicks here and there.

 

[rfharris]

Most press release websites provide nofollow backlink so it doesn't make much contribution but a press release can really help you to get great exposure so you should not care much about its effectiveness on SEO because it may stop you to work on your press release and distribute it, it may not be very effective for SEO but it is certainly very effective to spread the word about your product/service/website.

 

[WebmasterPhil]

I don't think it can hurt your SEO but of course, the days of easy tricks are over with. Getting backlinks from press releases can be still beneficial because the search engines will always see diversification of links as most natural. Also, press releases help spread the word of your product / service and if anyone picks it up, it can still go viral on social media.. so there might be a indirect effect in there somewhere.

 

[BarbaraRogers]

Press releases are still useful for SEO as they can help improve your website's organic search visibility. When released to the general public, press releases often include backlinks to your website which can help increase your link popularity and improve your search engine rankings. In addition, press releases that are picked up by news media outlets can also help raise awareness of your brand and generate traffic to your website.

However, it is important to note that not all press releases will be announcing groundbreaking newsworthy information - in most cases, you will likely just be sharing company updates or blog posts. As such, don't expect a huge boost in traffic or rankings from every press release that is sent out. Recall that quality trumps quantity when it comes.

 

[garesasa]

Press releases was useful before few Years more then today.

 

[Daniel@30]

Press releases can still be a valuable SEO tool, but their impact on search engine rankings has diminished in recent years due to changes in search engine algorithms and the prevalence of low-quality and spammy press release sites. While press releases can provide a way to distribute news and announcements to a wide audience, earning high-quality backlinks and improving domain authority, it's essential to focus on creating high-quality and newsworthy content, distributing them through reputable channels, and building relationships with journalists and media outlets.

 

[Marc van Leeuwen]

In my experience, press releases can still be a valuable tool for SEO, especially when used in conjunction with other SEO strategies. I have seen positive results from using press releases, including improved SERP rankings and increased website traffic.

However, it is important to note that press releases are not a magic bullet. They will not guarantee you instant success. It takes time and effort to see results from using press releases.

If you are willing to put in the work, press releases can be a valuable tool for your SEO efforts. Just be sure to use them strategically and track your results to see if they are working for you.

 

[wilsonjames]

In my experience, integrating press releases into your SEO strategy can be beneficial. I have witnessed positive outcomes, such as increasing website traffic and improving ranking on SERPs. But, it is important to understand that press releases are not a quick fix. They require time and consistent effort to produce results. Press releases can be a valuable asset in your SEO efforts. It is crucial to use them strategically.