Press Release Backlinks: Definition, Types, Use Cases, Benefits, and Best Practices

Press release backlinks are inbound links from news and media publications. Editorially given links from top sites like Forbes, The New York Times, BBC, and others are insanely powerful for SEO. 

PR links can be of two types: editorial and automated. Editorial PR links help to improve your SEO rankings, domain rating, and overall website strength. These links are given by real journalists from well-written and unique stories. Automated PR links are distributed in bulk across a number of PR sites. These contain syndicated stories and are less useful for SEO.  

Acquiring branded links from genuine news sites is extremely powerful. Google’s algorithms consider links from websites with strong editorial standards to be of the highest quality. These are not easy to obtain and hence provide massive SEO value.

Let’s understand the different PR backlink types and how they help in SEO.

What are Press Release Backlinks?

Press release backlinks are links from news websites. They can be natural or paid. 

Here is an example of a paid PR backlink acquired via distributing your press release with the help of Newswire. 

Links from long-established newspapers and reputed media publications given editorially by journalists are unpaid and acquired naturally with the help of digital PR campaigns.

Here is an example of an unpaid backlink earned with the help of digital PR, organically covered by journalists.

High-quality PR links are earned by creating timely, relevant, and useful content that earns free press mentions. For instance, a trending news story leveraging data-backed content and unique visuals has a high chance of being picked by journalists. After crafting newsworthy content, you reach out to a selected group of reporters and journalists to offer your exclusive story.  

Digital PR is good for SEO. Legitimate links from reputable news outlets increase your website’s credibility in the eyes of search engines and help your site to get ranked higher in organic search for competitive keywords.

What are the Types of Press Release Backlinks?

The two types of press release backlinks are editorial and automated. Editorial links are genuine backlinks that are editorially given by journalists. Automated PR links are backlinks generated through automated systems with minimal editorial oversight. 

Let’s understand both these types of digital PR backlinks.

• Editorial PR Links: Editorial PR backlinks are hyperlinks from high domain authority websites given by journalists after careful editorial review. You can’t buy or trade such links, and they are given to you naturally by the news editors. Organic inbound links from top-tier media publications offer a huge SEO boost. Outreach plays an important role in securing links from high-quality media outlets. There is no guarantee that your content creation efforts will lead to links from top media houses. Hence, you should be careful when devising a digital PR strategy, as misinformation can harm your company's reputation in the long run.
• Automated PR Links: Automatic press release links are hyperlinks generated by distributing your PR to a collection of media outlets and magazines. Links created via automated PR are not editorially given and, hence, offer less SEO value. Large-scale digital PR links that are auto-generated using keyword-rich anchors lead to unnatural links and Google penalties.

How to Use the Press Release for Link Building?

As discussed above, there are two forms of PR link building: editorial and automatic. Let’s understand how you can use these two forms to build backlinks to your website.

In editorial PR link acquisition, you first create newsworthy content. To create trending content that attracts links, you should include data, emotion, and human interest. 

Highlight how the information impacts the audience, ensure it ties into current trends or events for relevance, and weave in human elements to connect emotionally. 

It is also important to compile stats and original data based on your own survey or study. You should avoid making exaggerated claims and stick to facts.

Editorial links are excellent for SEO because they are hard to obtain. Dofollow organic links from trusted media sites written by journalists are SEO goldmines. 

In automatic PR, you distribute your press releases to hundreds or thousands of media outlets. Most of these news sites accept branded or unbranded links. Some do not allow keyword-rich anchors and only accept naked or branded URLs.

Syndicated links distributed via PR Newswires containing exact-match anchors might lead to search engine penalties. Hence, you should always have branded anchors and not money anchors when publishing your PR. 

What are the Benefits of Press Release Backlinks?

The benefits of press release backlinks are higher SEO rankings, increased link equity, improved brand awareness, and increased traffic. 

Links from high-quality media publications boost your website’s organic rankings. When reporters and journalists naturally link to your newsworthy content, it improves your site’s SERP positionings for your target keywords and hence helps to drive more qualified business leads.

Although links within press releases distributed via PR distribution platforms lead to nofollow links that do not pass link equity, backlinks earned by creating buzzworthy content assets lead to natural link acquisition of links from leading media sites. These links are of high authority and sometimes dofollow. Organic follow backlinks from reputed media sites pass link equity and help to improve your domain authority and overall strength.

