Press Releases, Mentions, and Third-Party Signals
Session 9.8 · ~5 min read
Links have dominated SEO strategy for two decades. But for entity authority, the game has shifted. Google's entity systems do not rely solely on links. They rely on mentions. When a reputable news outlet, industry publication, or government website mentions your entity by name, Google registers that mention as a corroboration signal, even if there is no hyperlink attached.
This is a fundamental shift in thinking. Traditional link building asks: "How do I get a link from this website?" Entity mention building asks: "How do I get this website to name my entity in a relevant context?" The link is a bonus. The mention is the signal.
Why Mentions Matter More Than You Think
Google's patents on entity recognition describe systems that identify entity mentions in text, resolve them to known entities, and use the context of those mentions to update entity attributes. When The Wall Street Journal writes "Acme Corp, an Austin-based software company," Google does not need a link to your website. It reads the mention, matches it to the Acme Corp entity in its Knowledge Graph, and uses the context (Austin-based, software company) to corroborate or update your entity profile.
(mentions your entity)"] -->|"entity mention"| B["Google NLP
(identifies entity)"] B -->|"reconciles to"| C["Knowledge Graph
Entity Profile"] D["Industry Blog
(mentions your entity)"] -->|"entity mention"| B E["Press Release
(mentions your entity)"] -->|"entity mention"| B F["Government Site
(mentions your entity)"] -->|"entity mention"| B C -->|"updated attributes"| G["Stronger Entity
Confidence"] style A fill:#222221,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style B fill:#222221,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style C fill:#222221,stroke:#c8a882,color:#ede9e3 style D fill:#222221,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style E fill:#222221,stroke:#8a8478,color:#ede9e3 style F fill:#222221,stroke:#6b8f71,color:#ede9e3 style G fill:#222221,stroke:#c47a5a,color:#ede9e3
The diagram shows how entity mentions from multiple sources flow through Google's NLP systems into the Knowledge Graph. Each mention, regardless of whether it contains a link, contributes to entity confidence. The source authority matters: a mention on a government site or major news outlet carries more weight than a mention on a low-quality blog.
Key concept: The goal is not link building. It is entity mention building. Links are valuable for PageRank, but mentions are valuable for entity confidence. A mention of your entity on The New York Times without a link is more valuable for entity authority than a dofollow link from an obscure blog.
Types of Mention Opportunities
Mentions can come from many sources. Some you can create proactively. Others happen organically as your entity becomes more recognized. The table below categorizes the major types of mention opportunities.
| Mention Type | Source Examples | How to Get It | Entity Signal Strength | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press coverage | News outlets, industry publications, trade journals | Press releases, media pitches, newsworthy events | Very high | High |
| Industry awards | Award listings, winner announcements, nomination pages | Apply for relevant industry awards | High | Medium |
| Expert quotes | HARO/Connectively responses, journalist queries | Respond to journalist queries with expert commentary | High | Medium |
| Conference speaker listings | Event websites, conference programs | Apply to speak at industry events | High | Medium |
| Guest articles | Industry blogs, publications, partner sites | Pitch guest content with author bio mentioning entity | Medium to high | Medium |
| Podcast appearances | Podcast show notes, episode descriptions | Pitch as a guest on relevant podcasts | Medium | Low to medium |
| Case study mentions | Client websites, partner case studies | Ask clients and partners to mention your entity in their content | Medium | Low |
| Wikipedia references | Wikipedia article citations | Produce citable sources that Wikipedia editors may reference | Very high | Very high |
| Government/institutional mentions | Government websites, university sites, .edu/.gov pages | Partnerships, grants, research collaboration | Very high | Very high |
| Press releases | PR Newswire, Business Wire, GlobeNewswire | Issue press releases for newsworthy events | Low to medium (signal has diminished) | Low (paid distribution) |
Press Releases: Reality Check
Press releases were once a powerful tool for entity mentions. They still have value, but it has diminished significantly. Google's John Mueller has explicitly stated that links from press releases do not carry significant link equity. The entity mention value, however, still exists, particularly when press releases are picked up by legitimate news outlets and redistributed.
The key is to issue press releases only for genuinely newsworthy events: new products, significant hires, major partnerships, awards, funding rounds, or research publications. A press release about a minor website update or a holiday greeting is not newsworthy and adds no entity value. Worse, low-quality press releases distributed through spammy services can associate your entity with low-quality content.
When you do issue a press release, ensure the entity name is mentioned consistently (matching your canonical name), the location is included, and any relevant entity facts (founding date, founder name, industry classification) appear naturally in the text. These details help Google's NLP extract entity attributes from the press release content.
Building a Mention Strategy
A systematic mention strategy follows these steps:
- Monitor existing mentions. Use Google Alerts, Mention.com, or a similar tool to track where your entity is already being mentioned. This gives you a baseline and helps you identify organic mention patterns.
- Identify high-value targets. List the publications, directories, and websites where a mention of your entity would carry the most weight. Industry trade publications, local news outlets, and relevant government or institutional sites should be at the top.
- Create mention-worthy assets. Original research, industry reports, unique data, and expert commentary are the most effective ways to earn mentions. Journalists and bloggers cite sources that provide unique value.
- Respond to journalist queries. Services like HARO (Help A Reporter Out), Connectively, and Qwoted connect journalists with expert sources. Responding to relevant queries earns expert mentions on established publications.
- Apply for awards and speaking slots. Industry awards and conference appearances generate mentions on event websites, winner pages, and promotional materials.
- Pitch guest contributions. Guest articles on industry publications include author bios that mention your entity. The mention in the bio, combined with the content attribution, creates a strong entity-topic-source association.
Measuring Mention Impact
Track mentions using Google Alerts, brand monitoring tools, and periodic "brand name" searches. For each mention, record the source domain, the context in which your entity was mentioned, and whether a link was included. Over time, you should see your entity mentioned in increasingly authoritative contexts.
The ultimate measure of mention impact is Knowledge Graph corroboration. If your Knowledge Panel starts showing more accurate information, if your brand SERP becomes more controlled, and if Google's autocomplete suggestions for your entity become more specific, your mention strategy is working.
Further Reading
- Moz: Brand Mentions and SEO
- Search Engine Journal: Entity Mentions for SEO
- PR Newswire: How to Write a Press Release
- Connectively (formerly HARO): Connect with Journalists
- Ahrefs: How to Track Brand Mentions
Assignment
Build the foundation of your entity mention strategy.
- Set up Google Alerts for your entity name (and common variations). Monitor for one week and record every mention source, context, and whether a link was included.
- Identify 10 publications, directories, or websites where a mention of your entity would be most valuable. Rank them by authority and relevance.
- Create one mention-worthy asset: an industry report, original survey, case study with data, or expert commentary piece that journalists or bloggers would find worth referencing.
- Sign up for Connectively (or a similar journalist query platform) and respond to at least 3 relevant queries within the next two weeks, positioning your entity's expertise.
- Draft a press release for a legitimate, newsworthy development at your organization. Ensure it includes your canonical entity name, location, founding date, and a description of your primary activity.