Press Releases
Press releases stack authority. When done consistently with the right link architecture, PRs build an authority chain that compounds over time. Every PR you publish creates hundreds of referring domains across news distribution networks, and ties your brand, location, and service keywords together in a way Google reads as a genuine media signal.
"When you do a press release, you're getting hundreds of RDs. If you do press releases on multiple networks, you're talking high hundreds to possibly thousands of referring domains.", Mike Merlino, Sep 2025
PR Link Architecture
Every press release contains exactly 3 links:
| Link # | Points To | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GMB listing | Sends authority directly to your Google Business Profile |
| 2 | Relevant service page | Deep link to the page you want to rank |
| 3 | Previous press release | Creates a PR chain, each PR strengthens all previous PRs |
The PR chain effect: PR #12 sends link juice to PR #11, which sends it to PR #10... all the way back to PR #1. Compound authority.
3-Keyword Strategy
Each press release targets exactly 3 keywords:
- Primary keyword, main service or topic
- Location keyword, city or service area
- Brand keyword, business name or branded term
Example
- Primary: "emergency plumbing services"
- Location: "South Tampa FL"
- Brand: "Joe's Plumbing"
These keywords appear in: headline, first paragraph, body, boilerplate, and anchor text.
Distribution Cadence
| Frequency | Level | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Minimum | Maintains baseline authority signals |
| Bi-weekly | Recommended | Consistent entity reinforcement |
| Weekly | Aggressive | Maximum authority stacking |
PR Topics That Work
- New service announcement
- Community involvement / charity
- Award or recognition
- Milestone (years in business, number of customers)
- New team member or certification
- Seasonal tips (tie to service keywords)
- Partnership announcement
- Technology or equipment upgrade
PR Writing Checklist
- [ ] Headline contains brand + keyword + city
- [ ] First paragraph answers Who/What/Where/When/Why
- [ ] 3 strategic links placed naturally
- [ ] 3 target keywords used 2-3 times each
- [ ] Boilerplate with complete business info
- [ ] Quote from owner/manager (E-E-A-T signal)
- [ ] 400-600 words (distribution sweet spot)
- [ ] No duplicate content from previous PRs
Recommended Platforms
- Press Advantage, Mike's primary recommendation
- EIN Presswire
- PR Newswire
- Business Wire
Integration with Other SOPs
The press release is Step 9 in the Magic Blog Post syndication chain. Reference blog content in your PR to create a content web:
Blog post → GMB post → Social → PR → all link back to each other.
PRs and AI Overviews (Updated Sep 2025)
Press releases are increasingly important for Google AI Overview appearances. The mechanism:
- PR content gets indexed across hundreds of news sites
- Those news sites are high-authority sources that LLMs and AI Overview pull from
- Each PR that includes your brand + keyword + geo reinforces your entity footprint in language models
"Audio, video, content, images, and press releases. It's like a universal syndication of, here I am, this is what I do, where I'm located, and what my name is.", Mike Merlino, Sep 2025
PR Stacking Strategy
Running PRs on multiple networks compounds their impact significantly.
Single network: hundreds of RDs Multi-network: high hundreds to thousands of RDs
The Stacking Sequence
- Write one PR around a blog post topic
- Distribute via your primary network (Press Advantage)
- Wait 2-3 days. Write a follow-up PR from a different angle on the same topic
- Distribute via a secondary network (EIN Presswire)
- Each new PR links back to the previous one, authority compounds
- Link #2 in each PR deep-links to the same target service page, every PR reinforces that page
PR Stacking and Category Changes
Use press releases when changing or expanding a GMB category. A PR explicitly tying your brand to a new service category (deck building, metal roofing, etc.) provides external confirmation of the new category association. Mike confirmed this technique in the Feb 2025 call.
PR + GMB + Blog Reinforcement Loop
The full reinforcement loop connects every asset:
Every asset in the loop references the same brand name, keyword, and geo. That repetition is the point. Google sees a consistent pattern of who you are, what you do, and where you do it.
Velocity and Timing Rules
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| No more than 1 PR per week from the same brand | Avoid unnatural velocity flags |
| Space multi-network distribution by 2-3 days | Let each pickup get indexed before the next wave |
| Vary your angles, not every PR is a "new guide" | Diverse topics look natural |
| Seasonal PRs should go out 2-3 weeks before the season | Let them index before demand spikes |
PR Boilerplate Template
The boilerplate runs at the bottom of every press release. This is where you stack your entity signals.
About [Brand Name]:
[Brand Name] is a [service type] company serving [city] and surrounding areas.
With [X] years of experience, [Brand Name] provides [service 1], [service 2],
and [service 3] to residential and commercial customers throughout [region].
Contact:
[Owner Name]
[Brand Name]
[Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone]
[Website URL]The boilerplate should never change between PRs from the same brand. Consistency across all distributions reinforces the entity association.
Quick-Reference: PR Angles by Month
| Month | Angle |
|---|---|
| Jan | "New Year, New Home" seasonal tips |
| Feb | Valentine's / Presidents' Day tie-in |
| Mar-Apr | Spring prep / inspection season |
| May | Mother's Day + spring campaign wrap-up |
| Jun-Aug | Summer service demand, AC, landscaping, pool |
| Sep | Back to school / fall prep |
| Oct-Nov | Pre-winter inspection / holiday season prep |
| Dec | Year-in-review milestone PR |
Related SOPs
- Magic Blog Post, PR is step 9 in the syndication chain
- Brand Identity, PR reinforces Who/What/Where
- Entity SEO, PRs build entity authority signals
- GMB Optimization, GMB link is always PR link #1