Being featured or mentioned on reputable and credible platforms lends authority and legitimacy to your brand. This association can enhance public perception, as consumers trust brands more when they are endorsed by sources they already trust.

PR links from high-traffic media sites also pass relevant referral traffic to your main site. Articles or features on popular news sites are well-targeted and contextually relevant. If your brand is linked within content that aligns with your industry or niche, the traffic derived from these links will likely be composed of individuals who have a genuine interest in your products or services.

What are the Drawbacks of Press Release Backlinks?

The drawbacks of press release links are that they harm your business reputation if used excessively on low-quality PR sites and might also lead to the accumulation of low-quality links, especially when they are distributed through press release distribution platforms without any editorial review. 

The SEMrush study proves that low-quality press releases are one of the top 10 reasons for link-based penalties. 

Since most PR links are nofollow, they also don’t pass link equity, and if there is a majority of links using keyword-rich anchors within press releases, they might also lead to algorithmic or manual Google penalties. 

What are the Best Practices for Getting Press Release Backlinks?

The best practices for getting press release links are to create newsworthy content, do PR outreach, and use the top-rated PR distribution networks. 

Let’s understand in detail the best ways to get your press release picked up by journalists:

• Create newsworthy content: First things first, your story should be interesting and newsworthy. It should address the current issues and should be timely and relevant. You should include human interest elements to connect emotionally with journalists and share stats and figures to lend weight and credibility to your release. Ensure your content is accurate, well-researched, and well-sourced. Craft strong headlines that spark and summarize the main point of your content. Optimize for SEO and include hyperlinks to your main website as the main source for the story.
• Do PR outreach: Have a PR outreach plan to pitch your stories to the right journalists. The results of your PR efforts largely depend on the existing connections you have with relevant journalists, influencers, and media outlets. It is a good idea to get the help of a digital PR service that has a team of media outreachers, expert researchers, and PR strategists to share your story with the journalists who are most likely to mention it. 
• Use the best-rated PR distribution channels: Select a press release distribution service that has a wide reach. Compare different pricing plans before you pick a service to get the best value. You should pick a PR distribution company that does not offer automated PR distribution. They should send out news to journalists to earn real coverage and ROI.

What are the Tips for Getting Press Release Backlinks?

The best tips for getting press release backlinks are to optimize your content using strategic keywords, include multimedia elements, use original data and research, and capitalize on newsjacking.

Let’s understand these ways to get your press release right to attract the right backlinks. Here are the top tips for acquiring high-value PR links:

• Optimize your PR: Research relevant keywords that journalists are most likely to search for while preparing their news stories. Include those keywords strategically in your content and headline. Use keywords naturally and mix synonyms and related terms. Including keywords in your press release will help it rank high on search engines for your target terms, which will increase the chances of journalists finding and reading your story to boost your chances of link acquisition.
• Include multimedia: Well-crafted images improve information retention. Include high-quality visuals and videos to enhance your messaging. You can use visualized quotes, charts, graphs, memes, and infographics. More than 70% of people have used visuals provided by PR professionals in their content.

• Use original data and research: More than 37% of journalists use data to prepare their news stories, while 68% of news reporters want to see data trends and original research in pitches. You should use original data in your press release to gain credibility. Conduct surveys with a specific consumer demographic and use the data to drive media interest in your story. You can also use data to illustrate industry trends and challenges. Survey and research reports are effective in getting good media coverage.
• Leverage newsjacking: Newsjacking covers major news events to gain visibility for your brand. It's a way to insert your brand into conversations by creating relevant content that aligns with the news cycle. By creating buzzworthy content related to that event or topic, you can potentially earn links from other media outlets covering the story. You should be careful about the timing, as the entry point for your content should be just after the news has broken.

How to Measure Press Release Backlinks Performance?

You can measure press release performance by tracking the number of backlinks acquired from your PR campaigns, analyzing the quality of referring domains, checking any improvements in your website’s organic rankings, and tracking any increase in referral traffic.

