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The SEO Value of Free Press Release Services and News
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Google loves news. Having new content on your website - new news releases, new blog posts, new product data - helps to freshen your site, and remind Google that your website is alive and kicking. Recent changes to the Google algorithm, namely the so-called 'Farmer Update' worked against low quality content farms, including some of the free press release services. Let's investigate the remaining value of news for SEO purposes!
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By Jason McDonald
Senior SEO Instructor - JM Internet Group.
Posted: March 14, 2011
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Contents:
The Value of News for SEO
Google loves news! Look at the world from the GoogleBot's perspective. Here the guy is busy attempting to index all the content on the web, and as he spiders your site (or a competitors), he has to wonder -
- Is this business still in business? Is it bankrupt? Dead?
- Am I landing on a living, breathing website, or a 'living dead' website in which the website remains, but the business is dead?
- How active is this business in the community?
So, first and foremost, having new content on your website sends out a powerful signal to Google: Hey, Google! We are still alive! We are still in business! If, on the contrary, your website isn't being updated frequently, Google may think that you are dead, no longer in business.
Second, beyond having new content, you need to include brief mentions of that new content and powerful links FROM your home page to that content. For example, as you blog, as you create news releases, then include a one-click link from the home page to your blog posts, to the news release, etc.
In sum, every website should have a blog, every website should create new content, frequently, and every website should link from the home page to your new content. The goal is to signal Google that you are alive. One final benefit: having new content will improve the frequency of your indexing by Google, as Google returns more frequently to sites that update frequently. Makes sense, no?
Free Press Release Services like PRLOG.org
Free press release services like PRLOG.org or PITCHENGINE.com will syndicate your news releases, for free. This is one of the big benefits of formal news vs. blog posts. With formal news releases, you can leverage free news release services. Input your news, include a prominent link back to your website, or a new page / new section you want indexed, and PRESTO. You have instant links, instant buzz, and a powerful signal outside of your own website to Google that you are buzzing with new, cool stuff.
My favorite two free services are -
Sign up for your free account, input your news release and off you go. Be sure to have a copy of the real release on your own website, first. Your ultimate goal is to to show up for your target keywords and you can use your own news for that purpose. Syndication is a secondary goal.
Google's Farmer Update
Google's recent Farmer Update was meant to deprecate low quality content farms. Unfortunately, sites such as PRLOG.org and PITCHENGINE.com do seem to have been hit by this negative update. Does it mean that syndication has no value? No. It does mean that syndication now seems to have less value.
The Farmer Update just reinforces the first goal of news: train Google that your own site has great, fresh, original content, and that you are constantly blogging and issuing news behind the scenes. I still recommend syndication because 1) it's free, and 2) you never know, Google may switch back to emphasizing these free news release sites. We are never truly sure what goes on behind the scenes.
But, yes Virginia, the farmer update did hurt the free news release services.
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