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When it comes to online visibility, one question comes up again and again: do press releases help SEO? The short answer is yes. Press releases are not a quick fix or a secret hack for rankings. When written with news value and distributed through trusted channels, they strengthen a brand’s authority, visibility, and digital footprint.
In this article, we’ll explore why press releases matter for SEO, how they contribute to search visibility, what the truth about backlinks really is, and how they play a role in the era of AI-powered search.
Why Press Releases Matter for Online Visibility
The core purpose of a press release has always been communication. Brands use them to announce product launches, corporate updates, partnerships, or milestones. But in today’s digital ecosystem, a press release is more than just a tool for journalists. It is also a gateway to online visibility.
Here’s why:
Press releases are published by trusted media outlets that search engines crawl frequently.
They put your brand name in front of readers, journalists, and industry influencers.
They leave a digital trace with brand mentions, citations, and coverage that last beyond the initial news cycle.
All of these factors matter to search engines. They look at authority, trust, and engagement signals when ranking websites. And this is exactly where press releases add value.
How Press Releases Contribute to SEO
Press releases don’t work the same way as traditional SEO tactics like keyword optimization or link building campaigns. Their contribution is indirect but powerful. Let’s break down the key benefits:
Brand mentions improve authority
Even if there is no direct hyperlink, search engines recognize mentions of your brand on authoritative news sites. These signals contribute to E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which Google uses to evaluate quality.
Referral traffic from media coverage
When your release appears on major news platforms, readers often click through to learn more. This referral traffic not only brings potential customers but also sends user engagement signals to search engines.
Faster indexing of new content
News websites are among the fastest-crawled domains. When your announcement appears there, search engines discover and index your brand updates more quickly.
Growth in branded searches
Media exposure naturally increases curiosity. More people search for your company name, product, or campaign. A rise in branded search volume is one of the strongest trust signals in SEO.
Potential for organic backlinks
The most valuable SEO outcome is when journalists or bloggers write their own story based on your release and link back to your website. These organic backlinks are natural, relevant, and authoritative.
The Truth About Backlinks in Press Releases
There is a lot of confusion around press releases and backlinks. Let’s clear it up.
Press releases are not designed to carry “follow” backlinks. Adding such links would turn them into paid advertisements rather than editorial content. The true SEO value comes when journalists pick up your story and link back to your site naturally.
In other words, the press release itself is not a backlink scheme. Its role is to create awareness, generate authentic coverage, and open the door to organic links that search engines value far more.
Do Press Releases Improve Search Rankings?
Press releases on their own will not magically push your site to page one. That era ended years ago when Google cracked down on manipulative link schemes.
But here’s the reality:
Visibility in news outlets leads to referral traffic.
Brand mentions across trusted sites strengthen authority.
Natural backlinks provide ranking power.
Increased branded search builds trust signals.
Put together, these elements contribute to better search performance over time. Press releases are not a replacement for SEO. They are a complementary asset that amplifies your overall strategy.
Press Releases and the Future of Search
The landscape of search is changing fast. People don’t just rely on traditional Google results anymore. Increasingly, they are using AI-powered search experiences that deliver instant summaries instead of long lists of links.
The most visible example is Google’s AI Overview, which now appears at the top of many search results. These AI-generated summaries pull from trusted, high-authority sources. If your press release is published by credible media, it increases the likelihood that your brand will appear in these overviews.
Beyond Google, platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are also shaping how people discover information. These tools scan news outlets, blogs, and reliable sources to provide direct answers. A press release that gains media coverage can therefore boost your visibility not only in search engines but also in AI-driven summaries.
This evolution is sometimes called “SEO for AI.” It is about ensuring your brand is represented in the very sources that AI systems consider credible. Press releases are uniquely suited for this role because they provide timely, verifiable information directly to journalists and outlets that AI models trust.
How B2Press Strengthens SEO Value
Maximizing the SEO benefits of press releases requires more than writing a good story. It’s about getting that story published in the right places, at the right time, and in the right language.
Here’s how we do it at B2Press:
Global coverage in 75+ countries with local morning delivery aligned to newsroom habits.
Partnerships with 30+ news agencies and access to 300,000+ journalists.
Localized distribution in native languages, boosting regional search visibility.
Performance reporting that tracks coverage, referral traffic, and media pickup.
By combining professional writing with strategic distribution, we ensure that your news creates not only media coverage but also measurable SEO impact.
Conclusion: Are Press Releases Good for SEO?
The answer is clear: yes.
Press releases are not a shortcut or a gimmick, but when executed strategically, they are a powerful SEO asset. They create brand mentions that strengthen authority, generate referral traffic that drives engagement, and open the door to organic backlinks from trusted publications. In today’s landscape, they also contribute to visibility in Google’s AI Overview and other AI-powered search experiences.
If you want your news to work harder, not just in the newsroom but also in search engines and AI summaries, there’s a simple next step:
