Do Press Releases Build Backlinks? What Actually Helps Your SEO

Many businesses buy press release distribution hoping for backlinks. So, do press releases build backlinks that help SEO? Mostly not directly. But used properly, they can lead to the kind of coverage that does. Here's what actually happens.

This guide is part of our authority link building series.

What happens when you distribute a release

1. The wire sends it to newsrooms and partner sites.
2. Many sites republish it automatically.
3. Those republished copies usually carry nofollow links, and are often on pages few people visit.
4. A small number of journalists may use it as the basis for an original story.

The republished copies add little SEO value. The original stories are what matter.

Google's view

Google's guidance on link schemes has long listed links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites as an example of unnatural links. In practice, this means keyword-stuffed anchors in releases are pointless at best and risky at worst.

How press releases do help SEO

• Original coverage: journalists who write their own stories often link to the source (digital PR)
• Branded search: news drives people to search your name
• Entity signals: consistent news mentions reinforce who you are (entity SEO)
• Newsroom content: releases on your own site add fresh, indexable content
• Credibility: coverage reassures investors, partners and customers (what investors find)

Writing releases that earn links

1. Have real news: a launch, funding, data, partnership, milestone
2. Include something linkable: data, a tool, a report, images, a detailed page
3. Link to one strong page with the full story, using your brand name or page title as anchor text
4. Pitch directly to relevant journalists, not just the wire (wire vs. direct pitching)
5. Offer an interview

See how to write a press release journalists open.

A smarter release workflow

Step	Action
1	Publish the full story and assets on your newsroom or research page
2	Pitch priority journalists with an exclusive or early access
3	Distribute via wire if the news warrants broad reach
4	Share on LinkedIn and social (LinkedIn for founders)
5	Track coverage; request links where coverage mentions you without one (unlinked mentions)
6	Add coverage to your press page

What to avoid

• Keyword-stuffed anchor text
• Releases with no real news, just to get links
• Paying for "guaranteed placement" on low-quality sites as an SEO tactic

The bottom line

Treat press releases as a PR and communication tool, not a link building shortcut. When the news is real and the outreach is personal, the links follow. Press releases are part of the media layer in our Authority Stack.