Every few years, someone declares the press release “dead.”

And yet the press release continues showing up in the same place that matters most—search results, news coverage, and brand discovery moments that influence real buying decisions.

The reality is simple. The press release never stopped working. Most businesses just stopped using it properly.

When used strategically, a press release remains one of the most cost-effective and credibility-driven marketing tools available. Not because it replaces other channels—but because it strengthens them. A press release is not meant to be the only tool in your toolbox; it is meant to complement the other tools.

The difference today is not whether press releases work. It’s how they are used.

The Shift from Promotion to Positioning

The biggest mistake businesses make is treating a press release service like an advertising service.

We continue to beat the drum and try to explain to people that a press release is not a sales pitch. It is not a blog post. And it is definitely not a place for exaggerated claims or marketing-heavy language. It is a positioning tool.

A well-written news release frames a company, product, or announcement in a way that aligns with how journalists, search engines, and readers expect to consume information. It presents facts, context, and relevance in a format that builds trust, like we mentioned in one of our most recent articles here: How to Write a Press Release: A Step-by-Step Guide for Businesses That Want Results.

This distinction is critical. Because trust is what drives visibility.

A press release also gives companies a credibility layer that advertising alone cannot easily replicate The Press Release as a Trust Catalyst: How Owned Media Builds Momentum for Earned Media.

Search engines are increasingly prioritizing signals that indicate credibility, authority, and expertise. This includes structured, factual content that resembles journalism more than marketing.

A properly written press release does exactly that.

Built for Visibility Across Multiple Channels

Unlike many forms of content that live in one place, a press release has built-in distribution advantages.

Once published through a reputable press release service, it can appear across multiple news sites, industry portals, and aggregated platforms. It can be indexed quickly by search engines, picked up by journalists, and referenced by other publishers.

This creates something most marketing channels struggle to achieve on their own—compound visibility.

Instead of relying on a single platform, a press release expands reach across a network of outlets, increasing the chances of discovery by both people and algorithms.

Even when a release does not generate immediate media pickup, it still contributes to long-term search presence, brand credibility, and digital footprint. That alone makes it valuable.

Cost Efficiency That Scales Over Time

When businesses evaluate marketing spend, they often focus on immediate return.

Paid advertising, for example, can generate fast traffic—but it stops the moment the budget runs out. You can also blow hundreds or thousands on very few clicks or clicks with no results. A press release works differently.

It is a fixed investment that continues to provide value over time.

Once published, it remains accessible, searchable, and shareable. It can be linked to, referenced in future content, and used as a credibility asset in sales and investor conversations.

Used properly, a press release is not a disposable announcement—it becomes part of a longer-term visibility strategy From One Press Release to Long-Term Growth: What Most Companies Miss.

This makes the cost-per-impression and cost-per-lifespan significantly lower than many other channels, including advertising.

In other words, it is not just about reach—it is about durability.

A Credibility Layer That Advertising Cannot Replicate

There is a reason companies still seek media coverage.

Third-party validation carries weight.

A press release sits at the intersection of owned and earned media. While the company controls the message, the format and distribution mimic the structure of news. This creates a perception shift.

Readers are more likely to trust information that appears in a news-style format than in a traditional advertisement. It feels less like persuasion and more like information. That difference matters.

In crowded markets, credibility is often the deciding factor—not just visibility. And when done correctly, a single release can continue to generate visibility over time, creating what many refer to as an ongoing “echo effect” The Echo Effect: How Strategic Press Releases Create Waves Long After Publication.

Supporting SEO in a Changing Search Landscape

Search behavior continues to evolve. Users are looking for authoritative, well-structured information, and search engines are responding by prioritizing content that meets those expectations.

Press releases contribute to this in several ways. They provide keyword-relevant content that is tied to real announcements. They create additional indexed pages that reinforce brand presence. And they generate signals that can support overall domain authority when distributed across reputable networks.

More importantly, they help businesses appear in contexts that feel trustworthy.

For search visibility, the same principle applies: content should be useful, clear, and written for people first Written for People First.

In an environment shaped by evolving search standards and increasing emphasis on expertise and authenticity, this is a meaningful advantage.

When Does a Press Release Work Best?

At 24-7 Press Release, we cannot stress enough that not every update is important to the public and does not require a press release. What is important to you may not be of interest to your audience. That said, when there is something genuinely newsworthy—such as a product launch, partnership, expansion, milestone, or industry insight—a press release becomes a powerful amplifier. The key is alignment.

The announcement must matter to someone beyond the company itself. It must provide context, relevance, or value to a broader audience.

When that happens, the press release stops being content—and starts becoming a signal. It becomes a signal to search engines, media outlets, and potential customers that something worth paying attention to has occurred.

The Real Value: Control with Credibility

Modern marketing is fragmented. Algorithms change. Platforms rise and fall. Organic reach fluctuates. A press release offers something rare in that environment—control over messaging combined with credible presentation. It allows businesses to define their narrative while still benefiting from the trust associated with news-style content. That combination is powerful. And it is one of the reasons press releases continue to play a role in the strategies of companies that understand long-term brand building.

Conclusion

The question is no longer whether press releases are still relevant. They definitely are. Check out these two articles:

How Press Releases Work Today: Still Relevant, But Reinvented

How to Write a Press Release in 2025: Templates, Examples & a Results-First Playbook

The better question is whether businesses are using them effectively.

When written with clarity, distributed strategically, and aligned with genuine news value, a press release delivers far more than exposure.

It builds credibility, supports search visibility, and creates lasting value from a single investment.

And in a marketing landscape where attention is expensive, and trust is harder to earn than ever, that makes it one of the smartest places to spend.