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Boost Your Website’s SEO with Press Releases: The Data-Backed Approach

By Clint Sanchez · Published · Updated · 5 min read

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Quick answer

Press releases help SEO in two ways: they increase visibility when newspapers, websites, blogs, and social accounts pick up the announcement, and they generate backlinks, which Google treats as a major ranking factor. A study by Fractl and Moz found press releases can lift search rankings by an average of 14.3%, with the biggest effect for small businesses. Releases must be strategic, not keyword-stuffed or low quality, or they can hurt rankings.

Key takeaways

  • Press releases are announcements sent to journalists, bloggers, and media outlets about product launches, awards, new hires, and other news.
  • The more outlets that pick up a release, the more visibility the business gets, which can lead to higher rankings.
  • Backlinks earned from press coverage are one of the biggest SEO benefits of a release.
  • According to a Fractl and Moz study, press releases can increase search rankings by an average of 14.3%.
  • Moz's analysis of Roman Originals found 17.5K press mentions produced a 420% jump in US organic traffic and a 560% rise in global sales within 24 hours.
  • Keyword-stuffed or low-quality releases can hurt rankings, so follow Google's link-building guidelines.
  • Results usually appear within a few weeks of distribution, depending on the news and the outlets.

In the Baton Rouge market a press release still reaches The Advocate, the Livingston Parish News, WAFB, and the chamber newsletters, and every one of those is a domain Google trusts more than a directory listing. A Denham Springs business announcing a new location, a hurricane relief effort, or a hire gets a link most competitors never earn.

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As a website owner, you know how important it is to rank high in search engine results. Higher rankings translate to more traffic, leads, and, ultimately, more business. But did you know that press releases can be a powerful tool for boosting your website’s SEO? 

In this post, we’ll explore how press releases can help improve your website’s search rankings and provide data-backed evidence to prove it.

What Are Press Releases?

Before getting into press releases’ benefits, let’s first define what they are. Press releases are announcements sent to journalists, bloggers, and other media outlets to share news about your business. These announcements can cover various topics, including product launches, awards, new hires, and more.

How Do Press Releases Help SEO?

What press coverage does for SEO: a 14.3 percent average increase in search rankings, and 17,500 press mentions that produced a 420 percent jump in US organic traffic, with what works and what backfires
Sources: Fractl and Moz study; Moz analysis of Roman Originals.

Now that we know what press releases are let’s explore how they can help improve your website’s search rankings. Here are a few ways press releases can boost your SEO:

  1. Increased Visibility: When distributing a press release, it can be picked up by various media outlets. This can include newspapers, websites, blogs, and social media accounts. The more outlets that pick up your press release, the more visibility your business will receive, which can ultimately lead to higher search rankings.
  2. Backlinks: One of the most significant benefits of press releases is that they can generate backlinks to your website. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. Google considers backlinks to be a critical factor in determining search rankings. When you distribute a press release, it’s common for other websites to link back to your site, which can help improve your search rankings.

The Data-Backed Approach

Now that we’ve discussed how press releases can help your website’s SEO, let’s look at some data to prove it. A recent study by Fractl and Moz found that press releases can significantly impact search rankings. Here are a few key findings from the study:

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  1. Press releases can increase search rankings by an average of 14.3%.
  2. The impact of press releases on search rankings is most significant for small businesses.
  3. Press releases can generate an average of as much as a 2.3% increase in new backlinks.

Let me explain #3

According to a Moz analysis, Roman Originals experienced a massive boost in their SEO efforts. An increase of 17.5K press mentions resulted in a staggering 420% surge in organic traffic from the US. Furthermore, the brand received a remarkable 2.3K% increase in new backlinks. 

The impact of this surge in exposure was evident, with global sales increasing by a remarkable 560% within just 24 hours of the story going viral. These statistics illustrate how powerful press releases can boost your website’s search rankings and drive business growth.

These findings demonstrate that press releases can be a valuable tool in improving your website’s search rankings.

Conclusion

Press releases can be an effective strategy if you’re looking to boost your website’s SEO. By increasing visibility and generating backlinks, press releases can help improve your search rankings and ultimately drive more business. 

The data shows that press releases can significantly impact search rankings, especially for small businesses. So why not try it and see how press releases can benefit your business?

At BlakSheep Creative, we understand the importance of SEO for your website’s success. If you want to boost your search rankings and drive more business, consider incorporating press releases into your digital marketing strategy. 

Our team of experts can help you craft compelling press releases and distribute them to a wide range of media outlets, maximizing visibility and generating valuable backlinks. Contact us today to learn how we can help take your SEO to the next level.

Press releases are announcements sent to journalists, bloggers, and media outlets about product launches, awards, new hires, and other news.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions our customers often ask regarding press releases and SEO.

Get Started With Press Releases

Don’t wait any longer to incorporate press releases into your SEO strategy. 

The data is clear: press releases can significantly impact your search rankings and ultimately drive more business to your website. Press releases can be valuable if you’re a small business looking to increase visibility or a larger organization seeking to improve your link profile. 

At BlakSheep Creative, we’re here to help you get started. Contact us today or visit our press release writing and distribution services page to learn more about our press release services and how we can help you boost your SEO and achieve your business goals.

Wondering if your SEO is actually getting traction, or where to focus next? Let’s diagnose it in a 15-minute Discovery Call.

About the author

Clint Sanchez, founder of BlakSheep Creative

Clint Sanchez

Founder & Lead Developer · Denham Springs, LA

Clint has built and marketed websites for 26 years, since founding BlakSheep Creative in 2000. He is also a 29-year firefighter and a 23-year member of IAFF Local 557, which is where the bias toward plain answers over sales copy comes from.

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Common questions about digital marketing

What kind of news is worth a press release?
Product launches, awards, new hires, expansions, and events are the standard topics. The test is if a journalist or blogger would find it newsworthy for their audience. Announcements with no real news get ignored, which wastes the distribution fee and earns none of the visibility or backlinks.
How do backlinks from press releases affect rankings?
Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to yours, and Google treats them as an important ranking signal. When outlets that cover your release link back to your site, those links add authority. The Roman Originals case in the post showed a 2.3K% increase in new backlinks after a viral story.
Which press release distribution services should I use?
PR Newswire, Business Wire, and PRWeb are the services the post names. Each pushes the release to a wide range of media outlets. Distribution alone does not guarantee pickup, so the release itself still needs a strong headline, a clear summary, quotes or statistics, and a link to your site.
How long until a press release affects search rankings?
It varies with the news, the quality of the content, and the channels used, but some impact on rankings usually shows within a few weeks of distribution. Track results after each release and adjust the approach to improve the return on the next one.
Can a press release hurt SEO?
Yes, if it is keyword-stuffed, low quality, or used purely to manufacture links. Google's guidelines on link building treat manipulative tactics as spam. Write releases for readers, keep the links natural, and treat each one as news rather than as an SEO trick.
What should every press release include?
A catchy headline, a summary of the news, supporting details such as quotes, statistics, or other relevant facts, a link back to your website, and any relevant images or multimedia. Keep it short and factual so journalists can lift what they need without rewriting it.

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