Do Press Releases Help SEO?
Updated 4 November 2026
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Press releases help SEO indirectly, not through their links. The links inside a distributed release pass no ranking credit, because Google names optimized-anchor press-release links as link spam and many wires mark them nofollow anyway. What a release can earn instead is real coverage and a dated brand mention, which feed both search authority and the record AI engines read. Treat it as publicity, never as a link tactic.
Why don't the links in a press release pass ranking credit?
The links in a syndicated press release pass no ranking value, for two reasons. Google classes them as link spam, and many wires nofollow them first.
Google's spam policies name "links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites" as link spam (Google Search Central, updated August 2026). The same page is blunt about the result: a caught site "may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all".
There is a mechanism behind the rule. You write a release once, then pay to syndicate it to dozens or hundreds of sites.
Every copy carries the same link on the same anchor text. Google's systems read that identical, self-placed pattern as a link you built, not one you earned. That is exactly what the policy names.
It is why many wires nofollow the links. Business Wire says (July 2020)
that it "adds
A nofollow link tells Google not to treat the link as an endorsement. Google's guidance on qualifying outbound links says links marked this way "will generally not be followed", so no link credit you can count on passes.
Google has said as much directly. In June 2018, Google's John Mueller said, as Search Engine Roundtable reported, that "we try to ignore links from things like press releases". His reason: "we know in general companies put the press releases out themselves".
Press releases are one pattern among several. Google's spam policies also name "excessive link exchanges" as link spam, so reciprocal links that exist only to trade ranking credit carry the same risk.
What does a press release actually do for visibility?
A press release earns visibility when a real editor picks up the story, not when a wire copies it across a network.
The value sits in the coverage and the mention. A journalist who reads your release and writes their own article gives you an editorial mention, and that mention counts even with no link attached.
An Ahrefs study of 75,000 brands (May 2025) found branded web mentions correlated with AI Overview visibility at 0.664, far ahead of backlink counts at 0.218. That record is part of what an engine reads when it decides who to name, which is why earned mentions matter to generative engine optimization.
So the honest scorecard for a release is coverage, not a count of followed links. A pattern we see is owners expecting a fast ranking jump from one paid push, then reading the "picked up by 200 sites" report as the result. Those reprints are syndication copies, not coverage an editor chose.
What a press release does and does not do
| What owners expect | What actually happens |
|---|---|
| Followed links that pass ranking credit | Nofollow links Google generally does not count |
| Rankings from distribution reach | Automated reprints nobody reads |
| A guaranteed backlink profile | Coverage and mentions, only if an editor runs it |
The gap between the two columns is the whole point. You are buying reach, and hoping it converts into a real publication's attention.
When is a press release worth doing in Malaysia?
A press release is worth doing when you have genuine news and a specific publication in mind. It is not a monthly SEO habit.
Real news earns coverage: a funding round, a new location, a partnership, an award, or original data a reporter can cite. For a Malaysian business, the reachable targets are local and trade media.
Think KL business outlets and the industry newsletters your customers already read, rather than a national blast. A single feature an editor chose to run beats a report of hundreds of reprints.
This is where a release folds into digital PR, the wider practice that starts from a story worth telling. The release is one format. The story is the asset.
Frequently asked questions
Do the backlinks from a press release help my rankings?
No. The links in a syndicated press release pass no ranking credit. Google's spam policy names optimized-anchor links in press releases as link spam. Many wires also mark their outbound links nofollow, which tells Google not to count them as endorsements. Any real value comes from a publication choosing to cover you, not from the distributed release.
Are press release links always nofollow?
Usually, on the major wires. Business Wire, for example, says it nofollows every hyperlink in a release, and Google has asked for exactly that since 2013. A service promising "dofollow" links from distribution is offering the thing Google's policy treats as link spam you should avoid, not a feature to pay for.
Can a press release get my business into Google News?
Only indirectly. Google News draws on content its systems identify as news-related and that meets its content policies. A release earns no place there just because it went out on a wire. What can appear is a genuine article a publication writes after your release prompts them. The release is the pitch; the journalist's story is what News may carry.
Is a press release the same as digital PR?
No, though they overlap. A press release is one format, a written announcement you distribute. Digital PR is the broader practice of earning coverage and mentions through stories worth writing about. A release can sit inside a digital PR campaign, but firing releases into a syndication network with no real story earns none of the authority.
How much do press release distribution services cost?
Distribution is priced per release, and the fee buys reach, not coverage. Paying more sends your announcement to a longer list of syndication sites, none of which guarantees a single editor reads it. Because the ranking value is not in the links, the spend is only worth it when you have real news and a target the wire reaches. For most Malaysian SMEs, a direct pitch to a relevant local outlet returns more.
Where to put the effort instead
Storming Solutions builds custom-coded websites and runs SEO, AEO, and GEO for Malaysian businesses from Kuala Lumpur. Our stance is simple: the mentions worth having are the ones a real editor decided to publish, and earned authority is not something we fake with distributed links.
Your next step is to separate the announcement from the link chase. If you have genuine news, pitch it to a publication your customers read, and let any mention follow the coverage rather than lead it.
Not sure whether a release fits your goal? Message us on WhatsApp or start with our digital PR guide and our SEO in Malaysia guide.