When you hear the phrase “press release link building,” you most likely picture one of two things:
- The New York Times features large brands using a high-level, sophisticated PR SEO approach.
- A spammy, outdated tactic from 2010, when you would blast a keyword-stuffed article to 500 news sites that no one has ever seen. All this just in exchange for a brief and pointless backlink.
If you’re confused, you have a right to be. The conversation around press release backlinks is full of conflicting advice. Some “gurus” swear it’s dead, while marketing agencies promise you “guaranteed SEO” and a front-page feature.
Part 1. So, what’s the truth in 2025?
Here’s the simple answer:
Using press releases just for direct, link-juice-passing backlinks is dead. But using press releases as a tool for brand visibility, referral traffic, and to spark real, high-quality editorial links? That’s not only alive and well, it’s one of the smartest (and most overlooked) strategies in digital PR.
Part 2. The “Good Old Days” of PR SEO (And Why They’re Gone)
A decade ago, the game was simple. You’d write a 400-word blurb announcing… well, anything. You’d stuff it with your target keyword, pay a cheap distribution service, and poof—your release was instantly syndicated across hundreds of low-quality websites. The best part? Most of these sites gave you a “do follow” link.
SEOs loved this. It was scalable, cheap, and for a short time, it actually worked.
Then, Google’s Penguin update rolled in.
Google wised up. It realized that these links weren’t “earned” or “editorial.” This is because they were promotional, automated, and low-value. In response, Google lowered and, in some cases, penalized sites that abused this tactic.
This change effectively killed the “spam” model of press release link building.
Part 3. How Google Sees Press Release Backlinks Today
To understand the 2025 strategy, you need to understand one crucial word: “nofollow.”
Today, virtually all major press release distribution services and syndicated sites like that pick up their feeds apply a “nofollow” tag. This tag is a simple instruction to Google that says, “Don’t count this link for ranking purposes. Don’t pass PageRank.”
This is why the old model is broken. You can’t pay $500, get 200 nofollow links, and expect your rankings to budge. They won’t. So… if the links don’t count, why on earth would anyone bother?
Part 4. If The Links Are Useless, Why Bother? (The Real Benefits)
This is the part most SEOs get wrong. They see “nofollow” and immediately close the tab.
But the goal of a modern press release isn’t the direct link. The goal is the indirect benefit. Think of a press release not as a link-building tool, but as a visibility and trust-building tool that can lead to links. Here are the real reasons to use a press release in 2025:
- The “Second-Tier” Link Effect (The Real SEO Prize)
This is the big one.
You don’t write a press release for the syndicated Yahoo Finance link. You write a press release so that a real journalist at a high-authority site like a top-tier industry blog sees your announcement on the wire and decides to write their own, original story about it.
The syndicated PR link is nofollow and low-value. The editorial link from the journalist’s original story is do-follow, high-authority, and pure SEO gold.
Think of it this way: The press release is the bait, not the hook. Its job is to get the attention of a real human who has the power to give you a real link.
- Brand Visibility and Trust Signals
What happens when a potential customer Googles your brand?
If they see a series of professional press releases on reputable platforms announcing your milestones, it builds instant credibility. It shows you’re a real, active, and legitimate business. This “digital footprint” is a powerful trust signal for both humans and, increasingly, for search engines, often called “brand entity.”
- Real, Targeted Referral Traffic
A newsworthy press release, sent over a high-quality wire, doesn’t just go to junk sites. It gets fed into real newsrooms, financial terminals, and industry-specific news feeds.
If your announcement is genuinely interesting, like new research or a truly innovative product, you will get clicks. These aren’t just any clicks; they are clicks from an interested, relevant audience. That’s high-quality referral traffic you can’t buy with ads.
Part 5. When to Use a Press Release: The Dos & Don’ts
The core rule of PR SEO is to be newsworthy. If your announcement wouldn’t make a journalist, here’s a simple checklist.
Do Use a Press Release For:
- A genuinely new, innovative product or service.
- “Our New Study Reveals 75% of Workers…”
- Securing a new round of funding, major acquisitions, or significant anniversaries (e.g., 50 years in business).
- Appointing a new CEO or a well-known industry figure.
- Hosting a major industry conference or a large-scale charity event.
Don’t Use a Press Release For:
- “We updated a blog post.”
- “We launched a minor website redesign.”
- “Our company still exists.”
- Any “news” that’s just an excuse to stuff keywords.
- If it’s not actual news, you’re just throwing money away and cluttering the internet.
Part 6. 5-Step Strategy for Modern PR SEO
Okay, so you have a genuinely newsworthy story. How do you turn it into a successful PR SEO campaign?
- Stop Writing Like a Robot: The old, keyword-stuffed PR is dead. Write for humans. Your headline and first paragraph are everything. They need to hook a busy journalist in 5 seconds. Tell a story, don’t just list features.
- Invest in Quality Distribution: Forget the “500 sites for $50” junk. You need a service that reaches real newsrooms and the AP (Associated Press) wire. Yes, this means services like Cision (PR Newswire) or Business Wire, and they can cost several hundred to over a thousand dollars per release. You’re paying for access, not links.
- Create a Digital Media Kit: Don’t make a journalist hunt for information. When you send your release, link to a simple page on your site with high-res logos, product images, leadership headshots, and contact info. This makes their job 10x easier.
- Go Beyond “Spray and Pray”: Don’t just hit “send” on the distribution wire and hope. Before you launch, build a small, highly-targeted list of 10-20 journalists and bloggers who actually cover your industry.
- Pitch Personally (This is the Magic Step): The moment your release goes live on the wire, email your target list personally.
Bonus Part: Free Template to Write a Modern PR
Subject: Story Idea: [Your Compelling Headline]
Body: “Hi [Name], I just saw you covered [Similar Company/Topic] last week.
My company, [Your Company], just published a press release (live on the AP wire this morning) about our new study on [The Newsworthy Thing]. The key finding was […].
The Final Verdict
So, does press release link building still work in 2025?
Yes, but the goal has changed.
Stop chasing hundreds of spammy press release backlinks. Instead, use press releases as the professional, high-level communication tool they were always meant to be. Use them to build brand, establish authority, and, most importantly, to get your real story in front of real journalists who can give you the real editorial links that Google actually values.That’s the new PR SEO. It’s less about automation and more about good, old-fashioned, newsworthy PR.
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