Here are the key metrics to track your press release backlink performance:

• Backlinks Count: Benchmark the number of backlinks you have before the start of your PR campaign and compare it after the end of the campaign. This way, you will know the number of backlinks you gained from your PR marketing efforts. You can use any backlink tracking tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to track your inbound links. 
• Backlinks Quality: It is also important to measure the link quality as quality outweighs quantity in link building. Evaluate each backlink by checking the referring domains DA, DR, and organic traffic. High-value links should come from domains with high DA, DR, and organic traffic. You can measure the DA with the help of Mozbar, DR with the help of Ahrefs, and organic traffic using any SEO tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs. 
• Search Engine Rankings: You should also benchmark your website’s organic rankings prior to the start of your PR campaign and wait for at least a few weeks after your campaign has ended. This is important as you need to give some time to Google crawlers to properly crawl and index the new backlinks. You should check your organic rankings to note down any improvements. Successful PR advertising should lead to an increase in organic rankings. You can track organic rankings with the help of SEO tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs. You can also check your Google Search Console to see ranking improvements in your target landing pages and the average position of your site in search results. 

• Referral Traffic: Your website should also gain some referral traffic from different media outlets. The higher the referral traffic increment, the better it is because more people are likely to visit your website reading your press release, and the chances of them linking to your website increase. You can compare referral traffic increments to your website before vs. after your PR campaign using Google Analytics. 

How to Get Press Release Backlinks?

To effectively earn backlinks through press releases, you need a strategic approach that combines well-crafted content with smart distribution and follow-up. Here’s a detailed plan:

Start by identifying the goal of your press release. Whether it's to put your brand in the spotlight or to share original data, planning helps align your efforts with your overall PR marketing strategy.

Develop a story idea that acts as a credible source of information. Include high-quality visuals or nicely formatted multimedia content to make the release more engaging. Remember, 70% of journalists spend less than a minute reading a press release, so your content needs to grab the reader's attention quickly and effectively.

Ensure the press release is SEO-optimized to enhance its visibility in search results. It should be well-written, concise, and contain all the necessary information to be considered a legitimate press link.

Distribute the content to super high authority sites, local news publications, and relevant newspapers and publications. These platforms can provide valuable and relevant inbound links that boost your SEO efforts.

Avoid mass pitching and personalize your PR outreach emails to individual journalists. A personal touch in your email increases the likelihood of your story being picked up.

Make sure you follow up with journalists and publications after sending out your press release. This can encourage them to publish your story, ensuring you get those high-quality press links.

To save time and to capitalize on the existing relationships with trusted media outlets, you can partner with a digital PR agency to distribute your PR content widely. They can help you reach both national and local news publications, maximizing the reach and impact of your press release.

How to Write a Press Release Article for Backlinks?

To write an impactful press release that naturally earns backlinks, you should prepare a captivating headline, have newsworthy content (with the 5Ws), and a strong boilerplate at the end.

Attention-grabbing headlines should succinctly communicate your core news element, instantly drawing the attention of journalists, editors, and bloggers. Here is an example of a great PR headline that converts an ordinary ketchup design contest into something unique.

The body of your press release should begin with a strong lead paragraph that employs the 5 Ws of the press release—who, what, when, where, and why. This ensures the message is both newsworthy and succinct, providing all the essential information upfront. It's crucial to write in the third person for formal and professional written communication.

You should use the inverted pyramid structure to place the most critical information at the top, gradually providing more detail. This method helps maintain the reader's interest by presenting the key points early. 

Add relevant quotes and images to enhance credibility and visual appeal, and ensure your company logo is prominently displayed to reinforce brand identity.

The strong boilerplate at the end of the press release should offer concise details about the company, emphasizing the unique selling proposition and Industry relevance. This section is vital as it serves as a standard description that can be reused in future communications. Here is an example of a boilerplate in a press release:

Be honest in your reporting to uphold integrity and trust with your audience. Poor formatting can undermine the professionalism of your press release, so ensure the layout is neat and accessible.

Finally, distribute your press release through newswires to ensure it reaches a wide audience and helps generate media coverage and public interest. Each section, from the headline to the detailed endnotes, should speak to your audience, presenting exclusive data and a newsworthy angle that highlights why the content matters to them.

What Are the Examples of Press Release Backlinks?

Some of the great examples of press release backlinks are Backlinko’s long-form content study distributed via PR newswire, the Lush Saltburn bath bomb PR campaign, and Insurance.com’s most ticketed cards digital PR. 

