SEO Update: Google Says Press Releases Should Be No Follow - what is behind their decision?... There has always been some scepticism around the benefits of using press releases for SEO but those who have used them in the past could now be facing problems. Google have decided to go ahead and punish any sites using follow links in press releases, and the reason behind this- Google say that a press release is similar to an advertisement for your company and therefore should not be used for linking....
Are news releases is still a viable PR tool? Without careful treatment, and the addition of no-follow links, Google may punish you for perceived black hat SEO tactics. This debate is not over yet.