How to Effectively Use Press Releases for Link Building and SEO

The main purpose of press releases is to disseminate information to the public, and they are typically written in a journalistic style with a clear and concise message. So, at first, you might be taken aback at the possibility of press releases being used for effective link-building or to boost your overall SEO ranking.

However, by understanding how press releases work and how they are distributed, you, too, can turn your press releases from mere announcements into SEO assets for your business.

Benefits of Using Press Releases for Link Building

Using press releases for link building, you can gain more exposure, credibility, traffic, and backlinks to your website. But there are other ways in which press releases for link-building should be your priority. When it comes to SEO link-building, press releases help:

• Increase your brand’s visibility and awareness. Distributing press releases to various media outlets provides exposure to a wider audience, and you can potentially reach new customers or clients.
• Build relationships with journalists and bloggers. Through this, you gradually establish yourself as an authority in your industry and become more likely to earn more organic media coverage in the future.
• Generate high-quality backlinks, particularly when publishing press releases on reputable media platforms.

To determine how your backlinks perform, the dual tools of Backlink Checker and Backlink Monitor from Eye10 are great assistants for seeing real-time insights.

Rules for Using Press Releases to Build Links

When using press releases to build high-quality backlinks, what exactly should you watch out for, and what guidelines should you follow? Read on to find out.

1. Quality, not quantity

The first rule is to focus on quality rather than quantity. This means you should write high-quality press releases that offer interesting and up-to-date information to your audience. Your press releases should not be promotional or sales-y but informative and newsworthy.

Instead of engaging in manipulative practices such as link spamming or keyword stuffing, you should use SEO techniques to improve your writing, not as a purpose for your writing.

Remember that you are writing for actual people, not for search engines. Your press releases should provide value to your readers and encourage them to visit your website for more information.

2. Use Killer Headlines

Press releases contain information you want the audience to read right away, especially because they contain important information, such as new product launches, company announcements, industry insights, etc.

So, the headline, the first thing any prospective reader will see, must be catchy and compelling while still being professional. Some best practices for writing effective headlines are:

• Use numbers, questions, keywords, benefits, or emotions to spark interest and curiosity.
• Keep it short, clear, and concise.
• Use active voice and strong verbs.
• Avoid jargon, clichés, or hype.
• Include a call to action.

Following these principles, for instance, instead of writing a headline like “Company X Launches New Product,” you can write something like “How Company X’s New Product Can Save You Time and Money” or “Discover Company X’s New Product That Solves Your Biggest Problem.”

3. Avoid Spammy Practices

Never let the desperation for attention lead you to try out shortcuts that may cause your website to be penalized by search engines. These tactics can backfire and damage your SEO and reputation.

For instance, do not distribute your press releases to irrelevant or low-quality platforms. You might have to pay to get your press release on a reputable platform, but the result is worth the price according to your goal of link building.

Also, avoid overusing links or keywords in your press releases, as they can make them look spammy and harm your reputation and ranking. Google regularly penalizes websites that use unnatural or manipulative link-building tactics.

Rather, aim to distribute your press releases to reputable platforms with high domain authority and a relevant audience. As you do so, use the Eye10 Rank Checker tool to measure your search engine ranking after publishing your press release.

4. Nofollow links

You might wonder why you should use nofollow links in your press releases if they do not pass ranking juice to your website. For one, Google considers press releases as advertisements and expects you to use nofollow links so your website is not penalized for trying to manipulate the algorithm.

Does this mean that nofollow links are useless for SEO, though? Far from it. Nofollow links still benefit your website by:

• Driving traffic to your website from media platforms.
• Building trust and authority by getting you featured on reputable and authoritative websites.
• Increasing brand awareness and recognition by reaching a wider and more relevant audience.
• Generating social signals and engagement.

Nofollow links have one grand purpose—they get users to your website. Place your link in the right place and watch how your reach grows. Your audience won’t care if your link is a dofollow or nofollow. You can always determine if a link is nofollow or dofollow anyway through the Eye10 On-Page SEO tool.

5. Timing and Frequency

Creating a well-written and optimized press release is only half the battle. To maximize the benefits of press releases for link building, it is important to distribute them effectively.

Timing is key when it comes to distributing your press release. You want to ensure that it is distributed when it will have the most impact, such as right before a major event or product launch.

It is also important to consider the frequency of distribution. While it can be tempting to distribute multiple press releases in a short period, it is important to space them out to avoid overwhelming your audience. If you want to publish frequently to build links, start guest posting instead.

Conclusion

Press releases offer a valuable link-building opportunity by generating high-quality backlinks and increasing visibility and brand awareness. To maximize the benefits of press releases, it is important to follow best practices when creating them and distribute them effectively to a targeted audience.

Since you are using press releases for link-building, you also need SEO tools, particularly link-building tools from Eye10 SEO. A trial subscription costs only $3, and you can start experiencing a difference in your results. Join the list of SEO beginners and leaders enhancing their SEO by signing up here.