November 20, 2015: Online PR distribution services have long used by PR pros to push the client’s news onto the Internet. In the early 2000s, “press release optimization” — embedding “hard links” (those that convey PageRank) in releases published by syndication services such as PRWeb and PR Newswire became an established SEO tactic.
While some users of these distributors played by the rules, there were enough who chose to “optimize” their releases by link-stuffing and using other spammy signals to cause Google to react.
After Google released version 4.0 of its Panda anti-spam algorithm in 2014, releases emanating from press release syndication services generally became less visible in Google’s News tab. According to reports, PRNewswire, PRWeb, BusinessWire, and PRLog all were hit hard, with some losing 70 percent of their visibility.
PR Newswire — whose management quickly realized that its service was being used in ways that brought it into serious conflict with Google, quickly tightened up its requirements for those using it, making it tougher for spammers to get PR releases through its system. In a press release dated June 20, 2014, it announced new guidelines for new press releases.
“Under the new copy quality guidelines, PR Newswire editorial staff will review press releases for a number of message elements, including:
— Inclusion of insightful analysis and original content (e.g. research, reporting or other interesting and useful information);
— Use of varied release formats, guarding against repeated use of templated copy (except boilerplate);
— Assessing release length, guarding against issue of very short, unsubstantial messages that are mere vehicles for links;
— Overuse of keywords and/or links within the message.”
The other newswires — including BusinessWire — quickly followed PRNewswire in publishing updated guidelines for users of their services:
Once considered the primary focus in optimizing a press release, inserting targeted keywords with unnatural links is no longer a best practice for your organization’s communications plan. Instead, optimize your press release with well-written, brand relevant content that piques the interest of your target audience and appeals to reporters, analysts, employees, customers, brand fans and more.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using press release distribution services. Online press releases are seen by reporters, bloggers, and other influencers. Beat reporters use Google News alerts, RSS feeds, and other means to monitor the beats they’re on, and if your release turns up in one of their alerts, and your story is good, you might be on your way to getting some real press coverage.
There’s no real SEO risk either — as long as you abide by the updated requirements of the PR release distribution services (and the services now pretty much force you to abide by their requirements or the release won’t go out). Don’t, however, make the mistake of believing that any direct SEO benefits will accrue to your client through press release distribution services. As Google’s former anti-spam chief Matt Cutts put it several years ago, “the main benefit of a press release is not direct links or PageRank from the press release directly; it’s primarily the people who decide to write and article and link because of that.” (italics added).
Bottom line: write your and distribute your release for human beings (reporters, editors, and influencers), not for search engines, and you’ll achieve your PR and online reputational goals.
Popular digital PR distribution services
BusinessWire.com
MarketWired.com
NewsWire.com
NewsWireToday
Online PR News
Open PR
PRLog.com
PR-Inside.com
PRNewswire.com
PRZoom
PRWeb.com
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