Skip to content
Gravity Search Marketing
  • Why Gravity
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Should I Pay for a Press Release Distribution Service?

  • April 22, 2015September 17, 2017
  • by Gradiva Couzin

Q: We’re thinking about putting out some press releases for our B2B using a wire service. What is your view from an SEO perspective on this approach?

A: Press release distribution has become much less effective as an SEO tactic in recent years, but in some cases press releases can still be helpful for SEO. Google tends to devalue links coming from press release sites, and has discouraged the creation of low quality/spammy press releases that have been overused by marketers in past years. However, there are some cases where a press release is great for SEO: If the information being distributed is truly newsworthy, the online commentary and links resulting from that interest can help your site’s ranks. Additionally, in some cases a press release can display in Google News results, which can feed interest and drive traffic to your site. A press release may also provide a short-term band-aid for a reputation issue in search results.

We don’t recommend spending a lot of money on frequent press release distribution in the absence of frequent newsworthy announcements. We do encourage our clients to engage in thoughtful PR efforts, because good PR often results in exposure that improves brand awareness, increases brand mentions, and increases links to your website, all of which can have a positive impact on SEO. Press releases don’t generally have this effect, but there are some exceptions as mentioned above.

I’m not convinced that having wire distribution is worth the money if you don’t have a talented PR or social media professional putting the tool to good use.

Generally the PR efforts that are good for SEO involve a good bit of time, ongoing contact with a network of influencers, and having a knack for identifying or manufacturing newsworthy items. These efforts, when successful, can result in things that are great for SEO, like an article featuring an interview with a company’s CEO, influential bloggers writing about your company and others sharing/discussing the story, or even offline events like charity activities or conferences that generate discussion and mentions online. In this way, there is a lot of overlap between PR and social media outreach.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Our Favorite Spider Emulators for SEO (2015)
What’s The Fastest Way to Remove Our Site From Google?
1 COMMENT
  • Improve Your World: America's top 100 Christian leaders - DuoParadigms Public Relations & Design, Inc.
    April 30, 2015 at 1:51 am

    […] Should I Pay for a Press Release Distribution Service? This is a question everyone should ask before promoting a press release. […]

Comments are closed.

Who We Are
Gravity Search Marketing was formed in 2006 as a partnership between Jennifer Grappone and Gradiva Couzin. Gravity’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, global entertainment brands, niche B2Bs, large and small retailers, and non-profits.
As SEO industry veterans, Couzin and Grappone co-wrote Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day (Wiley, 2006, 2008, 2011) and Five Stars: Putting Online Reviews to Work for Your Business (Wiley, 2014), and enjoy sharing their expertise in speaking engagements and press interviews. 
Gravity's small, talented team has expertise in analytics, paid search, social media and technical SEO. Gravity team members are located throughout California, in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Get in Touch

Get An Effective SEO Strategy

Most of our business comes through word of mouth from happy customers. We work with clients who have what it takes to make the project a success: intelligence, openness to new ideas, a commitment to communicating with us regularly, and a workflow that allows us to work with you effectively.

Contact Us
  • Home
  • Why Gravity is Different
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Books We’ve Written
  • Contact Us

Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)

Gravity is an SBA-Certified WOSB

NAICS Codes:

  • 541613 Marketing Consulting Services
  • 541810 Advertising Agencies
  • 541820 Public relations agencies
  • 541990 Other Professional Services
  • 611430 Professional and Management Training
Gravity Search Marketing LLC - A Full-Service SEO Company
Los Angeles • San Francisco
Copyright © 2020 All Rights Reserved
Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress