Press Release SEO: What You Need to Know To Rank On Google
Introduction
In the era of digital marketing today, press releases aren’t simply a tool to inform the media, they are also an important SEO asset.
Press release SEO is the act of optimizing your press releases such that they can be found by search engines and will deliver ongoing value to your business online.
Written properly, a well-optimized press release can allow your business to increase its online presence, gain high quality backlinks, and build authority with search engines and your users.
This post will delve into how to transform a standard press release into an SEO game-changer as part of your overall marketing strategy.
What Is Press Release SEO?
Press release SEO is all about structuring your press release content in a manner that search engines can easily index and rank it for relevant keywords. This includes headlines, body content, links, metadata and distribution channels that make search work best for you.
Regular press releases are typically written for journalists and media sources and can be intended for print or email distribution.
On the other hand, optimized press releases are those you write for the Internet, with search terms, clickable links, and multimedia that increases the likelihood that they will show up in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
How Does SEO Turn Press Releases Into Digital Marketing Assets? With all the right SEO elements in place.
Press Releases Still Have Value for SEO
While digital marketing has evolved, media releases are still an effective way to create visibility and credibility online for search engine optimization purposes.
Although they are first and foremost a means of communicating some news or piece of information, it is possible to greatly enhance your SEO by writing and issuing press releases in the right manner and with the right distribution.
Valuable press releases contain the following:
- Authority and trust from news sources: When proven new sources or high-quality news sites publish your press release or distribute them we send positive authority signals to search engines. These high authority domain mentions/citations can boost the trustworthiness of your brand in the eyes of Google.
- Possibility of high-quality backlinks: This is one of the best reasons to create an SEO-optimized press release. Journalists, bloggers and industry influencers may all reference your site when mentioning your press release – especially if it includes original data, quotes or other significant announcements. These backlinks elevate your domain authority and up to the rankings of your entire search query.
- Keyword-Rich Brand Mentions: With press releases you can strategically pepper in keywords associated with your brand, services, and industry. The more these keywords appear in Google-indexed and ranked content, the more it builds the relevance and the visibility of those keywords for your website—especially branded and long-tail terms.
Doing Keyword Research for press releases
Before you start to write your press release, keywords research is one of the most crucial steps. Selecting the appropriate keywords will help your press release be found through search engines.
It also serves to anchor your content within broader SEO strategies, so that every release is a strategic opportunity to garner visibility.
How to discover keywords for your press release:
Begin by identifying the main topic of information you are looking to promote, whether that be a new product launch, an event, a company milestone, etc.
Then, brainstorm words and phrases that your audience might type into a search engine related to that topic. Try to use a combination of brand, informational and long-tail keywords that can flow with your message.
Tools needed (e.g., Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest):
You can use some free and paid tools that will simplify your research. Google Keyword Planner provides accurate information regarding search volume and trends, and Ubersuggest offers keyword suggestions and difficulty ratings as well as insights into your competition incurred. Other useful tools to see questions people are asking about your topic include Ahrefs, SEMrush, and AnswerThePublic.
Why is the relevance of keywords significant:
It’s not that you just throw in keywords — you have to make sure those keywords are relevant to the press release you are performing. This cannot be over-stated. Think from the end and write with the intention of providing value to the people reading your press release.
On-Page SEO Tips when Publishing Press Releases
Crafting and structuring the press release is crucial in order to ensure the release ranks on the search engine results page and that it remains appealing to the readers.
Here are some useful on-page SEO techniques to ensure your press release gets maximum exposure online.
An Optimized Headline
Use of the primary keyword. The headline must contain the keyword or key phrase you are targeting to inform the search engine what the release is about.
However, it must also strive to form a true statement. Instead of just saying “Big News from Our Company,” try to think of fun ways to craft the headline. For example, XYZ Company Launches AI-Powered Platform for Real-Time Data Analytics ”.
Write for the search engine and journalism
A headline in a press release must be newsworthy enough to attract editors, but it also needs to be concise and communicate as much information possible in a few words while placing the keyword naturally as much as possible.
Don’t Forget to Structure the Release
The lead paragraph should have the keyword and a good summary. The introduction plays a significant role for both the readers and search engines.
Ensure that the opening paragraph quickly summarizes the main idea and contains the main keyword in the first 1-2 sentences.
Subheading headings and bullet points
Breaking up content with descriptive subheadings including as many secondary keywords as possible is also recommended.
Use bullet points or numerical lists to make a big point succinctly and give them the chance to grasp complex information. By doing this, complex information can be communicated in a way that is easier to share with journalists who are often buried in multiple press releases.
