E1222: Press release backlinks work, even when they're nofollow. I break down an SEO experiment where a press release backlink made Google's own head of webspam rank for a made-up keyword that didn't appear anywhere on his website.
I also explain Kyle Roof's findings about when nofollow backlinks pass ranking value, share a black hat SEO tactic involving press releases and job listings, and cover legitimate ways to apply these ideas to improve Google rankings.
In this episode:
- The Matt Cutts press release experiment: Google's former Head of Webspam, Matt Cutts, publicly stated that he wouldn't expect press release links to benefit rankings. An SEO company tested this by publishing a press release linking to his personal blog.
- Ranking for a made-up keyword: The press release used the invented anchor text "Sreppleasers," a term that didn't appear anywhere on Matt Cutts' website. His blog subsequently ranked at the top of Google for the term.
- Why press release backlinks usually don't work: Most press release distribution services use nofollow links, which generally don't pass ranking authority the same way followed links do.
- Kyle Roof's nofollow backlink findings: Kyle's testing suggests that nofollow backlinks can influence rankings when the linking page itself ranks in Google and receives clicks.
- Joy Hawkins' independent tests: Joy tested nofollow backlinks from her local SEO forum and found that they improved rankings for a linked page. Even a YouTube video embedded on that page started ranking.
- A black hat press release strategy: An SEO I met in Bucharest described a tactic involving job listings without website links. Applicants searched Google for the company and job, found an optimized press release, and clicked through to an application form.
- How the strategy passed authority: The press release linked to the application form, which linked to two or three SEO pages. Applicants had to visit those pages to answer questions, generating clicks through the internal links.
- Why branded searches matter: Publishing job listings without direct links can generate searches for a company's name. I discuss how SEOs use these searches and clicks to influence Google rankings.
- A legitimate alternative using promotions: Run a promotion where participants search Google for your brand, find a press release, and visit relevant pages on your site to find information needed to enter.
- Using press releases for actual company news: Publish announcements that people want to read, link to relevant SEO landing pages, and create opportunities for readers to discover your SEO content.
- Anchor text and internal linking: How to use descriptive anchor text in press releases and connect announcement pages to important SEO landing pages.
- Press release distribution services: I compare AB Newswire, which offers one-off press releases for $80 and bulk pricing as low as $6 per release, with EIN Presswire, which costs more but can keep releases indexed longer.
The central lesson is that where a backlink appears, whether its page ranks, and whether people click through can matter more than simply counting backlinks.
⭐️ 21 SEO Experiments That Will Change The Way You Think About SEO (Forever) - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/
⭐️ Ep 1213 - Kyle Roof Ranked Gibberish #1 on Google. Then Google Deindexed 20 of His Sites. - https://youtu.be/LCrW28jb9UM
⭐️ Ira Bodnar's post on 𝕏 - https://x.com/irabukht/status/2114390277737890085
💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/
00:00 Do Press Release Links Matter
00:34 Matt Cutts Experiment
01:54 Why Nofollow Can Count
02:18 Kyle Roof Podcast Clip
03:30 Dark Job Listing Tactic
05:47 White Hat Alternatives
07:13 Press Release Services
07:42 SEO That Makes Money
08:28 Wrap Up and Goodbye
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #backlinks #linkbuilding #seo