The Real Benefits of Sending Press Releases (and Why Smart Brands Still Use Them)

Now I know what you're thinking: "I've tried press releases before and the phone never rang!" Well that's not really the point, is it? Here are the latest stats from just one source, EIN Presswire, as of this writing: There were 1,219 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 354,222 in the last 365 days. Given that, do you really expect people to read your press release?

Press releases are much more beneficial when it comes to SEO and, especially now, AI discovery. I asked Google Gemini, "What is the easiest way for brands to be discovered by AI entities such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, etc?" Although it is not as simple as "write press releases", this was a key part of the answer: "Earned Media: Press releases and guest articles on reputable news sites act as "truth signals." When a model sees your brand mentioned in a New York Times or TechCrunch article, its confidence in recommending you skyrockets."

In a world of social posts that disappear in 24 hours and ads that stop working the moment you stop paying, press releases remain one of the most underrated growth tools in modern marketing.

When done right, a press release isn’t just “news.” It’s visibility, credibility, SEO fuel, and lead generation wrapped into one powerful asset.

Here’s why businesses that want long‑term traction, (not just short‑term clicks), still invest in press releases.

1. Press Releases Build Instant Credibility

When your brand is featured on recognized media platforms (even digitally), you borrow their authority.

Instead of saying:

“We’re a great company doing great things,”

a press release lets the market see that others believe you’re newsworthy.

That third‑party validation:

• Increases trust

• Shortens the sales cycle

• Makes prospects take you seriously faster

For entrepreneurs, consultants, and sales‑driven professionals, credibility isn’t optional, it’s currency.

2. They Turn Visibility into Search Power

Every quality press release:

• Creates indexed pages

• Generates backlinks

• Expands your digital footprint

This means:

• Better Google rankings

• Stronger authority signals

• Increased discoverability in AI‑driven search tools

Unlike ads that vanish when the budget stops, press releases keep working long after publication.

Think of them as permanent digital real estate for your brand.

3. Press Releases Multiply Your Reach - Fast

One release doesn’t live in just one place.

It can appear across:

• News networks

• Industry publications

• Aggregators

• Blogs

• Podcasts

• Social reposts

That’s amplification without needing a massive ad spend.

For small businesses, this levels the playing field with much larger competitors.

4. They Position You as a Thought Leader

Press releases aren’t only for product launches.

They’re powerful tools for:

• Sharing insights

• Announcing partnerships

• Highlighting trends

• Establishing authority in your niche

When you consistently show up in the media, you stop being “just another business” and start becoming the name people associate with leadership.

5. Press Releases Support Sales Without Feeling Salesy

The best releases don’t pitch.
They educate, inform, and inspire.

And that’s what makes them convert.

A well‑written release:

• Drives traffic

• Warms prospects

• Opens conversations

• Builds trust before the first call

It’s selling—without sounding like selling.

6. They Create Reusable Marketing Assets

One press release can be repurposed into:

• Blog posts

• Social content

• Email campaigns

• Sales deck credibility slides

• Website “As Seen In” sections

That’s one piece of content working across multiple channels.

Smart marketers don’t just publish releases—they leverage them.

7. Press Releases Make Your Brand Discoverable by AI

Keyword focus: AI discoverability, digital PR for AI search

Today, discovery doesn’t only happen on Google.

It happens through:

• ChatGPT

• Perplexity

• Gemini

• AI search tools

These systems pull from authoritative, structured content.

Press releases—when properly formatted and indexed—become part of your brand’s AI visibility strategy.

In other words: releases help your business get recommended even when you’re not in the room.

8. They Turn Moments into Momentum

Keyword focus: brand storytelling, PR momentum

A launch, an event, a new feature—these moments fade fast unless they’re captured.

Press releases freeze your milestones in time.
They create:

• Historical record

• Proof of progress

• A story arc for your brand

And that story matters—to investors, partners, clients, and the media.

The Bottom Line

Press releases aren’t outdated.

Undisciplined press releases are outdated.

When you approach them strategically, they become one of the most powerful tools for:

• Authority

• Visibility

• SEO

• Trust

• Sales enablement

• AI discovery

For brands serious about growth, press releases aren’t an expense.

They’re an investment in long‑term positioning.

What have we been Doing at Digital Accelerant?

If you have been following along with us you may have noticed we have been adding several press releases recently. As of this writing, we have one earned piece of media from 2019, one press release in 2024, two in 2025 and now one in 2026 with several more to come between now and March. (AI has told me that it prefers to see them "bunched up".)

Besides optimizing our website for SEO, we are adding these press releases so that we can index them on our site and ensure they also exist elsewhere. We have made sure they are "AEO friendly". And finally, we have added them to our sitemap. If you go to any one of our pages, at the bottom in the footer you'll see a link that says "Press". Click that for access to all of our press releases.

If you are looking into this, or want to learn more about how we are making sure our site is optimized for both SEO and AEO, book a call with me. I'd be happy to share.