#9 - The David Quaid SEO Show:Are Press Releases for SEO Dead? The Data Says No

Are Press Releases for SEO Dead? The Data Says No

Google September 2026 Spam Update Has Finished Rolling Out

Are press releases for SEO dead? Data says no. See real stats on how press releases still boost rankings, backlinks & visibility in 2026.

Are press releases still relevant in today’s SEO landscape? In this insightful show, we dive into the latest data and trends showing press releases aren’t just alive; they’re thriving. Discover how they can still boost your online visibility and search engine rankings. If you’re curious about harnessing the power of press releases.

#1 - What does the data actually measure (rankings, indexing, traffic, citations), and what counts as proof in SEO?

The "Dead" Narrative vs. the Data

Google warned in 2013 that optimized links in press releases could count as link spam, and by 2016 most wire services had made their links nofollow. So why do some people now say "the data says no"?

#2 - Have you seen nofollow or syndicated press release links move rankings in your own tests?

Nofollow Links: Worthless or Underrated?

Google now treats nofollow as a "hint," which is a good fit for David's evidence-based approach.

#3 - Is "LLMs Seeding" a real strategy, or just old wire distribution with a new name?

Press Releases and AI Search Visibility

This is probably the strongest new angle. Notified studied 8,000+ GlobeNewswire releases in May 2026 and found that releases can show up in AI answers within hours. Meltwater says the effect on AI search is real but mostly indirect

#4 - Do unlinked mentions actually help rankings, or is that an SEO myth?

Brand Mentions and Entity Building

Releases can earn brand mentions, help with indexing, and reinforce entity signals even when the links are discounted

#5 - What separates a Press Release that earns real editorial links from one that is just $300 of syndication?

Wire Spam vs. Real News

Some argue the value comes from real news reaching journalists. Cision's 2026 data says 66% of journalists rely on press releases for story ideas

#6 - If you had $1,000 for a small business, would you spend any of it on press releases?

A Practical Playbook for 2026

End with something listeners can use: when to use a release, what to put in it (data, quotes, structure), which distributors are worth paying for, and how to track results in both Google and AI tools.

Second Half

On October 1st, Google rewrote its Helpful Content Guide, and he must mention Lily Ray

Beyond E-E-A-T.

Effort

Originality

Talent or Skill

Accuracy

Google September 2026 Spam Update Has Finished Rolling Out

Barry Schwartz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbyCJdSp2Lg

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The Hosts of The David Quaid SEO Show: David Quaid & Jonathan Denwood

https://davidquaidseo.com

https://primaryposition.com

@DavidGQuaid

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Jonathan Denwood

https://www.wp-tonic.com/

@jonathandenwood

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