Backlinko’s long-form blog posts study examined more than 900 million articles and found that long-form content tends to perform better in terms of backlink acquisition. It was distributed by PR Newswire. 

The study gained over 4K backlinks, even those from reputed news sites like the Drum.

The Lush Saltburn bath bomb PR campaign is another excellent example of a press release leveraging a movie scene for PR. After a controversial bath scene in "Saltburn," UK cosmetics retailer Lush launched a themed product, the "Saltbomb," three months post-release. 

The campaign helped Lush earn more than 100 backlinks from 109 referring domains, with 84% of them dofollow.

Insurance.com’s most ticketed cards is another finest example of digital PR content. The content helped Insurance.com earn over 170 backlinks from popular sites, including Forbes, USA Today, Buzzstream, and others. 

How Many Words Should Be in a Press Release Article for SEO?

The ideal press release length is between 300-400 words. Your press release should just go straight to the point and share the information. You can also include multimedia. Longer press releases that are more than 500 words are challenging for journalists to absorb. Hence, shorter press releases that are below 500 words are ideal.

Is it Free to Submit a Press Release to Get Backlinks?

Yes, press releases are free to submit on press release distribution platforms that are free to use. However, there are certain high-value and paid PR channels that accept a one-time charge to distribute your press release to different media outlets based on your target regions. For example, the world’s most popular PR distribution service, Cision PR Newswire, charges around $350 for each release. 

What are the Differences Between a Press Release and Digital PR?

The difference between a press release and digital PR is in their content creation and distribution strategy. A press release is an official statement sent to media outlets via the firm’s PR department to announce the news, while digital PR is a marketing strategy that uses various digital channels like social media, blogs, and influencer marketing to reach a wider audience and build brand awareness through online publications, going beyond just sending out a press release.

Are Press Release Backlinks Safe for SEO?

Yes, press release backlinks are safe for SEO when gained editorially by crafting buzzworthy content. However, large-scale press release links containing exact-match keyword anchors can signal spam to Google. Hence, you should always maintain an organic link profile containing links from a variety of sources, including both dofollow and nofollow links using branded, generic, long-tail, and naked URL anchors.

What is the Structure of a Press Release?

The structure of a press release consists of a headline, the dateline, the opening para, the main body, and the contact information. All these components are crafted together to communicate news effectively to the journalists. 

The headline should be catchy and informative. It should capture the media’s attention and succinctly present the main news. This is followed by the dateline, which indicates the release date and location, underscoring the relevance of the information. 

The opening paragraph quickly summarizes the critical details, who, what, when, where, and why, to draw the reader deeper into the content. 

The main body provides detailed information, background, and expert quotes to enhance credibility and depth. Hyperlinks are added to direct readers to additional resources, enhancing engagement, while media assets like images or videos are included to visually support the text and attract more interest. 

The release concludes with contact information for further inquiries and a boilerplate that offers a concise description of the issuing company or organization, providing essential background to the audience. 

A well-crafted structure ensures the press release effectively delivers its message and captures the attraction of reporters and media outlets. 

What are the 5Ws in Press Release Backlinks?

The 5Ws in press release backlinks are Who, What, When, Where, and Why. These represent the involved parties, the nature of the news or event, the timing, the location, and the significance of the announcement. Together, they ensure the press release provides all necessary details, enhancing its potential to secure media coverage and high-value SEO backlinks.

How Effective are Press Release Backlinks?

Organic and editorially-given press release backlinks are effective for SEO, especially when distributed through reputable news outlets and industry publications. However, keyword-rich anchor text links from low-quality press release distribution sites are not useful for SEO. Such links are counted as part of link schemes by search engines and might lead to penalties.

Are Press Release Backlinks Better than Guest Posting?

Yes, dofollow editorial press release links from reputed and well-established media outlets earned naturally are better than guest posting backlinks. Google and other search engines trust organic links from popular domains. As a result, your website authority and strength improve, leading to higher SEO rankings and increased organic traffic.

Get Exclusive Media Coverage With Guaranteed High-Tier Links Acquire the best backlinks from DR 70+ media-driven sites. At Outreach Labs, we help you earn high-authority media links from trusted and popular news sites. We leverage newsjacking to craft data-backed stories that balance promotional content with genuine interest. Work with our PR marketing team to earn branded links from top sites. Sign up for our service to earn guaranteed media coverage and boost your SEO rankings.