If you’ve been in the SEO game for a while, you’ve probably heard the phrase “press release link building” thrown around. Back in the early days of online marketing, press releases were seen as a quick way to gain visibility, build brand authority, and—most importantly—score valuable backlinks. But times have changed, and so has Google’s algorithm. The question now is: Is press release link building still worth it in today’s search landscape?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down what press release link building really is, how it works, its pros and cons, and whether it still holds any value in your SEO strategy. By the end, you’ll know if it’s worth your time, energy, and budget—or if you should consider other link building tactics.

Simply put, press release link building is the practice of distributing press releases in hopes that journalists, bloggers, or media outlets will cover your story and link back to your website. A press release is a short, compelling news story that you submit to press release distribution services or directly to journalists. The idea is that if your news is interesting, relevant, and well-structured, various websites will pick it up and publish it, often including a hyperlink pointing to your site.

Years ago, this tactic became popular because it was a relatively straightforward way to get backlinks. Companies would pump out press releases for product launches, company milestones, events, or even trivial updates. These releases were often picked up by syndicated networks and news aggregator sites, resulting in multiple inbound links. In theory, more links meant better search engine rankings.

In the early 2000s and through the early 2010s, press release link building was a legitimate, go-to strategy for many SEO professionals. Google’s algorithm was less sophisticated, and quantity of links often outweighed quality. Press release distribution platforms enabled businesses—big and small—to easily blast their content out to hundreds of sites, leading to a quick and scalable backlink-building method.

However, as Google’s algorithm evolved with updates like Penguin and Panda, the search engine started cracking down on low-quality link schemes. Suddenly, the bulk, low-quality links generated by generic press releases weren’t helping. In fact, they could even harm a site’s SEO if the links were deemed manipulative or unnatural.

This shift forced marketers to rethink press release link building. What was once a reliable (albeit sometimes spammy) approach became a potential liability.

Modern press release distribution isn’t as simple as just writing a quick announcement and hitting “send.” Here’s the current process most legitimate businesses follow:

  1. Identify Genuine News or Value:
    Before you even write a press release, you need a story worth telling. This could be a significant product launch, an industry report with original data, a notable partnership, or something else genuinely newsworthy.
  2. Craft a Compelling Press Release:
    Press releases should be concise, factual, and focused on a real piece of news. They usually follow a standard format—headline, subhead, dateline, lead paragraph, supporting body paragraphs, and a boilerplate about the company. Within this content, you might include one or two links to your brand’s website, typically the homepage or a relevant landing page.
  3. Use a Credible Distribution Service (If Applicable):
    There are reputable services like PR Newswire, Business Wire, and GlobeNewswire. These platforms can help distribute your release to legitimate media outlets. While these distributions often cost money, they have a more targeted reach and quality control than free or low-cost options.
  4. Outreach to Relevant Journalists and Bloggers:
    Instead of relying solely on distribution services, many companies also manually reach out to journalists who cover their industry. Personalized outreach can result in a journalist writing an original story, which often comes with a valuable backlink.
  5. Monitor Pickup and Coverage:
    After distribution, you’ll track which sites pick up the release. Major news outlets might rewrite your release or produce their own story. Niche industry publications might run it verbatim. Some of these publications will include a link back to you—others might not.

In a best-case scenario, you end up with a mix of backlinks from reputable news sites and niche industry blogs. In the worst case, you distribute a release and get only low-tier aggregator sites that republish press releases en masse, offering no real SEO benefit.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Press release link building, when done thoughtfully, can still have some upsides:

  1. Brand Visibility and Authority:
    Press releases can put your brand in front of a wider audience, including industry journalists, bloggers, and potential customers. Even if it doesn’t lead to an SEO windfall, the visibility itself can benefit brand awareness and credibility.
  2. Potential for High-Quality Backlinks:
    If your release gets picked up by authoritative media outlets, you can secure a valuable link. A single link from a respected publication might outweigh dozens from low-quality sources.
  3. Opportunities to Earn Natural Links:
    A genuinely newsworthy press release can spark conversations. If it gets covered, other sites might link back to the original story or your website, creating a more natural and diverse link profile.
  4. Multi-Channel Exposure:
    Press releases can be shared on social media, newsletters, and included in sales decks, giving your announcement exposure across various channels. While this is not directly an SEO benefit, more exposure can lead to better brand recognition, which indirectly affects your site’s trust signals.

There are certainly downsides to consider before investing time and money into press releases for SEO purposes:

  1. High Costs for Quality Distribution:
    Reputable press release distribution services can be expensive. Low-cost or free services often lead to low-quality placements that don’t move the needle for SEO.
  2. Many Outlets Use “NoFollow” Links:
    Even if your release is picked up, many authoritative sites will place a “nofollow” attribute on links. While “nofollow” links can still have branding value and sometimes indirect SEO benefits, they won’t offer the same direct ranking boost as a followed link.
  3. Risk of Being Seen as Manipulative:
    Google’s guidelines frown upon large-scale link-building tactics that provide no real user value. Overusing press releases just for links can make your brand appear spammy and might even lead to penalties if done excessively.
  4. Limited Long-Term Value:
    Press releases have a short shelf life. Most news aggregator sites cycle through releases quickly, and your link might not remain visible or valuable for long. This results in a lower return on investment compared to other link-building tactics that create lasting value—like guest posts on authoritative industry blogs or evergreen resource pages.

Are Press Releases Still an Effective SEO Strategy?

In today’s SEO environment—where Google’s algorithms increasingly prioritize content quality, relevancy, and authority—press release link building alone won’t skyrocket your rankings. If your primary goal is to secure high-quality, long-lasting backlinks that propel you up the SERPs, other strategies often deliver better results.