Include quotes, statistics, and multimedia
Do not forget to add expert or analyst quotes and data, plus any visuals like charts or graphics. Including a quote will improve the release and help ensure that the journalist gets to add context from a third party.
Linking Back
Be sure to include a link to your homepage, the blog page, or a product page.
Link to other websites is also essential to improve authoritativeness. Citing the source is respected as readers know that the source is used to research and enhance the correct sources..
SEO Impact of Distribution Tips
A beautifully crafted and optimized press release won’t contribute to results if it’s not distributed in the best manner possible. You’ll also want to find distribution channels that not only get your release in front of your target audience, but that also improve search visibility.
Here are some key tactics for ensuring that you’re getting the most SEO value out of your press release distribution.
- Use wire services (such as PR Newswire, Business Wire): Professional wire services send your press release to the masses, including news organizations, journalists, news aggregators and many others. More general services like PR Newswire and Business Wire are similar in quality but distribution goes out to all of their syndicates which can be tens of thousands of sites. This can result in strong backlinks, increased brand exposure, and will get your release listed on Google News.
- Pitching to niche or local media: In addition to the wire services, be sure to send your release to trade publications or local news outlets. These sites also tend to be more open to relevant, specific content, and can also help you earn backlinks in your field—both of which will enhance your site’s topical authority and local SEO standing.
- Republishing on your blog and Google Business Profile: Always republish the full press release or a summary on your company blog so that it lives on your domain. This is good for SEO and allows you to control the message. On top of that, you can post important updates to your Google Business Profile’s “Updates” section to increase your visibility on local search results and display breaking news directly in the business listing.
How to avoid the top press release SEO mistakes
Although press release SEO can garner great results, there are plenty of traps you can fall into that will sabotage your efforts — or worse — even harm the search engine rank of your website.
By sidestepping these mistakes, you can make sure your press release is not only search-friendly, but also truly worthwhile for your readers.
Abuse of keywords (keyword stuffing)
One of the most common SEO mistakes is to site one’s press release so full of keywords that it has become almost unreadable. Not only does this make your content long to read, it can also incur search engine penalties. Instead, aim to use your main keyword fluidly and judiciously in the headline, lead paragraph, and one or two sub-headings.
Thin content that’s not newsworthy
A press release should have an actual news angle, like a product launch, company milestone or strategic partnership. Posting a bunch of vague or irrelevant content that isn’t news-worthy will set you up with low (or no) engagement, low traction, and an overall bad impression on journalists and search engines. Ensure the press release is full of useful, relevant information and structured so that it will be of interest to a journalist.
Spammy/irrelevant sites linked out to
Sure, you can include outbound links in a press release (if done properly it can even have some benefit). But backlinks to low-quality, irrelevant or spammy sites can do more harm than good for your reputation and your search engine performance. Always make sure your outbound links are to good relevant sources that reinforce your message and improve the reader’s comprehension of your announcement.
Monitoring PR SEO Performance
Performing a press release is only half the battle here; it’s also extremely important to track the success of your release to be able to gauge the impact and to make improvements for the next one.
You’ll want to monitor important SEO metrics to learn how successful your release was in search engines, and how much traffic it brought in, as well as if it was effective in improving brand authority and visibility.
- Traffic and backlinks measuring tools (Google Analytics, Ahrefs):
Begin by employing Google Analytics to monitor referral traffic from press release distribution sites and backlinks. Look for sudden spikes in your traffic and the flow of behavior and engagement metrics such as: bounce rate, and time on page. Apps such as Ahrefs, SEMrush or Majestic will tell you how many backlinks your press release got and from which domains — a critical element for SEO. - Branded vs unbranded keyword rank-check:
See what your keyword ranking result is a few days before sending out your press and then check it again a few days after. Pay attention to both branded terms (such as company name or product) and non-branded terms that were deliberately employed in the release. Improvements in ranking in either of these may suggest a gain in visibility and search relevance. - Fine-tune future releases based on engagement and reach:
Take what you learn to tailor your next press release. If certain formats, subjects, or keyword tactics generated increased traffic or media pickups, aim to replicate those patterns. Also, find an example of a release that didn’t perform, and see if the problem was bad keyword targeting, obscure titles or inadequate distribution. SEO is a long game and there is always room for improvement.
Conclusion
By working SEO into your press release, you expand your release’s distribution beyond traditional media and you create content that lasts, which helps you achieve your greater marketing goals.
If you are writing keyword-rich headlines, distributing via high-authority channels, and measuring the results, each step has a part to play in the success of your SEO. Done well, press release SEO will not only improve your rankings, but it will also make the organization look more reputable and authoritative in your industry.
So, are you ready to put a little more into your next announcement? Begin now with pressing your press release for search — or tap Be Found on the Web for writing and distributing your next press release.