TL;DR: The SEO value of press releases is indirect but vital. A press release should not be thought of as a ranking tactic; it is a formal record of news. When announcements are written solely to chase link acquisition, they tend to fail. When they communicate legitimate, timely news, they support brand authority and earned coverage that Large Language Models (LLMs) value and that Google Search uses to assess expertise and trustworthiness through its concept of E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).
The Strategic Function of a Press Release
A press release exists to communicate verified information to journalists and the public in a clear, predictable format. That purpose has remained largely unchanged for more than a century. Journalists still rely on press releases for facts, timelines, quotes, and attribution. Search systems continue to treat them as structured records of real events.
This topic is one of my favorites because writing news posts and press releases is part of my role at JumpFly. Every release I write starts with the same question: Does this actually deserve public attention? If the answer is no, no amount of formatting, distribution, or optimization will turn it into something valuable or make it useful to searchers.
How Press Releases Lost Their SEO Reputation
Press releases became a problem for search engine optimization (SEO) when they were treated as a shortcut to rankings. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, companies flooded wire services with thin, keyword-heavy announcements designed to build backlinks rather than communicate news. For a time, search engines rewarded these efforts with rankings, which made the tactic appealing and widely adopted.
Search engines eventually shut that approach down by ignoring or discounting links inside distributed releases. What remained was a format that only worked when the announcement itself had merit. Press releases did not lose their value; the misuse of them did.
Garbage News In, Garbage Value Out
This principle applies especially well to press releases. When an announcement is not newsworthy, it goes nowhere. Journalists do not cover it, publications do not reference it, and search and AI systems have no reason to surface it as a trusted source. The release exists, but it creates no momentum.
A press release cannot manufacture interest. It can only carry interest that already exists. When the news is weak, the outcome is always the same. Garbage news in, garbage value out.
How Press Releases Support SEO and AI Discovery
Modern press release value is indirect. Search engines no longer evaluate press releases based on keyword usage or embedded links. They evaluate what happens after publication. When authoritative sites reference an announcement either by linking to it directly or by spreading the news it carries without citing the release directly, those signals matter far more than anything contained in the original copy.
LLMs, AI Overviews, and search in general prioritize information gain, looking for new or unique data or information that has not been widely published elsewhere. A well-written release provides this raw data. Factual, straightforward releases are easier for journalists to use and easier for machines to interpret accurately. A press release supports visibility because it is useful, not because it is optimized.
Writing for Impact and Authority
Press releases that support SEO are focused and disciplined. They communicate one clear announcement, explain why it matters, and avoid marketing language.
A strong press release consistently follows a few core principles:
- The opening paragraph answers the essential questions immediately;
- Quotes add context rather than praise;
- Links are limited to genuinely helpful resources.
Distribution also requires judgment. Targeted outreach to relevant publications consistently outperforms mass syndication. A few meaningful mentions in authoritative sources can carry more value than dozens of low-quality press release reposts, especially if those mentions come from industry-focused bloggers, influencers, relevant trade journals, or news outlets related to the brand’s niche.
How to Measure Press Release Success
Press release success is measured by what happens after publication, not by how widely the release itself was syndicated. Meaningful indicators include referral traffic from coverage sources, the quality and relevance of media mentions, growth in announcement-focused or branded-keyword clicks in Google Search Console, and follow-on engagement such as inquiries, newsletter sign-ups, content consumption, or leads, quotes, or sales. A press release that is copied everywhere but referenced nowhere has not succeeded.
The Bottom Line: Real News Is the Strategy
Press releases are not obsolete, but SEO shortcuts are. When announcements exist only to check a box or chase organic search rankings, the outcome is predictable because garbage news produces garbage value. When the news is legitimate and the writing is restrained, press releases still earn attention, coverage, and long-term visibility. That distinction matters far more than any optimization tactic ever will.
Frequently Asked Questions About Press Releases
Do press releases still have SEO value?
Yes, but their value is indirectly related. Press releases do not directly improve rankings. They support SEO by enabling earned coverage, brand mentions, and trusted citations when the news has real value.
What makes a press release newsworthy?
A press release is newsworthy when it communicates new information that has external relevance, whether that is a product launch, leadership change, financial update, or regulatory disclosure. Internal changes become newsworthy when they impact customers, partners, investors, or market perception.
Can weak press releases hurt performance?
Press releases do not harm organic rankings on their own. However, consistently publishing low-value content (including weak press releases) can reduce credibility with journalists.