That said, press releases can still play a role in a well-rounded SEO strategy, particularly if:

  • You have genuinely newsworthy content that could attract media attention.
  • You’re willing to invest in reputable distribution channels.
  • You combine press releases with personalized journalist outreach.
  • You’re looking to increase brand recognition and not just build links.

In these scenarios, press releases act as a complementary strategy rather than the main event. They can help you gain exposure, credibility, and potentially a few solid backlinks—but they shouldn’t be your only tactic.

One of the key lessons modern SEO professionals have learned is that quality trumps quantity. The days of publishing flimsy press releases just to generate spammy links are over. Instead, effective SEO link building now leans toward creating truly valuable content that journalists, bloggers, and influencers want to cite.

Here are some strategies that have proven more effective than press release link building:

  1. Content Marketing and Linkable Assets:
    Publishing in-depth guides, original research, insightful infographics, and innovative tools attracts natural links over time. If your content is genuinely helpful, sites will want to link to it as a resource.
  2. Digital PR and Thought Leadership:
    Instead of pushing generic press releases, consider a more proactive approach. Pitch unique story ideas or thought leadership pieces to journalists. If you become a go-to expert source, you’ll earn coverage and links that carry more weight than a syndicated press release.
  3. Guest Posting on Industry Sites:
    Writing thoughtful guest articles for authoritative publications can yield high-quality backlinks and position you as a subject matter expert. These links often hold more sustained SEO value than a press release link.
  4. Resource Link Building and Outreach:
    Reach out to sites that maintain resource pages, tools lists, or roundup posts. If your content truly adds value, you can earn a natural link that lasts and drives consistent referral traffic.

Before you spend money on press releases, consider these factors:

  1. Is Your News Truly Newsworthy?
    Would anyone outside your organization care about this announcement? If the answer is no, a press release is unlikely to yield meaningful results. On the other hand, if you’re announcing a groundbreaking study, launching a major product that could change your industry, or sharing expert insights no one else has, it might be worth it.
  2. What Are Your Goals?
    If your goal is quick SEO wins, press releases may disappoint. If you’re aiming to build brand awareness, attract media coverage, or strengthen your online reputation, press releases might play a helpful, supportive role.
  3. Can You Afford Quality Distribution?
    If you’re considering press releases, it’s best not to go the cheapest route. Investing in a reputable distributor and taking the time to reach out to relevant journalists can drastically improve your chances of earning quality coverage and beneficial backlinks.
  4. Do You Have a Plan to Maximize Visibility?
    After sending out your press release, what’s next? Will you share it on social media, pitch journalists, or create supporting blog content? Press releases work best as part of a larger PR and marketing strategy, not as a one-off tactic.

How to Execute a Press Release Strategy That Works

If you decide to try press release link building, follow these best practices:

  1. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity:
    Put out press releases only when you have something genuinely newsworthy. This ensures that each release has the best chance to earn real media coverage and valuable links.
  2. Craft a Strong Headline and Engaging Lead:
    Journalists see countless releases daily. Make yours stand out with a clear, compelling headline and a lead paragraph that hooks the reader. A strong first impression can mean the difference between being ignored and being picked up.
  3. Include Multimedia Elements:
    Supporting your press release with high-quality images, infographics, or video can make it more appealing and shareable. Visual elements can help your story catch a journalist’s eye, increasing the chance of coverage.
  4. Offer Additional Value:
    Link to a dedicated landing page on your site with more information, data, or resources. The more valuable and unique the supporting materials, the more likely a journalist is to reference and link to them.
  5. Follow Up with Personalized Outreach:
    Don’t rely on the distribution service alone. Identify a shortlist of journalists or bloggers who would be genuinely interested in your news. Send them a personal note explaining why your story is relevant to their audience. This human touch can lead to more meaningful coverage and links.

Monitoring and Measuring Your Results

If you do run a press release campaign, you’ll want to measure its impact. Here’s what to track:

  • Backlinks Earned:
    Use SEO tools to see which domains are linking to you. Are they reputable? Do these links have staying power?
  • Brand Mentions and Coverage:
    Track brand mentions to see if your press release resulted in media coverage. Even if some mentions don’t include a backlink, they can still boost your brand authority and trust.
  • Referral Traffic:
    Did you get referral traffic from the pages that linked to you? While not every link leads to floods of traffic, even a modest stream of targeted visitors can be valuable.
  • Rankings Over Time:
    Monitor your keyword rankings before and after the press release. While a single release might not cause a big jump, a positive trend over time can indicate that your efforts are contributing to your overall SEO strategy.

Press release link building, once a mainstay of SEO, has lost much of its punch. It’s no longer a surefire way to quickly improve rankings and domain authority. But that doesn’t mean it’s completely worthless.

When done right—by focusing on genuinely newsworthy content, using reputable distribution channels, and integrating it into a broader outreach strategy—press releases can still help increase brand visibility, earn a few quality backlinks, and demonstrate your authority in an industry. However, they should not be the core of your link building approach.

For most businesses, investing in high-value content, building relationships with media and influencers, and focusing on quality guest posts or resource link building will provide a more dependable, long-term SEO boost. Press releases can serve as a supplemental tactic when you have something truly newsworthy to share.

In short, press release link building can still have some merit, but only as part of a well-rounded, modern SEO strategy. If your story is worth telling and you’re willing to do the work to get it picked up by reputable outlets, then press releases may be worth it. Otherwise, you’re better off exploring alternative methods that align more closely with current SEO best practices.