Every marketing and PR professional worth their weight knows that a press release presents an excellent opportunity for a link-building exercise.

Just like traditional link building, press release link building is a digital marketing practice that uses SEO-optimized press releases to secure high-quality backlinks.  

When done right, PR link-building efforts can generate the right kind of attention for your brand. It can also boost organic outreach, and even get you out-of-context brand mentions - and, unlike other aspects of search engine optimization (SEO), you don’t need to have textbook technical prowess to make your PR link-building efforts a success. 

However, with that being said, executing a press release link-building campaign does still take strategic decision-making: to succeed, you need to know effective link-building methods and implement best practices to get your desired results.

Understanding the role of press releases in link building

You might not think of SEO  when you think of a press release - but what is a press release, if not a snippet of valuable information? Information always attracts attention, and a quality press release can generate organic search intent just by existing. 

A press release is always written about a trending, relevant topic, or announcing something that creates curiosity among the public. It also doesn’t hurt that a press release is meant to create content for distribution. So, if other authority websites and media outlets pick up your press release, there’s an immense scope for generating backlinks. 

Quality backlinks are also one of the most important factors influencing a site’s organic search ranking, as declared by the father of all search engines, Google. 

With that being said, not all press releases are worthy of generating high-value backlinks - only exceptionally well-written and SEO-optimized ones can achieve the kind of groundbreaking results that marketers and comms professionals are looking for. You will need to be able to master the art of developing press releases that can lead the charge of your SEO battalion to help you emerge victorious on the other side. 

Crafting link-worthy content in press releases

Experts emphasize quality content because it’s the only type of content powerful enough to achieve everything you want from your concentrated digital marketing efforts. Therefore, the first step to crafting link-worthy content is to focus on the quality of your press release. 

Quality

Your content should be highly relevant, propose a solution, provide an explanation, or have worthwhile information that can provide value to readers. Chances are, other journalists and writers will pick it up for referencing if it possesses these qualities. 

Optimize the first 250 words: Add all the essential information, keywords/phrases, and answer the who, what, when, where, and why questions. Journalists often follow the inverted pyramid writing style for press releases because it works. 

Keep it crisp, conversational, and grammatically correct. 

Length

A press release should be informative. Keep it succinct at 500 to 800 words, and remember that length is not a quantifier of quality. Unlike other forms of content marketing, you don’t need to tell a story with a press release.

Optimize for SEO

When relying on a press release for link building, you must optimize it for SEO - that’s a given. Find keywords relevant to your niche and incorporate them liberally into your press release. This should include a good mix of long-tail and short-tail keywords. 

Ensure that your primary keyword is in the headline of your press release, in the opening and the concluding paragraphs. You can also use it as a relevant anchor text. 

Steer clear of keyword stuffing — optimizing for SEO does not mean turning your press release into a sea of keywords without any substance. Instead, focus on adding high-value natural links throughout the press release to correspond with any facts or claims you’re making. 

Measuring the success of link-building efforts

Once you’ve created a press release that’s optimized for link building, it’s time to identify markers that can tell you if your link building exercise is successful (or not). Keep an eye out for: 

  1. Organic Search Traffic: Has your press release generated enough organic search traffic? Even the smallest jumps over an extended period can indicate you’re on track for your link opportunities. 

  2. Referral Traffic: How many media houses and publications have picked up your press release or referred to it? As long as you get 15 or more, you should be on track. 

  3. Traffic to Target Pages: The ultimate goal of link building is driving traffic to desired pages. A measurable increase in traffic indicates your press release backlink strategy is working. 

  4. Domain Authority: Earning authority backlinks is a surefire way of improving a website's domain authority (DA). Measuring whether or not your DA has increased reflects how well your link building has worked. 

Identifying high-quality link opportunities

While the metrics discussed above can measure your link-building success, you should also be able to identify opportunities that can help you get there. Here’s how you can get started: 

  1. Identify websites with high DA that are related to your industry. You can score a high-value backlink if these authority websites cite your press release. 

  2. Research your competitors and check their backlinks to see which websites they are linking to. Identify the top sources that are relevant to your niche. 

  3. You can also use third-party apps and tools like Moz and Newswire to identify high-quality link opportunities, allowing you to save time. 

Link-building case studies show that identifying a trustworthy link-building opportunity is an organic process: the more you do it, the better you get at it. 

Best practices for press release link building

Now that you know all about the SEO benefits of press releases, follow these link building best practices to ensure you never miss the mark or an opportunity to secure quality backlinks: 

  1. Write a catchy or “clickbaity” headline that generates curiosity and buzz. 

  2. Use quotes from prominent personalities in the press release to increase its value and saleability. 

  3. Cite multiple high-authority sources in the body of the article. 

  4. Add the most valuable information in the first 250 words of the press release and focus on anchor text optimization. 

  5. Add your contact information at the bottom of the press release. 

  6. Look for trustworthy distribution services that are known for quality work.

  7. Don’t take a spam-heavy approach to creating and distributing your press release. Instead, leverage your interpersonal connections to the fullest.

  8. Place links strategically within your press release so that they get the attention they deserve. 

Utilizing press release distribution services

A press release is meant for the dissemination of information - link building or not, you need to work with a verified distribution service to ensure your press release achieves what it set out to do. Luckily, you can use press release distribution services to your advantage. 

A reputed distribution service connected to top media houses and authority websites should be able to take care of your distribution efforts for you. Additionally, because these are verified sources, you do not have to bear the headache of identifying high-quality link-building opportunities. 

By associating with a global press release distribution network, you automatically secure credibility for yourself. 

Therefore, choose your distribution sources with care - if you do, half the work of your media outreach strategy will be done. When partnering with Canada Newswire, you can save time out of your busy day by optimizing your search from the get-go. 

With every press release sent out through Canada Newswire, you receive a complimentary Visibility Report to evaluate the performance of your release. Through Canada Newswire's unique tracking technology, you can measure how your news is received and engaged with by media, organizations, and end-audiences. These Visibility Reports provide advanced analytics and a wealth of data, allowing you to quantify the impact of your earned media efforts in a way that sets Canada Newswire apart from other newswires.

In retrospect

Press releases can become your conduit for quality backlink acquisition if you know how to play your cards right: they go a long way in online reputation management and help you gain visibility. 

To learn more about the key ways to effectively distribute your press release and consolidate your efforts, contact the Canada Newswire team today.