Press release distribution has long been a cornerstone in the realm of ecommerce search engine optimization (SEO). Traditionally, public relations consultants have utilized press releases to disseminate news or updates, while SEO experts have leveraged them primarily to acquire valuable backlinks. However, the advent of digital public relations (PR) has seen the merging of these objectives, aiming to both spread announcements and secure high-quality links.
Distributing a press release can cost anywhere from $50 to $2,500 per release, depending on the chosen service. These services ensure that the release gets republished across various platforms, ranging from esteemed news organizations to lesser-known sites posing as news outlets. The distribution landscape consists of a few large distributors and numerous smaller middlemen who syndicate content through their own news circuits. The distribution process involves making strategic decisions about the reach, length of the announcement, and the inclusion of multimedia elements such as images, logos, and videos. For newcomers, the complexity of this process can lead to unnecessary expenditures on services that may not yield the desired results. Smaller distributors often offer more personalized assistance and advisory services, while larger distributors might have less patience for low-volume clients.
Optimizing a press release for search engines is akin to optimizing a web page. This involves selecting a primary keyword and its variations, supported by related entities and semantic terms in the headline, sub-headings, and body text. Typically, a press release includes three main components: a news angle, optimized body and anchor text, and hyperlinks. For instance, a release might be optimized for an unbranded keyword like “Sebastopol Wine Tasting” or a compound keyword combining a brand and a category, such as “Eric Schwartzman SEO consultant.” Maj Hussain, owner of the smaller press release distributor Magic PR, advises ecommerce merchants to start with a branded press release to establish authority and follow up with product or category releases to drive traffic and link equity.
The most impactful ecommerce press releases generate third-party editorial coverage with links to product-detail or category pages. A media-savvy digital PR consultant can be invaluable in securing such coverage. Negotiating exclusives with a single editorial outlet can be particularly beneficial for newsworthy scoops. In exchange for breaking the story first, the site often provides a prominent link in the article. Google considers links from credible news outlets as authoritative, influencing its indexing system. News articles with substantial traffic are more likely to be stored in Google’s RAM tier for faster access. Even if a press release does not achieve original news coverage, it can still be aggregated by various websites that post it unchanged. If these aggregators are legitimate, this can be a reliable method of acquiring backlinks.
How you link from the press release to an ecommerce page is crucial. Qamar Zaman, founder of Kiss PR Brand Story, recommends using the product name as anchor text to a product detail page and including a separate brand anchor link to the home page. He advises using no more than one link per 100 words and suggests that naked URLs (starting with https://) are effective because they drive engagement and link power directly to the page. Additionally, Zaman suggests using partial-match keywords or compound links that include both the brand and product name. For example, a compound ecommerce anchor could combine the company name plus a product category, linking to the same page.
A press release is considered “picked up” when it is republished on another website. Not all distributors have relationships with aggregators that can deliver high-authority backlinks. Major distributors like PR Newswire, Business Wire, and GlobeNewswire comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s fair disclosure requirements (Regulation FD), ensuring no investor has an unfair trading advantage based on selectively revealed information. These distributors generally offer superior distribution but come at a higher cost and have stricter editorial guidelines. Smaller press release companies may purchase extended distribution through wires like GlobeNewswire and enhance their pick-up reports with links from low-traffic publishers.
Press releases featured in Google News Top Stories or Google Discover can significantly boost rankings, although this is not guaranteed. Zaman notes, “Press releases can show up in Top Stories, but they typically have to be picked up by major publications like MarketWatch or Bloomberg. A content creator with an established site has a better chance of getting into Google News than newer sites.” However, press releases must adhere to distributors’ guidelines, which can vary based on the editor’s experience. Additionally, the sites a release links to must be approved.
Despite the challenges, press releases remain a valuable tool for building ecommerce brand authority, securing backlinks, and boosting organic traffic. Starting with brand-focused releases helps establish authority and recognition. Targeting product detail and category pages drives direct traffic and conversions. Maintaining link quality using tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz ensures the long-term value of backlinks. By following these guidelines, press releases can be effectively used for link building, enhancing an ecommerce SEO strategy, and achieving sustained online success.
